Modern Day Indulgence

by Theophiletos

I’ve been reflecting on the difference between grace and indulgence. I think many American Christians confuse them.  Often when people (especially powerful people) sin, we are exhorted to “show grace” by treating them the same as before, as if nothing happened, even when there is no expression of repentance on the part of the one who sinned.

That’s not grace, but indulgence.  The two are dangerously different.

Indulgence says that sin changes nothing. Grace says that sin can be forgiven.

Indulgence says “move along.” Grace says “let’s deal with this.”

Indulgence insists that nothing is wrong. Grace believes that the wrong can be made right. 

Indulgence refuses to confront sin, and thereby refuses to educate the sinner. Grace confronts sin, hoping for the sinner to repent.

Indulgence denies the sinner the opportunity for repentance. Grace looks for repentance as the mark of the Holy Spirit’s work.

Indulgence stabilizes the status quo, for the benefit of those currently in power. Grace transforms the individual and the world, by urging all to humility.

Ultimately, God’s way of dealing with sin is unchanged.  Therefore indulgence condemns unrepentant sinners to hell, while grace hopes for their redemption.

Grace is loving, but indulgence is unloving – it’s just giving up on people, or worse, using them for short-term gain.

Why do we show indulgence, especially to the powerful? Reasons vary. Often it’s out of fear of what the powerful might do, if confronted. Bystanders show indulgence rather than grace because it’s cheaper.

Grace is freely received, but expensive to offer. It can cost us friendships to confront others’ sins in love. It can cost us opportunities, for the powerful are so used to being indulged that they often take real godly grace… poorly (“though the eye of a needle,” after all).

Indulgence is free for bystanders, leaving only sin’s victims to foot the bill, so it can look like a better bargain, especially when grace’s approach to the sins of the powerful can be so expensive.

Grace cost Jesus Christ everything.

But here’s the thing: indulgence looks cheaper in the short term than the costs of showing real grace, lovingly confronting sin, exhorting to repentance, and holding the powerful accountable. But in the long term, indulgence will destroy not just the sinner, but the community.  A community which indulges the sins of its leaders is a community where truth is denied, where favor is awarded to status, where the top is incorrigible and the bottom is hopeless, where wounds fester rather than heal, where there is no true love and no gospel.

Indulgence for the sins of the powerful characterizes too many of our communities, even churches and “Christian” communities. God warns us against partiality to the rich.

Grace will usually be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for life. Let’s show God’s real grace to one another.

###

“Theophiletos” is an adjective meaning “someone loved by God,” which is true of the author, the reader, and everyone else.  God loves us so much, it can make us uncomfortable sometimes!  That’s a good thing.  Using the name “theophiletos” calls attention to our Maker, Redeemer, Lover, and Lord. https://twitter.com/theophiletos