How to Withhold Forgiveness This Christmas

David Watson taught me something I’ll never forget.  He pointed my attention to this verse:

John 20:21-23 (New International Version)

 21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

David asked, “Paul, how can we not forgive people in a way they will not be forgiven?”

I was stimied.  I didn’t like the idea that it was possible that I would be responsible for anyone’s forgiveness.  “I don’t know.”

“Well,” David explained, “Jesus says, ‘As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’  How did the Father send Jesus?”

Once again, I had no reply.  David told me to look up Philippians 2:5-11:

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 6Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!
 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
      and gave him the name that is above every name,
 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
      to the glory of God the Father.

David went on to explain, “Jesus gave up everything – every comfort of heaven – to come to this Earth to extend God’s forgiveness to everyone.  In this passage, Jesus tells us that He sends us out like the Father sent Him.  If Jesus had not obeyed Christ, He would have withheld God’s forgiveness from us.”

I will never forget David’s next words, “  Jesus asks us to give up all our comforts, go to people who might even kill us, and carry the message of God’s forgiveness to the world.  All we have to do to withhold forgiveness from anyone is to refuse to go and refuse to tell them about Christ.  If you think someone is truly desirving of hell, don’t go and don’t tell them about Christ.”

This Christmas season, as I think about Christ leaving heaven and to live with us, as I think about His bringing the Father’s forgiveness to an undesirving people, I look at my heart and ask, “Where do I refuse to go?  Who do I refuse to associate with and talk about Christ with?”

In effect, “Whom have I decided is unworthy to be forgiven as Christ forgave me?  Who have I decided – by my inaction – is unworthy of heaven and desirving of hell?”

I plant churches and associate with all kinds of people online because I never want to refuse anyone the greatest gift of Christmas – the love and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father and the promise of a home with Him for all who believe and obey.

I never – by action or inaction – want to keep anyone from truly experiencing a “Merry Christmas.”