Articles
Praying for Forgiveness
The young soldier called and asked to discuss some issues that had been weighing on his mind. He had been deployed to a base that had no faithful churches nearby, so he and his wife had not been in fellowship with a congregation for a while. Though his basic belief structure was still intact, he had found himself more anxious about the uncertainty and brevity of life, eternal existence, possible existential disasters (like the asteroid YR4 that will pass close to Earth in 2032) and some other worries. A new baby was also adding to his angst.
After we talked for a while about restoring his faith and commitment to the Lord, he made an observation which sparked this article. He said (paraphrased): “I’m going to be on a special assignment this week, and it will be next Sunday before I can attend a church and get my spiritual life back in order.” To which I responded, “You can do that when we get off the phone. Confession of sin and seeking forgiveness does not depend on a local church assembly; you can do these things anytime and anywhere.” It was obvious that the young man had tied his restoration to a local church instead of the Lord, Himself.
This is not the first time I have come across this; in fact, it is an issue I had to work through earlier in my own life. What things might lead to such a misunderstanding?
Misplaced emphasis on the local church. The local church is not the arbiter of one’s relationship with God. Even without priests/bishops/vicars, etc. who claim to mediate between Christians and God, it is easy to think of the local church as a body whose approval and sanction one needs in order to be a member “in good standing.” It’s not that this is overtly stated in churches of Christ, but subtle messaging may create this impression.
Misplaced emphasis on the worship assembly. One traditional practice that is standard in churches of Christ is “extending the invitation” at the end of a sermon or assembly. While I’m uncertain about the origin of this practice – perhaps it is modeled after the denominational altar call or is an outgrowth of the old “brush arbor” meetings where scores were baptized on a nightly basis – one thing is for sure: it is not a command or necessary inference from the NT, and we don’t have an example of it in any of the sermons of Paul or Peter recorded in Acts or the Lord’s sermons/discourses in the Gospels. The Lord does extend His personal invitation to “all who labor and are heavy laden” (Mt 11:28), but He certainly does not confine one’s response to a worship service.
Churches justify “extending the invitation” on various grounds of human reasoning: someone may be present who needs to obey the gospel; it is a convenient time to respond to the Lord; we don’t want to let anyone leave in disappointment that they were not given a chance to obey; etc. While these justifications seem reasonable, they also create an impression in the minds of some that “going forward at the invitation” is the only time they can repent or be baptized. Even though preachers may say on occasion, “The invitation of the Lord is extended 24/7; you may respond to Him at any time of the day or night,” we sometimes overstress “the invitation” to the point that it subliminally makes the connection between the assembly and the opportunity to receive God’s forgiveness.
Why would I say that? First, because of my own experience in having to unlearn this concept. Second, because I’ve heard it expressed by others through the years, including the young soldier who called me. Third, because I have at times in my preaching career been criticized for not “extending the invitation” properly. (Case in point: in a gospel meeting a couple of years ago I was told, “That sermon was really good, but you didn’t ‘extend the invitation’ at the end.” In fact, I had offered “an invitation,” but this leads to the next point …). Fourth, some think that certain “checklist” words must be said in “extending the invitation” – hear/believe/repent/confess/be baptized – or the invitation is not valid. Fifth, because many elderships/churches have come to think a service cannot end without “extending the invitation.” It seems to me that, in spite of supporting “the invitation” on the basis of prudence or convenience, this is a prime example of elevating a tradition or an expediency to the level of law.
But back to the issue of praying for forgiveness. Is it right to pray corporately for forgiveness when forgiveness depends on individual repentance and confession? In other words, when we pray publicly, “Father, forgive us of our sins,” is there authority for this in Scripture?
First, this is included in Jesus’ sample prayer in response to the disciples’ request for further instruction on prayer: “… And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” (Lk 11:4; note that all the pronouns in the prayer are plural).
Second, there is OT precedent for petitioning God for collective forgiveness:
Ø “We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses” (Neh 1:7). This is Nehemiah’s personal prayer, but it beseeches God’s forgiveness and blessing on behalf of all Israel.
Ø “But … our fathers acted proudly, hardened their necks, and did not heed Your commandments. They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of Your wonders that You did among them. But they hardened their necks, and in their rebellion they appointed a leader to return to their bondage …” (Neh 9:16-17; cf. entire chapter of confession of sin).
Ø “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land … O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You …” (Dn 9:5-6, 8).
When a brother leads a public prayer asking for “the forgiveness of our sins,” any individual Christian present can make that a plea on their own behalf. However, the Christian is not dependent on the assembly prayer for the securing of forgiveness for any personal sin committed. They can receive that from God at any time on the basis of their repentance, confession and request for restoration. The church neither dispenses forgiveness nor is an exclusive forum wherein we must petition God for mercy.
