THE METHODIST CHURCH IN THE CARIBBEAN AND THE AMERICAS (MCCA)
FORGIVENESS
God desires healthy relationships with and among human beings, and they with one other (Mathew 22:36-40). Love as exemplified by Christ must define and determine these relationships (John 13:34-35).
Sin continues to fracture our relationship with God and each other as seen in instances of divisiveness, disunity and disharmony. From the start of human history God demonstrated that forgiveness is possible.
The command of God to love and to share in healthy relationships (Matthew 22:36-40) necessitates forgiveness which demands continuous self-denial and self-giving. It is an act of obedience enabled by the work of the Holy Spirit and frees both the offended and the offender to be and to do what God in Christ intends for them, and has been evidenced both in the lives of Christ and people throughout the generations (Matthew 18: 18, 21-22; John 20:22-23).
THE NATURE OF FORGIVENESS
1) Forgiveness must be sought and or extended where there is a consciousness of offence (Matthew 5:23-24).
2) Forgiveness is intensely personal. To acknowledge you have done wrong, repent and move on enables you to enjoy a healthy relationship with God and others. Therefore, we must forgive ourselves (Psalm 32:1-5; 51:10, 17; 66:18; 1 John 1:9-10).
3) Forgiveness involves acknowledging your pain yet making a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you (Mark 11:25; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:59-60; Romans 12:14, 17-19).
4) Forgiveness can at times lead to forgetting; however, the fundamental quality of forgiveness is not the loss of memory but the release of the pain (John 8:11).
5) Forgiveness is self-giving and is not self-serving. It demands concern for and a genuine interest in the wellbeing of both the offender and the offended (Jonah 4:10-11: Luke 15:31-32).
6) Forgiveness is not a licence for continued offence but demands a deliberate effort towards change. In situations, such as domestic abuse, forgiveness may require interventions to prevent continued abuse and address the issues which can bring wholeness to both the offended and the offender (Romans 8:11).
7) Forgiveness DOES NOT mean release from legal accountability – at times forgiveness requires facing the fullness of legal and social consequences yet such action is not simply for penalty but for the wholeness of the offender and the offended.
8) Forgiveness should also be practised collectively. This requires an honest reflection on where there has been collective and systemic offence and the diminishing of the quality of human life (Genesis 50:15-20).
9) Forgiveness benefits both the individual and the community. It provides a healthier environment for physical wellbeing, social cohesion, economic advancement and the strengthening of relationships (Jonah 2:4-10; Colossians 3:13-14).
As a church that was raised up by God to spread scriptural holiness and reform the nation, the MCCA understands that forgiveness is an essential ingredient in living holy lives and shaping national well-being. It therefore recommends that:
1. Members engage in sincere prayer for the grace to forgive and for the healing of the offended and the offender (James 5:16).
2. Members consider the counsel of Matthew 18:15-17 towards addressing conflict and dealing with offence;
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector”
3. Class Leaders use the avenue of the Class meeting to reflect on the importance of forgiveness and provide encouragement, support and guidance to members who need to forgive another and pursue reconciliation.
4. The Congregational Pastoral Council identifies and makes known available human and institutional resources that can facilitate reconciliation and healing.
5. Circuits and Congregations develop strategies that will facilitate bringing communities and social groupings to a place of reconciliation and healing.
Re-Affirmed by the MCCA Faith and Order Commission
November 06, 2018, 2.56 p.m.
Jamaica Methodist District Office, Kingston, Jamaica).