Recently, I watched the drama film, “Noelle” (2007 also known as “Mrs. Worthington’s Party”), starring David Wall, about a priest, Father Keene, who works for the diocese as a “hit man”, closing churches that aren’t thriving. He is sent to a small-town church, whose numbers had fallen to around 20, to close it down.
During a dramatic scene in
the movie, we learn that, before entering the priesthood, he committed a very
grave sin against someone. It was out of guilt, that he had decided to become a
priest to try to make up for it.
Have you ever done that—tried to atone for a sin you committed against someone by overcompensating? Have you ever tried to erase your sin in God‘s eyes by doing good deeds or taking on an onerous task as penance? It seems to be our natural tendency to think we can earn forgiveness—God’s and people’s.
As I heard this priest admit to his sin and his efforts to earn forgiveness, the words to the song, “Amazing Love” by Chris Tomlin came to mind:
“Amazing love, how can it be?
That You, my King would die
for me?
Amazing love, I know it's
true.
It's my joy to honor You, in all I do, I honor You.
I'm forgiven because You were forsaken,
I'm accepted, You were
condemned.
I am alive and well, Your
spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose
again.”
Too often, even as Christians, we fall into Father Keene’s trap of trying to earn our own salvation from our sins and shortcomings. We try to make ourselves good enough. We think forgiveness can be bought by what WE do.
The truth is we are forgiven through grace alone. (Ephesians 2:8) As his friend pointed out to Father Keene, attaining forgiveness for our sins isn’t our job, it’s God’s. It starts with us being truly sorry and asking for forgiveness, but the absolution of our sins is a gift—bought by Jesus with His life. He died so we could be forgiven and granted a clean slate. It’s a gift God wants to give every one of us!
Be encouraged!
