Apologizing vs. Asking Forgiveness

Driving home: The common practice of apologizing and the biblical pattern of seeking forgiveness are not identical or interchangeable.

A prominent political figure publicly acknowledges a moral lapse, expresses regret, and apologizes, illustrating the common, superficial nature of apologies that avoid naming sin or seeking forgiveness.

this. A prominent political figure is publicly exposed and proven guilty of a serious moral or ethical deviation or lapse. No longer can there be evasion or denial. The evidence is so overwhelming people would have to cut their heads off and bury them not to be persuaded this well-known political figure has been guilty indeed of serious moral or ethical lapses.

9:07 - 9:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the main topic: the non-interchangeability of apologizing and seeking forgiveness. He defines apologizing as expressing regret for a fault and illustrates its…

Sammy Sosa's explanation for using a corked bat, claiming it was a mistake for batting practice, exemplifies an apology that avoids true confession of wrongdoing.

The man is acknowledging and expressing regret for a fault or a wrong. He's made an apology or maybe a prominent athlete is caught cheating a la Sammy Sosa with his corked bat. In case those of you don't know what's going on here Sammy Sosa is one of the few people that's hit over 500 home runs in his career and if you drill out a place in a bat and put cork instead of wood it gives it more power. Well Sammy Sosa was at bat a couple of weeks ago and he broke his bat and they handed it to the umpire and there they found cork.

10:33 - 11:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the main topic: the non-interchangeability of apologizing and seeking forgiveness. He defines apologizing as expressing regret for a fault and illustrates its…

A parent forcing a child to say 'sorry' after a fight, where the child complies without genuine repentance, illustrates how apologies can be superficial and lack true reconciliation.

I should have been more careful in picking my bat. I'm sorry. That's apologizing. Or you got two children. You go in the other room and I mean they're going at one another like cats and dogs. And you finally sort out who started the fight and all the rest and you say now Johnny you shouldn't have hit your sister Susie. Now I want you to say I'm sorry. Say sorry. So with a look that would kill Susie.

11:36 - 12:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He categorizes apologies among believers, starting with the 'best': a sincere but imprecise attempt at confessing sin, which can be lovingly guided toward biblical repentance and…

A boy lies about homework to attend a social event, feels deep remorse, and apologizes to his mother. This illustrates an apology as a sincere but imprecise attempt at confession, which the mother wisely guides toward biblical repentance and seeking forgiveness.

It may be a sincere but imprecise and poorly expressed attempt at confessing sin and seeking forgiveness. Let me illustrate. Here's a boy who has a pattern of honesty in his relationship to his mom and dad, generally compliant and obedient with his teachers, his parents, and there's a special social event with his peers. And I mean, he wants so bad to go to that thing, he can taste it.

29:46 - 30:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He categorizes apologies among believers, starting with the 'best': a sincere but imprecise attempt at confessing sin, which can be lovingly guided toward biblical repentance and…

Martin recounts his father's strictness about completing chores before play, specifically scrubbing floors before football games, to illustrate the principle of work before pleasure and the importance of obedience.

That's how I was reared. I remember being old enough, ninth grade, wanting to go to the football game. Our high school started at 10th grade. I hadn't yet been playing high school football.

30:28 - 30:40 Read in full sermon

The point: If you can use your tongue as a rapier and a bludgeon and be comfortable, give up any thought that you're a child of God.

A Christian husband speaks sharply to his wife, feels deep grief and shame, and apologizes. This illustrates an apology as a vital but preliminary element in confession, which the wife lovingly nurtures into a full seeking and conferring of forgiveness.

Again, case study. I don't often do this right through a sermon, but as I wrestled with this, I felt this would take the abstract and concretize it and be helpful. And that's my great end in preaching, is to help you. Here's a man, speaks sharply to his wife.

39:10 - 39:26 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third type of apology is an appropriate expression of sorrow for non-sinful acts that cause inconvenience or grief, such as being late due to unforeseen circumstances or…

Martin and his wife are invited to dinner but are delayed by a massive traffic accident, arriving late. This illustrates an apology as an appropriate expression of sorrow for a non-sinful act that caused inconvenience or grief.

I feel bad concerning this thing that was done or said. May be an appropriate and sincere expression of sorrow for a non-sinful act or word that has caused inconvenience or grief to another. Let me illustrate again. My wife and I have been invited to your house for a meal.

46:41 - 47:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third type of apology is an appropriate expression of sorrow for non-sinful acts that cause inconvenience or grief, such as being late due to unforeseen circumstances or…

Martin tells a story about his uncle, inadvertently causing pain to someone in the group whose uncle with the same name recently died. This illustrates an apology as an appropriate expression of sorrow for a non-sinful act that caused grief.

Yes. Or perhaps it could be a situation where we're sitting in a mixed group and there's light, healthy, wholesome banter and conversation. And in the midst of telling a given story, I speak about a certain uncle of mine with a certain name and a certain incident. And lo and behold.

50:06 - 50:26 Read in full sermon