In Luke 17:3-4, Christ instructs his disciples, “’If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him.’” The previous reflection cautioned against assuming someone is wrong before determining the truth in a situation, but there are times when the truth is that a Christian brother has sinned. 4 points of emphasis stand out in this Luke 17 passage; this reflection will look at 3, and the next reflection will cover a fourth.
First, sin is serious business. Verse 1 leading up to this statement deals with a brief discussion about, “Temptations to sin”(ESV) or, “Stumbling blocks”(NASB). These offenses are not unintentional inconveniences or forgetful lapses or innocent mistakes; these offenses include the characteristic of catching people unawares and causing them to sin. In verse 2, Jesus states that it would be better to have a millstone hung around your neck and be thrown into the sea than to cause another Christian to stumble(Luke 17:2).
The second emphasis here is our responsibility when a brother sins. Allowing a Christian brother to continue in sin may seem easier than confronting him, but a desire to glorify God and a recognition of the reality that one Christian’s sin can trip up others should motivate us. Paul reminds the Galatians, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness”(Galatians 6:1). Sometimes one gentle statement is all that is needed. More blunt communication may become necessary when hearts are hard, but remembering our own weakness can help us maintain a calm spirit.
King David committed adultery; when his cover-up strategy didn’t work, he murdered. In 2 Samuel 12 we read the prophet Nathan’s carefully planned rebuke to David. When David recognized his sin, he grieved. Obviously he had sinned greatly, but his remorse for sin meant that God would continue to bless him. In Acts 13:22-23 we read, “’I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my own heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior.” David is a great example of a third emphasis in the Luke 17 passage: repentance.
Some Scripture passages refer to forgiveness without mentioning repentance, and this may seem confusing. Scripture does not contradict itself, however, so we dig deeper to interpret accurately. One of these passages is Ephesians 4:32, which we covered a few days ago (Drama . . . Conflict . . . Grace). Some mistakenly interpret it as a command to ignore sin in Christian brothers, but the context and the choice of the Greek word used communicate an encouragement to eliminate destructive sin in our own lives and replace it with kindness and graciousness. The verse is not instructing us to overlook or ignore destructive sins of our Christian brothers.
Another event which may seem confusing is recounted in Luke 23 when Christ, nailed to the cross by Roman soldiers, says, “’Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’”(23:34). 2 clues in the passage and another in Acts help clarify his meaning. First, Christ gives as the reason for his request, “for they know not what they do.” Can you imagine if the wrath of God were poured out on the men who nailed his Son to the cross and the rulers who ordered the men to do so? But because they did not grasp the significance of what they were doing, Jesus is asking his heavenly Father not to mete out an extraordinarily brutal punishment on these non-believers for this awful deed.
A second clue is a conversation a few verses later. The thief who admitted his guilt, recognized Jesus as the perfect Savior, and asked for salvation was told by Christ that he would join his Savior in Paradise that very day. The Roman soldiers and their rulers were not told this. The forgiveness Jesus requested for them on that day was not the same forgiveness he offered the dying thief.
Peter’s words later in the temple after healing the lame man in Acts 3 further clarify Christ’s meaning on the cross: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”(Acts 3:13-19). They acted in ignorance—but they needed to repent in order for their sins to be blotted out.
When we encourage Christians to “forgive” destructive sins in the lives of Christian brothers who have not repented, we don’t glorify God or help those involved. For example, victims of abuse, bullying, or slander who are encouraged to forgive an abuser who has not repented and perhaps hasn’t even stopped the abuse may be more susceptible to abuse in the future because they will see themselves and the abuse as unimportant. When not confronted or held accountable, the abuser will not see his action as the sin it was and is apt to sin again; so our silence doesn’t help him and may result in more victims.
These are heavy topics, but they’re life. Living and responding biblically will glorify God, and God can give the wisdom and strength to do so.
—reflection 4 in a series