Jesus Hero of Thy Soul by JIM MCGUIGGAN

Author:JIM MCGUIGGAN
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: POCKET BOOKS
Published: 2003-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

The Scarlet Letter

—Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Forgiveness only has meaning for those who confess there is such a thing as “wrong.” (A Christian would speak of “sin,” but if “wrong” is the best you can do right now, it’s where you ought to begin. It isn’t enough, but it’s a beginning.)

There are those who hold themselves to no standard of right behavior or attitude, so they care nothing about not being forgiven. Forgiveness is a subject that has meaning only for the morally sensitive. Does that sound rather pompous? Perhaps, but I believe it’s no more than the truth. When the sensitive people wrestle with the wrongs in their lives, there is a need for many things—but there is an immediate need for forgiveness. The heart that has sinned and can find no forgiveness is utterly scalded and finds life agonizing.

Though its language is rather dated now, making it a little harder for moderns to enjoy reading it, the most insightful study I know involving the need for forgiveness and the awful results of not getting it is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter. The setting is a Puritan colony in Massachusetts, and the two leading characters are Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Hester has been sent ahead to America by her English husband who said he would join her soon; but more than two years pass, and she has heard not a word from him or about him.

During this time she has been immoral and eventually her shame becomes visible: she gives birth to a child. After a time in prison she is released, but the community continues to punish her by placing her periodically on a raised platform before the gaze of the whole people. Clergymen often stop her in the street and deliver sermons on the wickedness of immorality. Children follow her and call her names. In addition she must wear a dress with a large scarlet letter “A” embroidered on it which proclaims the nature of her crime. The people entreat and sometimes bully Hester to name her partner in crime, but she steadfastly refuses to do so.

One of the leaders of the community is young Arthur Dimmesdale, a capable and much-loved preacher of truth. There are sermons to be preached against such behavior, and Arthur is instructed by the elders of the community to do this while Hester sits, baby in arms, in the center of the meeting. Again and again while they are alone, Arthur begs her to reveal the name of her fellow-sinner; but she won’t. It would be easier on her and only fair if she did, he tells her; but she won’t reveal the name.

What the community does not know is that Arthur is her guilty partner! And he can find no peace. How can he free himself from the crushing truth? He’s intelligent—will he ease the pain by burying himself in theological studies?

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