A concept such as this that follows is a
hard one for a Christian to say, write about, speak publicly, and wrestle with.
Let the words stand as they are:
“Whoever loves a brother or sister lives
in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is
in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go,
because the darkness has brought on blindness.”
— 1 John 2:10-11 (NRSV)
1 John is a very black and white epistle,
revealing the writer’s personality as one who sees no twilight – there is only
light and darkness in the spiritual realm. There is ‘lukewarm’ (Revelation
3:16).
But the rubber hits the road when we read
this very personally – and we all need to if we are to subscribe with integrity
to the truth. Let us understand this: whoever loves can see in truth as they
walk in truth, but the one who is stiff-necked in their hatred, no matter how
well it is concealed, sees nothing and walks blind.
As I write this, this word penetrates my own
heart, and I am forced to reconcile an important truth: I speak in these terms
in genuine fear and trembling. God Almighty is not to be messed with on matters
such as these. God, have mercy on me, a sinner!
Let’s Look at the Positive Example
I know a theoretical woman who I see walks
in the light. She has every worldly reason to withhold her forgiveness, for she
has been transgressed. She is theoretical for good reason.
Her process is with God. She goes to God
angry and confused and comes away feeling a little more at peace about the
wrongs done against her. She’s not there yet, but she insists on loving the
best she can, and she, therefore, has been gifted more and more sight of the
truth. She has some way to work it all out, and it might take years. But grace
will have its final say.
Importantly, she is open the movement of God’s
Spirit and the truth in her heart.
Let’s Look at the Negative Example
I know a theoretical man who I see bumbles
away furiously in the darkness. He has every worldly reason to withhold
forgiveness, and, sure enough, I see he has been seduced by the darkness. He
cannot forgive. As I see it, his capacity for truth is seriously undermined.
This man might as well be me! I’m allowed to safely say that, so as not to
grant any highfalutin self-righteousness to myself in judging another.
Each person can read the truth for him or
herself.
***
Loving a brother or sister in Christ reveals
the truth is in us – we see the truth and walk in it. But the opposite is also
true. That is motive enough to forgive – that we may continue seeing the
God-revealed reality as it truly is.
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.
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