Resolved Unforgiveness

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

RESOLVED UNFORGIVENESS

Acts 15:36-41

36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

NIV

It almost sounds like an oxymoron when we see that Paul and Barnabas, both being committed Christians doing the work of the Lord, and having such history with each other, had such a sharp disagreement which caused them to part company. It also seems that Paul, who is portrayed as such a godly man, would have such a negative bias against John Mark. What happened to forgiveness? What happened to extend the grace of God toward fellow believers? Just because John Mark left them, or deserted them, Paul cannot forgive and will not allow John Mark to rejoin the group, and argued so much against him, that caused Barnabas to leave Paul as well, going out on his own, taking John Mark with him. This is not a very good example of Christian love. Yet, we have seen believers acting in the same way. We have seen believers get their feeling hurt and leave a church never to forgive the one who they thought offended them. We also know of believers who refuse to forgive a transgressor or have such a negative bias toward someone. How can we be Christians when there is any unresolved conflict in our lives? However, on the other hand, we see that Barnabas and John Mark sailed for Cyprus which must have been for doing the work of the Lord, while Paul and Silas when through Syria and Cilicia doing the work of the Lord. Even though such a sharp disagreement lead to going separate ways, they both continued doing the Lord’s work. It doesn’t seem right. We are also told they were commended or given over to the grace, or divine influence, of God, as the Greek word translated as commended would imply. Did the brothers only commend Paul and Silas as it appears here, or did they commend Barnabas and Silas as well? However, we cannot leave them in dispute. From what we garner from Paul’s letter to the Colossians that John Mark was a cousin to Barnabas and that might have been the reason for wanting him to rejoin the mission. But because it is through that, Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians after this incident, which included John Mark in the letter, meant they did ultimately resolve their differences. This now gives us a good example of Christian love. Life itself will develop differences in thinking and even in how we perceive the truth which can come to disagreements. But it is what we do with a disagreement that is the important thing. We may not be able to keep from a sharp dispute regarding an issue, but that should not cause us to part company or live with unforgiveness in our hearts. This is a barn burner of an attitude. The scripture is clear that if we do not forgive those who offend us, then God will not forgive us. Certainly, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and John Mark, all came to that conclusion and at some point, resolved their differences and went on in service of our Lord. We too must leave unforgiveness in the dust, and live in a manner that pleases the Lord, which is to pray: forgive us our trespasses, we forgive those who trespass against us. This way we can live because of resolved unforgiveness.