Forgiveness in the news
CATHEDRAL NEWSLETTER - 11 September 2025
Friends in Christ, today is the anniversary of the Twin Towers attack on September 11, 2001.
And we also woke up to news of the assassination of a young, politically effective, Trump-supporting, conservative Christian podcaster and debater in America... You may also have noticed news of riots and a change of government in Nepal, and, of course, Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar, and more drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
We have had our own shootings - of Police - recently in Porepunkah. More generally we are operating in a time of polarisation, hatred and violence, where some people feel free to speak dismissively and abusively of those on the other end of the political spectrum to them.
What are we to think and do?
Source: The Australian newspaper)
For me, the most powerful moment of the week were the words of the sentencing judge, Justice Beale, in the case of mushroom murderer, Erin Patterson. He was quoting Ian Wilkinson, the pastor who survived... The judge's words brought me to tears:
“That offer of forgiveness presents you with an opportunity,’’ Justice Beale told Patterson.
“You would do well to embrace it in the manner he suggests.”
As Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us".
And this ethic and prayer is based on nothing else but the hardest of all work that Jesus did for at the cross: the righteous for the unrighteous, averting God's righteous wrath at our sin.
And so Jesus says forgive not seven times, but seventy-seven times seven! (Matthew 18:21-22).
Of course, you miss the point if you think Jesus says we can finally bust you for your 78th speeding offence! He’s telling Peter that forgiveness is not about scoring the number of wrongs you’ve endured. Remember 1 Cor 13:5… “Love keeps no record of wrongs.”
Jesus says that forgiving cannot be limited by the frequency of the other’s sins.
Instead, forgiven sinners forgive sins, as shown by Jesus’ parable, that he goes on to tell.
If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, think how much you’ve been forgiven by God. All. That. Unrepayable. Debt.
Jim Packer says “There can be no small sins against a great God.” And so true Christians know that those who receive God’s amazing grace should act with grace to others.
But it was significant to me to notice that Pastor Ian Wilkinson did not quite say he forgave Erin Patterson.
Rather he offered personal forgiveness. And he urged her to consider that offer - in prison! - where he still expected her to go. But he treated her with prayer and kind words, rather than aggro or abuse.
It seems the pastor understood what the judge also understood... That forgiveness needs to be received for it to be effective.
And the way to receive it is via repentance. A genuine turnaround in attitude, from sin's offence, to God and to the ones hurt. And it will show up in true confession and changed actions.
The parallel passage says:
‘If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying “I repent,” you must forgive them.’ (Luke 17:3-4)
So in one sense forgiveness is conditional on repentance - at least as a completed 'transaction', if I can put it like that.
And we know forgiveness is not automatic with God. We need to ask him.
But in the death of Jesus, he’d already done everything needed to make it possible, before we even thought of asking.
In fact, when is our repentance to God ever fully adequate? When could our sorrow for sin ever be really sufficient? Our repentance is certainly not a ‘work’ we do to contribute to our salvation.
And so the main point is that Christian forgiveness has no limits. It should occur regardless of the size or quantity of a sin.
In fact, v4 suggests even a repentance which seems inadequate – because someone keeps doing the sin again and again – even that can be forgiven; even a repentance that you suspect is shallow.
But if there is no repentance, if it only seems like shallow sorrow that someone has been caught out, there is a right caution.
And certainly in the case of abuse, and threats, and actual violence or other crime, we should go to the Police. And we can also seek protection and justice.
But Christians reject the way of personal vengeance... just as we saw a couple of weeks ago with the traumatic events of Genesis 34 about Dinah and Simeon and Levi.
In summary, I think it is pastorally helpful to draw a distinction between a forgiving spirit – where you can love and pray for your enemies, as Jesus once said – and forgiveness as a relational transaction – reconciliation, as we can also call it. The latter can’t come without repentance. But a forgiving spirit can always be displayed.
You can visit the Cathedral Facebook page (you don't need an account) for a prayer suitable for times like today (and the first comment has a link to some of my comments about vengeance from that recent sermon).
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney