Apologizing a Sin?

WHEN DID APOLOGIZING

BECOME A SIN?

We as Christians teach our children to apologize when they are wrong. Marriage seminars suggest we say we’re sorry to each other. We are to confess our sins to our Heavenly Father. So when professing believers say to our children we should never apologize for America, are they saying this nation never makes mistakes? Tell that to the Indians and the blacks.

One of the core principles of being a believer is humility. We must always be ready to apologize for anything that might have offended, and we must never plant an unmovable wall where dialogue and understanding could be gained. This is Christianity 101 and not some new and strange doctrine. But when you ride upon a vehicle of national pride then you get swept up into behaviors that should not be associated with believers and imitators of Jesus.

President Obama has been accused of apologizing for America, and even though I do not find his words over apologetic, I still wonder why is apologizing such a sin? In the world of braggadocio and national pride, any hint of humility is viewed as weakness. Mitt Romney said that “America is the greatest nation in history”. I am sure millions of Indians and slaves might disagree. But that kind of hubris should never come from a true believer. And we are not those who compare ourselves with ourselves.

But to insist that apologizing for mistakes is somehow against the nation's interest reveals openly the difference between national interest and the commands of Jesus.

II Tim.2: 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

So where is this meekness about which Paul instructs? Is it unseemly to apologize when an indiscriminate drone kills some innocent people in Pakistan? Here we are teaching children to say “I’m sorry” and shake hands, but the adults refuse to utter those same words? But this is not the way of Jesus, and this is not the spirit of the kingdom of God. We must come out from among them and be separate. And part of being separate is being humble and meek. Tragedies should not be weighed in terms of ethnicity or national origin. We as believers must strive to see all people as equal as it concerns the gospel.

Phil.2: 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Our Master humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. That is our glorious example.

Jam.5: 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.

The church has become so nationalized that it rejects the overt teachings of Jesus in favor of a smug defense of the secular nation which murders millions of babies. How in the world have we gotten to the place where we even refuse to apologize? It is the height of arrogance and reveals the depth of carnal thinking running wild in the American church, and I do mean American. This kind of church is surely not a church which desires the spiritual, but it is the church which revels in the natural and plays the harlot by jumping into bed with the world.

“We do not apologize for America” is the current mantra. Jesus humbled Himself and came to our rescue, even when we were yet enemies, and died for us. But we stand with clenched fist and gritted teeth and refuse to exhibit the slightest bit of humility, even though the Spirit exhorts us to be clothed with humility. Let us face the facts. The church no longer follows Jesus at all. What we have now is a moralistic, nationalistic, and conservative religious system which bows before the “founding fathers”, looks down upon other nations, and exhibits a visceral dislike for Muslims and gays and liberals. And that is supposed to be the Christian faith? You are sadly mistaken and deceived if you believe that the Holy Spirit of Christ can be forced into an alliance with any earthly nation.

It is sad and embarrassing when you read and hear professing believers spout nonsense about America’s Christian roots. But even if that fairy tale were true, how can we justify the attitudes and the words and the self righteousness and the national hubris? If this is a “Christian nation” why don’t we act like Christ? It’s because we no longer even know what it means to be a follower and imitator of Jesus Christ. The nationalistic spirit has so infiltrated the western church that almost anything is accepted as Christian so long as it is covered in patriotism.

We as believers should not only apologize when there is the possibility that we are wrong, but we should be quick to do it. And let us be painfully honest. There have been quite a few times when we were wrong and did not realize it, or thought others were more wrong and therefore did not see the need for us to apologize. So if you are afraid of apologizing needlessly, well just chalk it up as making up for other times. I mean does anyone even know Christ outside the name? Do we even seek to be humble and meek and loving as was He? And even if we do seek that we still fall short. So how far short do we fall when we don’t even seek to be like Him?

When we accuse and excuse and when we speak demeaning words that defend the indefensible, well we are exhibiting Satan and not Jesus. Our flesh mirrors the evil one. Only God’s Spirit speaking and living through us exhibits the Lord Jesus. All the rest, including the hubris parade that carries the “greatest country in the world” banner is dung and in effect is the enemy of Christ. So the next time you hear someone say that we do not apologize for America, or that this is the greatest country in the world, you might want to listen to the voice of the Spirit. He will say,

II Cor.6: 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

And if you listen closely you just might hear Him say,

Matt.11: 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

But please allow me to frame this entire discussion inside what should be, what must be our template. Who can fully imagine the power and majesty and authority of the Creator arriving in the likeness of us? And then who can comprehend the humility and the unfathomable condescension for that same Incarnate Being inviting His enemies to mock and jeer Him? The sinless Lamb, the Holy One, is led like a Lamb to His own slaughter. He writhes, He moans, he sweats, and he bleeds profusely from even His own pours. Draped in agony and riddled with wounds; swelling beyond recognition; His breaths become more and more labored and His chest heaves with each elongated breath. And underneath the human pain and suffering, there lives the spiritual excruciation that only comes with a payment for sin. The rebellion of all mankind now elicits it awful toll with a suffering beyond the earthly realm.

And as we gaze upon this spectacle with the eyes of faith, are we not aware of the sacred self denial inherent in this death? And although this battered frame has endured the brutality and mocking of wicked men, His chest heaves out and His lips part. Behold, He speaks.

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

And encapsulated in those ten words is the character of Christ Himself. In a profound mystery, Christ is apologizing for His killers even though they will not apologize for what they are doing. And if that be so, then just who have we been following?

And for the many, many times that I have not been like Jesus…I apologize.