Forgiving the Unforgivable

“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude.”

                                                                        Martin Luther King, Jr.

  If you haven’t seen the video of Brandt Jean forgiving and then embracing Amber Guyger, please Google it to watch it. It’s a powerful example of grace and forgiveness where humanly we’d expect hatred.  

  Amber Guyger is the former Dallas cop who mistakenly shot and killed Brandt Jean’s brother, her unarmed black neighbor, 26-year-old Botham Jean. Botham, an accountant from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, was watching TV and eating a bowl of ice cream in his own apartment. Guyger stepped into his apartment after mistaking it for her own and thought he was an intruder. She fired two shots, striking him once in the chest, killing him. Last week she was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years.

  During his victim impact statement, Brandt Jean stunned the courtroom and the world. This was his opportunity to tell Guyger exactly what he thought of the former officer after she was sentenced for murdering his brother last year. His older brother, Botham, was his best friend.

  There were only two rules for his “victim impact statement” – no threats and no profanity. Yet, what came next was a stunning moment for those in the courtroom and those who watched online. Even jaundiced courthouse veterans wept at something that they’d never seen before.

  Brandt took a breath into the microphone and began to speak. He hadn’t told his family what he planned to say, he told Guyger. He spoke for himself, not them. “If you truly are sorry, I know I can speak for myself, I forgive you.” He told her that he wanted what Botham would have wanted. “I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing that Botham would want for you. I love you as a person, and I don’t wish anything bad on you.” He continued, telling Guyger that he didn’t even want her to go to prison. “Can I give her a hug, please?” Brandt asked the Judge. “Please.”

  Judge Tammy Kemp gave him the OK. Guyger hesitated for just a moment and then she rushed toward Jean and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed uncontrollably. They whispered as they embraced, words heard only by them. Twice Jean and Guyger started to pull apart, but then hugged again. Both were in tears when they finally broke away.

  Yet, that wasn’t the end. Powerfully moved by what she’d witnessed, Judge Kemp stepped out of the room for a moment and returned with a Bible. She embraced and whispered to Botham’s mother, “I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for the way you modeled Christ.” She then stepped up to the now-convicted murderer, placed the Bible in front of her, and gently said, “Read this.” Guyger jumped to her feet and embraced the judge, who in turn, hugged her back, whispering something inaudible in her ear.

  Not surprisingly, Madison, Wisconsin organization, the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint with the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct that Judge Kemp had overstepped her authority when she prayed with and gave a Bible to Amber Guyger.

  Yet, without the moral absolutes of the Bible, there could be no true justice system. Right and wrong would be subjective or cultural. The Bible says that murder is always wrong (Ex. 20:13). America’s Founding Fathers recognized the need for moral absolutes found in Scripture. It’s why the two tablets of stone symbolizing the Decalogue are portrayed at the United States Supreme Court Building. Amber Guyger was judged and found guilty of murder by the moral absolute standards based on Scripture.

  While human courts rightfully demand justice, the only hope of forgiveness is also found in God’s Word. It would have been an injustice for Guyger to have faced no penalty in a human court of law. Wonderfully for Guyger and for all of us, God has another court and is the final Judge.

  When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of humanity’s punishment upon Himself. He took the guilt of our sins and carried them for us. In a prophetic portrait of the future Christ, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Hebrews 9:22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

  The horrible weight of sin is so great that only shed blood can atone for it. Only by the sinless Savior’s death can we understand the extreme consequences of the price of sin. Only by His substitutionary sacrifice can there be forgiveness. If we do not embrace the Cross, we can never receive absolution from guilt. Jesus’ cross is essential for us and for God to be just in offering forgiveness. It’s our only path to forgiveness and freedom.

  It’s because Botham Jean had personally experienced that forgiveness that he could offer it to the one who murdered his brother. And only if Amber Guyger accepts God’s salvation, can she experience forgiveness from God.

  Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and grace. It’s a decision to not hold something against another person, despite what they’ve done to you. But it is not automatic. Even God cannot forgive someone who doesn’t want it.  

  Do you want to have your sins forgiven? Forgiveness of every sin, even murder, is available if you will simply place your faith in Christ as your Savior. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” Jesus paid our sin debt, so anyone can be forgiven. All we must do is ask God to forgive us, believing Christ died to pay for our forgiveness, and then God will forgive us! It’s that easy! You can’t earn forgiveness or somehow pay for it yourself. You can only receive it, by faith, through the grace and mercy of God. My friend, have you asked God to forgive you?

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

Legal does NOT mean Ethical

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”  Potter Stewart

  During our recent local flooding, I was called in to a situation where, though most of the community now had electric power restored for several days, this family did not. They were tenants in an area where there were other rental properties. The house next to them faced the same situation but there the landlord provided a generator for his tenants.

  The law does not require landlords to provide generators even if there is a power outage of several days. Because it wasn’t legally required, even though his tenants had been without power for nearly a week, this landlord refused to rent a generator. So, the landlord next door, out of kindness, allowed them to run extension cords from the generator that he’d provided his tenants and paid for the fuel to run it…even though they weren’t his tenants. As you know, our entire community was pulling together to help each other. Yet, here was one hardhearted landlord who just because he wasn’t legally obligated, refused to help, or be gracious and show mercy.

  Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is right. It’s a scene all too common. Unless someone is legally obligated, they refuse to do the right thing. It’s why laws are added upon laws. The erroneous thinking is people can somehow be legislated into ethical behavior. Sadly, it won’t work. 

  In my opinion, we have such a scene playing out on the national stage. Donald Trump Jr., responded with great interest last year to a proposed meeting with a Russian lawyer, who claimed to have documents from the Russian government that would damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign and be “very useful” to his father’s Presidential campaign. Trump Jr. told an intermediary, “[I]f it’s what you say I love it” and arranged for a secret meeting on June 9, 2016 with this Russian lawyer.

  In spite of all the political histrionics from the media and Democrats, was it illegal? Probably not. Was it unethical? Absolutely! One does not partner with an enemy of their country, even if the outcome is a major political win like the Presidency. It may not be illegal, but it’s certainly unethical.

  Nothing is free. Were policy concessions also discussed, such as a lifting or softening of sanctions to this adversary of America, in return for campaign help? Doesn’t such a secret meeting put the Trump team in a position to have a hostile foreign government politically blackmail the administration later, though there is currently no evidence suggesting such blackmail happened? This meeting definitely opened up the possibility. While it may not be illegal to meet with an American adversary for help in defeating a domestic political opponent, it’s unquestionably unethical.

  The politics are insignificant. The ethics are everything. Just because something is legal does not mean it’s moral. Yet, the rationalization is one made all the time. It’s a tit-for-tat. “The Democrats do the same thing.” Reportedly some Democratic Party officials met with Ukrainian officials to help the Clinton campaign, including the area of opposition research.

  If it’s unethical, it’s unethical. Even if an opponent rationalizes sloppy ethics, it doesn’t mean I can justify it. Often ethics in our culture, whether they’re tenant/landlord or political ones, are similar to a cage fight – anything goes. As Christians, we’re citizens of another Kingdom. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Something may be legal but that does not mean it is moral, or more importantly for a believer, it may not be righteous.

  The Bible clearly teaches moral absolutes. Ours is a relativistic, pragmatic world and ethics are fluid. The thinking is that while something may be wrong for you, it’s right for me. If it is pragmatic or works, that tips the scale that it must be right. God’s Word teaches transcendent moral absolutes. Wrong is always wrong and can’t be rationalized away. Nor does the end, as in winning an election, justify the means.

  For example, stealing is stealing whether it’s an armed robbery or taking home a box of staples from work. It’s not the amount that makes it wrong, it’s the biblical fact that the Bible commands us to not steal. Exodus 20:15 does not qualify it but simply states, “You shall not steal.”

  Cultural acceptance is not a justification for violating moral absolutes. Though a high percentage of taxpayers believe it’s acceptable to not report all of your income or to be paid off the books, it doesn’t make it right. Though 74% of men and 68% of women would cheat on their spouse if they thought they could get away with it, it doesn’t make it morally right. There are probably no statistics for being hateful to your spouse or child, indolent at work, jealous of a neighbor, shading the truth, or telling off-color jokes. While all of these are culturally accepted, they’re still wrong.

  Morals may be fluid and subjective in this world, but there is a God in heaven who sees and knows everything. He’s a just Judge and the God of moral absolutes. His standards do not change with time or culture. 

  Those who are part of His Forever Family, in love to Him for the great sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, are to be distinctly different. We’re to be the most ethical of people. The standard is not friends, a changing culture, or even how we feel about something. It’s God’s Word. The believer is to live to please an audience of One. We know that someday, even if it is “legal” in the courts of earth, there will be an accounting in heavens courts. We must live in a way that pleases our Heavenly Father. We must determine to be ethical, always doing the right thing, even if it means standing alone. 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. "