When we come together as God's people here at the church we greet each other and say farewell with smiles and eager hand shakes. But sometimes this outer shell hides pain, anguish and guilt. People have a need for confession because keeping secrets isolates you and keeps you away from God and from the people closest to you.
We talk about forgiveness but then we often neglect its twin absolution. In our Lutheran liturgical service the pronouncement of absolution that I make after our confession is not just something to say. It may only be pronounced by an ordained Pastor and as I say the words I am saying them in the place of Christ exactly as I do when I consecrate the elements in the Lord's Supper. Absolution frees and cleanses, it allows relationships to happen and continue.
Jesus was crucified between two criminals. One was hard until the end but the other softened. You might think that aging or troubles would tend to drive a person toward God. But if you don't have God as part of your life you will continue to go down the same path of going it alone. Such was the case with the left hand criminal who said. "If you are the son of God, save yourself and us." L.23:37
The right hand criminal was different. He said: "We are punished justly,
for we are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom." L.23:40.
Consider the humility in what he said. "Lord, remember me." And Jesus
did remember him. Saying, "Today you will be with me in paradise."
L.23:43. Jesus made it clear that he heard his confession, what Jesus said to
him is a clear example of absolution. He received the absolution of eternal
life.
Forgiveness and absolution brought about a relationship between God and the man. Forgiveness is made possible by grace. Commitment to another person is never possible without grace, because we live in a sinful world surrounded by imperfect people.
Jesus tells the story of a man who could not pay an enormous debt. The man he owed cancels the unplayable debt. Then the forgiven man goes out and meets another man who owes him just a few dollars and has him thrown into jail. But what is Jesus point? Jesus is saying that we have had an unplayable debt of sin that God has canceled. Yet we stubbornly hold onto our grudges.
Forgiveness and its lesser known twin absolution make freedom and relationships possible. The freedom to say; "I was wrong" and to hear, "you are forgiven." Makes it possible to stop making excuses and to take responsibility for our sins and failures. We have to claim them because without taking responsibility for our sin, without asking for forgiveness and experiencing absolution all we can do is blame someone else for our mistakes because we don't have the strength to bear the guilt and fault. Without Jesus, it can't be our fault, it has to be somebody else or it has to be circumstances.
That way we never break this defective cycle. We all know many people who can't possibly be at fault because they are so fearful and fragile, since they live their lives without a forgiving Lord.
We can call this the Adam and Eve syndrome. "It was Satan's fault." The results of this attitude is that we will run away and hide our nakedness because we are too embarrassed to admit we are responsible. "If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we claim that we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1J.1:9-10. God does forgive sins and when "the son sets you free you will be free indeed." J.8:36
This is what frees all our relationships, when we release our best friend or our parents or children or our partner we replicate what God first did for us. We can set each other free without guilt, retribution, bitterness or hostility.
This is the secret to healthy relationships. God said to Israel, "I will remember their sin no more." Without forgiveness and the experience of absolution, without accepting the offered forgiveness there is no future. Without forgiveness and absolution each of us would be very lonely because we would be by ourselves, since it is forgiveness that brings us together with each other and along with absolution takes us home to God. This is the secret that allows relationships to happen, thrive and to live, even to live eternally.