Acts 15:36-41 (ESV)

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul was wrong. He refused to travel with Mark and this caused Barnabas and him to separate. While Paul apparently had good reasons for this judgment at that time, it’s still proved wrong. Mark will go on to write the second book of the New Testament. And look at the glowing words Paul uses about him later.

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. – Colossians 4:10-11 (ESV)

Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. – 2 Timothy 4:9-11 (ESV)

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. – Philemon 1:23-24 (ESV)

Nevertheless, Paul never mentions his earlier error. There’s a great lesson in this. Paul doesn’t make a big deal out of it because being wrong isn’t a big deal. People make mistakes. We’re supposed to learn from them, and that happens best when we don’t react neurotically to our screw-ups.

This is one of the most beautiful aspects of the gospel. Christians aren’t under any pressure to deny how bad we really are. We know we’re bad; that’s why we need a savior.

So, without all that baggage, we can learn from our mistakes with eyes wide open.

When we’re not in denial about how bad we are, we can see the foundations of forgiveness. We know that we are worthy of condemnation, so condemning others feels like a stretch.

Still, forgiveness isn’t easy. Who or what do you harbor a grudge against? It can be a person, a company, a nation, anything. Ask God to examine your heart and convict you of your own unworthiness.

Ask Him to release the fetters.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies