Acts 4:32-35; John 20:19-31
Flat Earth Society. Firm belief that earth is, well, flat. No amount of scientific evidence, physics experiments, NASA photos, or common sense will sway them. They refuse to believe, and apparently will go to any length to convince others that they are right. From their website:
After spending over sixteen million dollars and using over 48 thousand yards of industrial strength strapping tape, we of the Flat Earth Society were able to construct an enormously powerful neurotransmitter that can implant suggestions directly into the brains of the nearby non-Flat Earthers. Having set it up just outside of the Russian Antarctic exploration post (Vostok), we are awaiting word that all three scientists and 174 penguins have been shown the light (http://www.alaska.net/~clund/e_djublonskopf/Flatearthsociety.htm).
This view of a flat earth affects how the members of this society perceive everything else – it dominates their perspective on science, geography, history, theology, sociology, politics. It would be pointless to argue with these people (assuming they’re serious). Most of these people will retain their point of view regardless of how you might present reality to them, because it is the dominating point of view in their lives – the filter through which everything else is seen.
Let’s say you are a NASA flight planner, and have advanced degrees in physics and rocket science. And you meet a flat earth society member. Based on your education and experience, you can present evidence for a round earth. If they believe you, great! If they abandon – leave behind – their former perspective on reality, they can embrace and be embraced by the round earth culture. But if they retain their flat-earth view, then they will continue to live with that view dominating their view of reality, and will continue to live outside of the round earth culture.
So because of evidence presented to them (because you’ve been equipped to do so), they can either leave behind their flat-earth views, or they can retain them.
Keep that in mind, and look at John 20.
For John, sin is persistent non-belief. It isn’t doing wrong things, it is refusing to believe in Jesus as the way to a relationship with God. In this text, the resurrected Jesus comes amongst them and says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you . . . receive the Holy Spirit.” Those present are now equipped by God to continue the work Jesus came to do. All disciples (not just the 12 apostles) are given the Holy Spirit. Whole church.
He goes on, “If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven.” Remember what sin is for John: unbelief. Forgive = afihmi, literally to abandon, give up, or leave behind. Actually means: if, through the Spirit at work in you, anyone gives up their unbelief, then that power of unbelief is left behind them. It’s a new day, a new life. Past unbelief won’t be held against them.
Jesus continues, “If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Again, sin = unbelief. Retain = kratos, literally power, strength, or dominion. Actually means: If, in spite of the Spirit at work in you, anyone continues living under the power of unbelief, their life remains there. Their view of God, of the world, of themselves will continue to be more powerfully influenced by unbelief than by a new life with God offered in Christ. Thomas is the example. “I will not believe.” Affects everything in his life.
Recall the flat earth society example? You are equipped and present evidence – they either leave behind old their views or they don’t.
All disciples (not just the 12 apostles) are given the Holy Spirit. The whole church has been equipped to go into the flat earth society and present evidence of the reality of a round earth. We’ve been empowered by the Spirit to present a deeper reality to the world. We do it by doing what the world is incapable of doing: living a new life in Christ. Most obviously seen in forgiving – leaving old things behind, starting fresh, starting new. The role of the church is not about rightness/wrongness, but new life marked by forgiveness. World knows right/wrong; it knows morals and ethics. But the world has never been able to live by them. And when that happens, the church reveals a new reality in Christ – marked by forgiveness.
As the world sees us living and speaking our new life in Christ – which again is usually first seen through forgiveness, they are given the change to give up a life of unbelief, to abandon the power of unbelief. And they are forgiven. The power of sin is left behind. They are made new, part of the body of Christ.
So what happens when we, the Church, mess up – don’t live in newness of life, retain our own sin and old life, don’t forgive? Thomas reveals for us the good news. The Risen Jesus comes amongst us again. “Put your finger here . . . believe!” And we have another chance to respond, “My Lord and my God!”
And we receive new life again. We are forgiven again. We can leave behind our old life with its old perspective of disbelief again.
Today we have again a new life in Jesus Christ. Today we receive again the Holy Spirit. Today we are sent again as the Father sent Jesus. Today we are forgiven again, and we bring that gift of forgiveness to the world. Maybe, just maybe, some will be moved by the Holy Spirit to give up a life dominated by unbelief. Maybe some will be forgiven. Maybe some will receive the gift of new life in Christ. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.