Comprehending the Concept of Forgiveness Pt. 2

by Christopher Hendrix

The world watched on as Erika Kirk stood at the podium. Through gut-wrenching tears, she upheld the beauty of marriage, praised the joys of raising children, and demonstrated the Gospel of Jesus Christ at work in her heart. In the face of unimaginable pain, she showed what the world cannot comprehend. At her husband Charlie’s memorial, she looked into the camera and addressed his killer, saying, “I forgive you.” This act of forgiveness, so personal and holy, takes a strength the world does not possess to look into the face of pure evil and refuse to let it claim your soul. It was not for us, but for her, a sacred act that transcends human understanding.

She clarified this herself in a moment of raw honesty in an interview a few days prior. “I’ve had so many people ask, ‘Do you feel anger toward this man? Like, do you want to seek the death penalty?’ I’ll be honest. I told our lawyer, I want the government to decide this. I do not want that man’s blood on my ledger.” Do you see the profound wisdom here? She entrusted justice to the very institution God established to execute it. She freed her spirit from vengeance so that the state could fulfill its God given duty without emotional interference. Her personal grace does not pardon the killer. It condemns him all the more, a weight of justice that should be felt by all. It places the burden of justice squarely where it belongs, on the shoulders of the governing authorities who are called to be agents of wrath.

Last week, I started a two-part series on biblical forgiveness. She modeled the picture of precisely what biblical forgiveness means. She chose to follow the model (not command) of Christ, who forgave the unbelievers who put Him on the cross. She also clearly showed that the responsibility for vengeance is not hers, but rather it is the government's to bear the sword. Her speech was the capstone to an entire night centered on the Gospel message. Though Charlie Kirk was the catalyst for the event, it was a large Gospel proclamation going forth to the world.

The Government’s Response

Erika Kirk demonstrated a Christian’s response, but what should we expect of the government? Are they called to forgive as an individual Christian is called to forgive, rather than exact retribution? Romans 13:3–4 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. The government has been ordained by God to be a minister (servant) to carry out righteous judgment and punishment upon the evildoer. They are God’s chosen instruments to execute justice in an orderly manner. 1 Peter 2:13–14, Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. This is the biblical basis for the government's role in forgiveness.

Does the Word of God speak to what the punishment should be? Of course! Genesis 9:6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man. This comes in the context of the Noahic covenant, which remains applicable today. Why should we not murder? Because we are made in the image of God! Human dignity is seen as the basis for the execution of a murderer. When the death penalty is not applied, human dignity is compromised. This is why God instructs us not to receive payment to avoid execution. Numbers 35:31 Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death. A life sentence without parole is a form of ransom. How? Because it’s an unending slavery paid by the taxpayer. The murderer becomes a slave to the government at the burden of the victim. This is a ransom and injustice.

The Stake of Human Dignity

The requirement of the government to enact the death penalty in cases of murder has at stake human dignity. This has gospel implications. Hebrews 2:5–9 quotes from Psalm 8 to describe the dignity of humanity. God created mankind a little lower than the angels temporarily. The physical body has limitations that angels do not have, but it was this part of creation that God gave to humans to rule over. Why? Because this part of creation is the only part made in the image of God. Humanity was to be kings and queens ruling the Earth for the glory of God. Human dignity, as the only part of creation made in the image of God, is a crucial aspect in the context of justice and forgiveness.

This isn’t happening, though. We build things, but nature tears them down with its storms, earthquakes, and other forms of violence. People die at the hands of animals, and the water swallows us up. Even the strongest swimmer will eventually drown in the middle of the ocean. It seems nature rules us more than we rule it. This is because sin has entered the world. Sin has corrupted us and all of nature. Romans 8 records the truth that nature groans because of this corruption. Sin has brought death and chaos into creation.

The Christ-Flesh Connection

But our dignity points to the supreme nature of Christ. Christ, the God-man, who was fully God and fully man, came to the Earth as the second Adam. Though he was made a little lower than the angels because He took on flesh, His death on the cross gave Him an exaltation no part of creation could have attained by the Father. He, being the new and better Adam, defeated sin through the spilling of His blood and conquered death through His resurrection. His blood paid the price for our sin and redeemed us. He did this as God and man. This connection between Christ's dignity and human dignity is a profound theological implication.

We wouldn’t dare reduce the dignity of Jesus’s divine nature. It would be blasphemous to talk of Jesus’s deity in a lesser-than-holy way. It would also be blasphemous to treat Jesus’s deity in a less-than-dignified manner. What about His humanity? It would be equally sacrilegious to treat His humanity in a less-than-holy way. This is why the Reformers accused the Roman Catholic Church of violating the 2nd commandment with their paintings and portraits of Jesus. They had no idea what Jesus looked like, which means their creations of Him in flesh were a whole other Jesus. That is not the Jesus of Scripture.

The Conclusion

So then, Jesus took on human flesh. We are made of this same human flesh. God values this human flesh because it’s made in His image. When we devalue this human flesh, we devalue the Creator, who also took this same flesh. Thus, we hit at Jesus’s nature when we don’t hold up the dignity of humanity. If we don’t expect the death penalty to be given by the government, then we’ve devalued the very flesh God took on and came to save.

As Christians, we don’t take vengeance, and we don’t harbor bitterness. We must forgive one another and follow the model of Christ to forgive pagans. And, we look to the government to justly carry out justice according to God’s standards. We stand on God’s Word for this because our Gospel proclamations will either be upheld or tarnished by our witness. We value the dignity of humanity very much because our Savior took it on to redeem us from sin. He forgave us much. So, let us walk in obedience to Him.