Forgiveness | C. S. Lewis

An episode of the Reformed Thinking podcast, hosted by Edison Wu, titled "Forgiveness | C. S. Lewis" was published on January 20, 2026 and runs 24 minutes.

January 20, 2026 ·24m · Reformed Thinking

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

Deep Dive into Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - ForgivenessC.S. Lewis describes forgiveness as perhaps the most unpopular Christian virtue, particularly the requirement to love one’s enemies. This duty is often met with anger, especially during times of war or extreme suffering, such as the atrocities committed by the Gestapo. However, Lewis notes Christianity offers no alternative: to receive forgiveness, one must forgive others. He suggests starting with small, everyday offenses rather than extreme cases to build this habit.Lewis clarifies loving your neighbor does not mean feeling fond of them or thinking they are nice. Using the example of self-love, he notes that while one might hate their own flaws, they still fundamentally love themselves. This forms the basis for hating the sin while loving the sinner. Christianity does not demand a reduction in the hatred of evil deeds; rather, it requires that we wish for the offender to be cured and restored to humanity.A significant test of this virtue is whether one feels disappointed when an enemy is found to be less wicked than reported, as wanting others to be "blacker" leads to a state of pure hatred. Furthermore, Lewis argues that loving an enemy does not preclude punishing them or even killing them in a just war or court of law. He maintains that a Christian soldier can fight without personal resentment. The essential distinction lies in the internal state: one must suppress the desire for revenge and instead wish for the enemy’s ultimate good. Ultimately, we must love others as "selves," just as God loves us regardless of our qualities.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730

Episode Description

Deep Dive into Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis - Forgiveness

C.S. Lewis describes forgiveness as perhaps the most unpopular Christian virtue, particularly the requirement to love one’s enemies. This duty is often met with anger, especially during times of war or extreme suffering, such as the atrocities committed by the Gestapo. However, Lewis notes Christianity offers no alternative: to receive forgiveness, one must forgive others. He suggests starting with small, everyday offenses rather than extreme cases to build this habit.

Lewis clarifies loving your neighbor does not mean feeling fond of them or thinking they are nice. Using the example of self-love, he notes that while one might hate their own flaws, they still fundamentally love themselves. This forms the basis for hating the sin while loving the sinner. Christianity does not demand a reduction in the hatred of evil deeds; rather, it requires that we wish for the offender to be cured and restored to humanity.

A significant test of this virtue is whether one feels disappointed when an enemy is found to be less wicked than reported, as wanting others to be "blacker" leads to a state of pure hatred. Furthermore, Lewis argues that loving an enemy does not preclude punishing them or even killing them in a just war or court of law. He maintains that a Christian soldier can fight without personal resentment. The essential distinction lies in the internal state: one must suppress the desire for revenge and instead wish for the enemy’s ultimate good. Ultimately, we must love others as "selves," just as God loves us regardless of our qualities.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainer

Spotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdw

https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730