Why do decent people need forgiveness?
“I’m puzzled,” she said. “Why do decent people need forgiveness?”
I understood her question, having once asked it myself.
So, I told her about a car belonging to a friend, a rural vet specialising in working with farm animals.
Each week, he would power hose away all the dirt that had built up on his car over the course of his work. Externally, his car looked good. Internally, however, it was a different story. Mucky wellies, grimy overalls, veterinary medicines, crisp packets, biscuits crumbs and empty Coke cans littered every available space.
My friend’s car, clean on the outside but anything but clean on the inside, explains why even decent people need forgiveness.
We all can put on an outward show, fooling others and ourselves about how decent we
are.
But Jesus goes beyond the externals, looking into our inner being. On the inside, he sees we have got God and ourselves mixed up. Instead of letting God control our lives, we try to run the show. We look for meaning, identity and purpose in other things and people rather than in God.
No matter what we are like, all of us have tried to take over God’s place in our lives.
This is why everyone, including decent people, need forgiveness.
Yet, despite our refusal to allow God to be God in our lives, he does not give up on us.
He sent Jesus to die on the cross. On the basis of his death, Jesus offers forgiveness to everyone, even decent people.
More than that, by his Spirit, Jesus offers new life with a new identity, new meaning, new hope, new purpose to everyone, decent people included.
Dr Rodger M Crooks, Free Church of Scotland, Lochgilphead and Tarbert.