Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things required of us. You might almost say it goes against human nature. “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” That was Alexander Pope’s conclusion in “An Essay on Criticism.” [1]

Christians generally know they are supposed to forgive one another, but what does that look like in daily life? How do you forgive someone who is still sinning against you and others? Are you even supposed to do so?

This question became highly relevant for me when I was a young woman. The church in which I was raised went through a long-running dispute. There was no single instance of epic sin: no pastor embezzling funds or having an affair, no sexual abuser preying upon children. Rather, it was a “death by a thousand paper cuts” situation. A tiff here, a disagreement there; one person leaving, then five people. Eventually, it became a mass exodus as the problems grew larger and rival factions formed.

I had left home to pursue my university education, but I received updates that saddened me. I had never thought my church was perfect, but it seemed to get many things right. Splits and major controversies were things that happened at other churches. Yet, as the evidence mounted, I was forced to acknowledge that people whom I had respected were, in critical moments, choosing bitterness over love. I was forced to ask a dangerous question: “Is something wrong with the church’s theology?”

Perhaps you can sympathize with my situation, for if you have been around Christians long enough, you know they are simul iustus et peccator: simultaneously just and sinful. The church is a place full of sinners who live up to that name, even though they are justified in Christ, so some problems are bound to occur.

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Amy Mantravadi | “The Necessity of Human Forgiveness” | November 20, 2023

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