2 Timothy 4:14-15 (ESV)
Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him
according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our
message.
Wait a minute, Paul! I thought we were supposed to forgive. Paul has
forgiven Alexander. Forgiveness means letting go of the need to repay. It means
letting go of the bitterness. It means leaving the other individual in the hands
of God while not wishing evil on them. Yet forgiveness does not mean
restoration of relationship. Reconciliation requires movement on both sides.
Forgiveness is done despite the other’s response. We were reconciled to God
through Jesus Christ, but reconciliation required that we first acknowledge our
need to be reconciled. Jesus did the hard work, but we could not be reconciled
to God without first recognizing and acknowledging our sin, our brokenness, and
our need to be reconciled. Similarly, reconciliation between two individuals
requires something from both sides. Paul has released his bitterness toward
Alexander, but he is also keenly aware that Alexander is not to be trusted and
that he is dangerous. We are called to place the offense of another at the foot
of the cross and leave their future in the hands of God. We are called to live
at peace with others to the extent that it is possible (see Rom. 12:8). We are
not called to trust those who are untrustworthy or dangerous. We are not called
to believe those who do not speak truth. Much damage has been done by
misunderstanding the concept of forgiveness. Paul clearly got it right. He left
Alexander in the hands of God but warned Timothy about him. Forgiveness and
reconciliation are two different things. Don’t confuse them.
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