Forgiveness That Makes a Difference

About halfway through the TV season, I got involved in watching 24. I'll let you judge my spirituality in your comments, but the action, storyline, and cultural relevance really drew me in. We can gain much perspective on our culture's worldview by watching shows like 24. We must always do so with caution, because if we are not careful, cultural worldview will (if it hasn't already) affect our biblical worldview. I do not let Hollywood define my theology, so this commentary is not meant to be critical of the writers of 24--I expect nothing from them in the way of correct understanding of spirituality. With all of the ethical dilemmas facing the individual characters, there was one scene that immediately hit me as bloggable, the scene near the end when Jack, faced with inevitable death, turns to a Muslim cleric in search for peace.

Jack's despair is vocalized with phrases such as "you don't know the things I've done," and "it's too late for me." The cleric actually speaks the truth when he says, "It's never too late." Sound familiar? How many of us keep ourselves from knowing God because we believe we are unforgivable and it is too late for us? The cleric offers encouragement but then does what would be expected from Hollywood writers writing from a secular humanistic worldview--closes his eyes as if to offer a prayer and then speaks to their souls to find the "forgiveness within themselves." Their goal was for Jack to be reconciled to his enemies by seeking and extending forgiveness, as if this reconciliation is what matters the most. In Hollywood, it is apparently not politically correct for even a Muslim cleric to share the love and mercy of his god.

To people who are facing an impending death (all of us at some point in our lives), the Bible does not ask you to search inside yourself. To do so would only create disappointment and frustration. After all, we have made a mess of ourselves. Are we really going to find the source of peace from within a being whose essence is chaos? Instead, we are told from Scripture that God loves us and extends to us the opportunity to be forgiven. His love and forgiveness is not subject to the limitations we place on ourselves. Romans 5 tells us that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (v. 8), and that "when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son" (v. 10). We may through our own human effort find peace for a short period of time. But if we want a peace that lasts into eternity, we need to look beyond our own temporal existence, and be reconciled to God, the One who owns eternity. Seek His forgiveness, then the forgiveness of others will make a difference.