Life and Forgiveness

You've probably heard the phrase, "you know better than that."  Maybe it's been spoken to you when you mess up.  Perhaps it's something you have said or maybe heard a parent say to a child. Truth is, the Bible has given us solid principles to live by. Many of us claim to know the Word, but our lives reflect a sense of forgetfulness.  Romans 14 states:
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

So often in various situations, we know what to do.  Our conscience may be providing us direction - sometimes it's the still, small voice of the Spirit, other times, we may experience our conscience screaming at us, warning us against doing what our human tendencies would lead us to do. We can train our minds to think Biblically - and we should - but, we also have to discipline ourselves to act in a manner that is consistent with the truth of God we say we believe. 

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To know what is right and to not do it, the Bible says in Romans, is sin. And, we have people walking around who have been exposed to the truth, who know what's right, but choose to reject God and the truth He has established. Hebrews 10 states:
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people."
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Oscars will be presented this weekend, recognizing movies that a select few believe represent some sort of cinematic achievement.  Seems most of the winners are films that very few have seen and I think, from a Christian perspective, you likely won't find very many films with a Christian worldview perspective reflected.

I struggled to think about what last year's Best Picture was.  Or, was it the year before that, the emcee actually said that the wrong film won?  The most memorable moment in last year's Oscars, sadly enough, was one actor, who actually went on to win an award, I believe, slapping another actor - the host of the show - because of derogatory comments about the man's wife that the host apparently thought were funny. 

So, we'll probably hear a little about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock - from what I see, the two men have not reconciled; Rock has woven the material into his comedy special on Netflix, called Selective Outrage.  A New York Times article says that in the special Rock was "saying that he was 'not a victim' in the situation." Rock said, "I took that hit like Pacquiao..."

Regarding Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith's wife, the article said:

“She hurt him way more than he hurt me,” Rock said, making fun of the couple’s airing of their personal issues on Pinkett Smith’s Facebook talk show, “Red Table Talk.”

The Times reported:

Since the episode, Smith has apologized several times, saying in a video posted to YouTube last year that he was “deeply remorseful” and, addressing Rock directly, that he was ready to talk at any point. (At a show in London with the comedian Dave Chappelle, Rock was dismissive of the recorded apology, likening it to a “hostage video,” according to a report by Deadline.)

But, Rock said he watched Smith's latest movie just to see him get "whooped."

In his Selective Outrage special, according to the Washington Examiner, Rock also offered a warped view of the life issue, which, while certainly not a pro-life view, did acknowledge a truth about an unborn child.  The article said - and this is really offensive:

“I’m like, ‘Hey! I’ve paid for more abortions than any woman in this room!’” the comedian continued to great laughter. “When I go to the clinic, I say, ‘Give me the usual.’ When I go in, they give me a punch card. ‘Here you go.’ Two more, and I get a free smoothie. Mango!”

Debating where he stands on being pro-life or pro-choice, Rock continued, “I have two beautiful daughters. So there’s a part of me that’s pro-life. Because I’m definitely pro their lives. ... But since I love my daughters unconditionally, I love them not just as little girls, I love them as grown women. I want my daughters to live in a world where they have complete control of their bodies.”

That line popped the crowd, drawing loud applause. He had firmly established that he was pro-choice. That’s when Rock flipped the switch.

“And because of that, I am pro-choice. I’m absolutely pro-choice,” Rock reaffirmed. “I believe women should have the right to kill babies.”

This is absolutely disgusting and insensitive. The article went on to say: "...Rock wanted to make sure he was being absolutely clear on what abortion really is: 'But let’s not get it twisted. It is killing a baby.'”

Live Action, on its Instagram page, quoted from its leader Lila Rose, who stated:

“He’s basically showing people this is the extremism of being pro-abortion to the point that you’re proud of paying for women’s abortions, and then he calls it murder.

If you’re sitting in the audience and you’re pro-choice, you’re uncomfortable because he called abortion what it is. It’s killing a baby.”

A recent Movieguide piece documented evangelist's Dylan Novak's attempt to share the gospel with Chris Rock. Novak notes that, "During a 2017 stand up special he told the audience, ‘I’m trying to get a little bit of religion…Not a lot. I want to find God before God finds me.’”

So, I think we're safe to conclude two things: 1) Chris Rock has never extended forgiveness to Will Smith for the unfortunate incident at the Oscars last year and if reports are to be believed, he has rejected attempts by Smith to make amends. 2) Chris Rock knows the truth about the sanctity of life and not only does not heed it, but he uses the taking of human life in his comedy routine. Despicable.

Hebrews 10 says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Romans 14 states: "whatever is not from faith is sin."  We put ourselves in a dangerous place when we fail to live according to what we know is truth.  We are hypocrites to say we believe one thing and do the other. Chris Rock knows that abortion takes a human life; says, "It's killing a baby."  But, he brags about the frequency with which he has paid for abortions. He's proud of it. Oh, that God would take hold of his heart and that he would repent of this godless point of view. 

This story is about lack of respect for life - in the womb, as well as a fellow human being. Will Smith was wrong in what he did, and he has apologized.  For believers, when we fail to forgive, it hinders our prayers, and, it's been pointed out that failure to forgive has the effect of holding the other person in bondage.   In truly loving another person, we have to make sure that we are extending the grace toward him or her that God has extended toward us.  And, may God extend His grace toward Mr. Rock, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and those with whom they interact.