Hi Penelope

Thank you for your comment at Provoketive Magazine (http://provoketive.com). We’re creating a space of rich conversation about life, faith, justice and culture without judgment. Our desire is to provoke the reader’s imagination through conversation and open up spaces of dialogue, learning, and hope.  We want to invite you to come back soon and continue to participate in the conversation. 

Thank you,
Jonathan Brink
Provoketive Magazine

You posted the following comment:
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Actually, at the risk of sounding "judgmental" you are both wrong.  We ARE called to judge--in fact, scripture is clear in 1 Peter 4:17 " For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"  Furthermore, Jesus did NOT tell us to simply forgive, nor did He call us into a "cheap grace".  Jesus told us to rebuke first and IF the person repents, then forgiveness is extended.  Luke 17:3 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."  There is no evidence that Joe Paterno ever repented, but instead, he covered up his sin and the sin of those under his leadership.   So did Sandusky.  This is not to be minimized nor forgiven in the absence of repentance.  Furthermore, the grace extended to us as reconciled believers does not mean that our own sin "doesn't count".  Paul says very clearly "not counting people's trespasses against THEM" (2Cor 5:19), but rather, counted against Christ!  This means our sin DOES count--just not against us, but against Jesus.  There is a huge difference.  Christ paid it,  Christ was defiled for us, so our sin counts against HIM, rather than against US.  THAT is reconciliation, done by God toward us thru Christ, and it occurs when we repent, not before.  Jesus death for us cost Him everything.  We need to recognize that so as to not cheapen what was done on our behalf.  There is a cost to sin.