But He Keeps Doing It

Luke 17:3-4

One of the biggest problems in our public schools is the number of dropouts. Most schools claim that the sports program is the only reason even more don’t drop out. Having spent a good many years teaching and working with kids, both in and out of church, I believe that many of the kids do not see the relevance of what they are taught, and various studies support that belief.

I believe that a major part of the problem is our approach to teaching. We want to isolate each subject so we can concentrate on exactly how this is done, and in doing so, we make it appear unrelated to other aspects of daily life. When teachers taught their students all day, and made their own lesson plans, they could integrate all the subjects, with the result that each subject was part of the whole educational experience. The modern system of specialist teachers loses that ability, and students don’t understand the relevance to their lives. The modern method of teaching spiritual matters topically has the same flaw.

Jesus was the ultimate teacher, and he is to be our example. While he taught about various topics they are always related to other areas of life. He never stays on a particular subject to the point of producing boredom, but moves from topic to topic in an orderly and logically connected manner. He recognized that repetition was more conducive to remembering a subject than long lectures, so we find that he repeatedly deals with the same subject in slightly different form, not using the same story to avoid boredom.

Jesus has taught this group about God’s love for every person with the parable s of the lost sheep and coin. Then built on it with the story of the prodigal son, making us aware of God’s forgiveness and rewards. From there he moved to the story of the rich man and Lazarus, teaching that there are opportunities to repent, but that judgment is also final if there is no repentance. Building on those lessons, he starts chapter 17 with taking responsibility for how our actions and teachings affect others. Only as we study the entire lesson do we get the whole teaching. Today’s passage is just the next step.

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)

In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother was hurt. His attitude could easily have torn the family apart, driving away his younger brother. His father prevailed on him to understand that his attitude was in error and to not offend with it. An unforgiving attitude can be very discouraging and offensive to those who are sincerely trying to do what is right.

Jesus cautions us about our response to those who do wrong. From time to time, when porcupines get together, there will be accidental injuries. To minimize their occurrences, people need to be informed so they know what not to do. To rebuke means to gently point out what is wrong. If we don’t, they may not know they are doing wrong. However, it is critical that we do so gently, recognizing our own propensity to sin. Galatians 6:1 commands, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” We’re not to chew him out.

If the person repents, we are to forgive him. Many people confuse an apology with repentance. An apology acknowledges responsibility, but that is not repentance, it is only a confession. Repentance means to “turn from,” a commitment to not repeat the action. Anyone who has made a resolution knows how hard it is to change one’s habitual behavior. Habits are behaviors we have practiced until we do them without conscious thought. They become instinctive behavior, our automatic response to a situation. To change requires consciously deciding how to react, rather than responding automatically. Even the most determined to change struggle with reacting properly, so we may find it necessary to forgive them repeatedly because they can’t live up to their commitment at first.

Forgiveness of a person who is unrepentant, on the other hand means nothing to that person. They refuse to admit they have done anything wrong, so there is nothing to forgive in their mind. To them, you are, in effect, acknowledging that it was wrong to be upset. They had every right to do what they did. It is the attitude of the person who says, “I’m sorry your feelings were hurt,” as compared to the one who says, “I’m sorry I hurt your feelings.” The first accepts no responsibility.

God has commanded us to forgive repeatedly, and as Ephesians 4:32 tells us, our forgiveness is based on the example he sets for us. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” We are not to reject Christian brothers who sin against us, because God does not cast away his children who sin against him.

For those who refuse to repent, to turn from their sin, it may be necessary to separate from them to prevent others being harmed. I Corinthians 5:6-7 deals with such a case. “… Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” Even that is to be done in hopes that they will turn to the Lord.