Forgiveness (continued)

Prior to granting forgiveness, it is my belief, that the offending party must do the following: They must take responsibility, be remorseful, and repair or make restitution.

Jesus makes this point in Matthew 18.

"And if your brother sins (KJV-against you), go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. "And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.

It is not required of you to overlook an offense, rather, go to your brother. In fact, there are consequences to not taking responsibility, being remorseful and repairing. They are to be treated as a Gentile. (Do we do this today?)

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Now, if your brother repents, you are required to forgive him, an unlimited amount of times. Unity of the body is of utmost importance.

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. "And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents. "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. "The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.' "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' "So his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' "He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

Jesus then gives an illustration of this. A king is settling accounts (If your brother sins, go to him). He couldn’t repay, so he was to be sold as a slave. (This was God’s law). However, the man took proper steps by taking responsibility, showing remorse (falling down, prostrated himself) and promising restitution. And the king, felt compassion and “released and forgave him his debt”. This is what we are required to do, when one follows the steps to seek forgiveness. Note that if the man had not repented and followed the right steps as indicated, he would have been sold, he and his family, to repay the debt. It says nothing about the king forgiving him without the debtor first falling down and prostrating himself.

Jesus then continues as to what will happen if we don’t forgive, when the proper steps are taken as illustrated when the man refused to forgive his debtor: "He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed."

Jesus had a strong rebuke.

"Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?' "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

____________________________________________________

In light of this, look at the following verses.

"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Luke 17:3

"And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." Luke 17:4

"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." John 20:23

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ( Confess-homologeo- to speak the same, to agree). I John 1:9

Is A Christian Required To Grant Forgiveness Even Though It Is Not Requested?

One of the most controversial questions that I have been asked is, “Am I supposed to forgive a brother even though they are not sorry for their offense”.

In reflecting on this question, one must answer basic questions first, so that their response is not emotional, which often happens with this topic.

• Does God forgive us our sins and trespasses before we are ‘born again’ without us asking?
• If we are to forgive a brother without him being repentant, does God do this for us?
• Does God give the world a ‘blanket forgiveness’ and if so, would that allow all to enter eternal life without a relationship?
• Did Jesus forgive everyone who offended him? Did Paul?
• When did Jesus forgive some without their requesting forgiveness?
• Are their examples of forgiveness in the Word, where no one has asked?
• On the cross, to whom was Jesus referring when He said, “father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”?
• Why didn’t He forgive them, rather than asking God to do so?
• In the “Lord’s Prayer”, does it imply that we are to forgive all, without their asking? If so, why in the same verse, does it say “Father, forgive us our trespasses”? Isn’t the one praying asking God for forgiveness?

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Anger

Someone finding a personal right that I have not yet yielded to God.

…Because of the angels.

 

In 1 Cor. 11, Paul talks about a woman having a “symbol” of authority on her head “because of the angels”.

In discussing this verse, about women wearing a covering, many denounce the practice and are quick to excuse it stating, “that was only a custom”, “a woman’s hair is her covering” or, “does anyone do that today”?

The point is not to brush off a verse because it may be offensive or untimely but rather to go beyond excusing our current belief and ask, “why did God instruct Paul to pen those words”?

There appears to be something going on in the heavens that are beyond our scope of understanding.

In the book of Job, we see that the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves to God. Satan was among them. Now, Satan is aware of his destiny, which God, pronounced on him in the book of Genesis, yet we see that God has a dialog with him nonetheless. It is as though God is making a point and the point is that God is just and righteous and Lord and that He must continue to demonstrate this to the sons of God, both God’s messengers and the fallen ones.

God asks Satan, “have you considered my servant Job”? This, in my opinion, is a very strange question. Why would God even consider a dialog with Satan? After all, God has won and Satan has lost. We know the final chapters of Revelations.

Our conclusion must then be: there is something going on in the heavens, of which we are unaware. Angels are an audience, we are actors in a play, and God sponsors it.

With that in mind, look again at Paul’s statement “a woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels”. It is as though God wants to show the created beings, that there is an authority structure, which God is demonstrating through His people.

In 1 Cor. 4:9, again Paul points out that the apostles are men “condemned to death, ‘because we have become a spectacle to …angels’”.

Next, in Heb. 13, we are instructed to show hospitality to strangers as we have “entertained angels” without knowing it. Why would it matter that we have entertained angels? What is God trying to prove, through us?

Would this knowledge cause a change in your behavior and your reaction to circumstances, knowing that you are actor, in a heavenly play, sponsored by the Almighty, to make a point, to His glory?

Meditation

 

I have found this to be an excellent guide to study the Word. The key to meditation is to ask questions. Many believers are not accustomed to this practice and have a habit of regurgitating information they have heard from someone else but giving the information no further thought. They have never learned to think. Asking questions causes us to think.

We begin with Matthew 5:1.

1. Write the passage:

Matt 5:1 And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2. Ask Questions:

And-what does this word connect?

Seeing-what did He see?

Multitudes-where did they come from? Was it a crowd? What motivated them to come?

Why did seeing the multitudes prompt Him to go up on the mountain?

(Not that we will answer each of these questions but it tunes our Reticular Activation System).

What mountain did He go up on? Why did He go up?

After He sat down, His disciples came to him. Did the multitudes come or just the disciples? If only the disciples came, why didn’t the multitudes?

Compare your answer to this question with Matt. 7:28-8:1.

Did your answer change?

As you visualize this scene, what other questions come to mind? Write them down.

 

3. Do a word study:

What do each of the words in this verse mean?

Ask more questions (this activates your RAS).

And=but, it compares two things. It is a transition to something new. It is a particle, not a conjunction. What is the word transitioning?

Seeing=to know, perceive with the eyes, be aware of, consider, understand, saw their needs. When you look at someone, what do you see?

Multitude=large group.

Went up=because of the needs that He saw, He went to address them. It implies a motion on His part.

Mountain=lifts itself up above the plains. (Using the Reticular Activation System, think about this when you see a mountain when traveling or on vacation. Picture Him walking up).

 

4. Look up cross references:

Mark 9- and they brought the boy to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit through him into a convulsion.

Matt. 9-He saw Matthew the tax collector.

Mark-He saw a fig tree.

Matt. 4-He healed the multitudes (individuals).

Matt. 15-fed the multitudes (individually).

 

5. Paraphrase:

When Jesus considered the throng of people that came out to Him seeking to get their needs met, He went up on the mountain.

 

6. Personalize:

When I see a group of people, I realize that I can treat them as a group or I could take time to understand the needs of individuals in the group. Like Jesus, I need to take time to get alone with needy people to teach them.

When we memorize a text, we get it into our mind.

When we do a word study, we get it into our will.

When we personalize it, we get it into our emotions.

 

7. Picture it:

Drawing a picture or visualizing the entire scene as it unfolds will help to capture and feel it. Visualize Jesus with the multitudes and Him looking at just me. Even though He is ministering to many, He has time for me.

Visualize Him walking up to the base of a mountain. Visualize the multitudes. How many do you see? What are they doing, wearing and talking about? Do you see any children? Now visualize the disciples and watch as Jesus sits. How is He sitting? What are the disciples doing? Can you hear the questions they are formulating as they watch the scene unfold? There was a time that Jesus was in the temple, bent over to write on the ground. Do you think He did something like that here? Why or why not? Do you think His behaviors and mannerisms made the most of the situation?

What time of day was it? What were people feeling at that particular time? Were they hungry or sleepy, exhausted or moody? When you listen to people talking, what do you do? What do you think about? Are you tired, hungry etc.? How does that affect your ability to hear?

These are a small number of questions that can and should be asked whenever we encounter God’s Word. They help us to personalize God’s Word and draw it into our emotions after it is a part of our mind and will.

 

8. Application:

What do I see when I perceive a group of people? Do I see their needs or do I categorize them according to the way I see people?

If I were traveling with Jesus, how long would it take Him to see their health problems in a crowd? Why is it that I don’t ever see peoples needs or suffering? “Lord, I need to see as You see”.

The first word, ‘and’, brought this Scripture together with the previous where Jesus healed many and THEN they came out and He taught them. How often do I get involved in peoples’ physical needs? Do I use this as a springboard to teach them?

Now, try it on your own.

"Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt. 5:31-34

                                                                                                                                                               borrowed

Meditation Continued

Meditation on Scripture is not what we commonly think of as “Bible study.” Bible study is good, and it certainly assists meditation; but Bible study is often learning about God and meditation is about knowing God.

I caution about reading commentaries because when we read other’s opinions about a passage of Scripture, sometimes it can block deeper insights and understanding that the Holy Spirit may wish to reveal or it can hinder a work that He is seeking to do in us. Books can be useful tools and aids, but reading them and learning from them is not the goal of meditation.

Once the passage is in our minds, the next step is to implant the Word in our hearts. While one may agree with Scripture, one often does not believe Scripture. What we truly believe in our heart will be acted out in our lives. The step of going from agreeing with the Word in our minds to believing the Word in our hearts is accomplished through meditation.

Biblical meditation is speaking the memorized words of Scripture over and over to oneself and to God. It is speaking those words in the first person, and speaking those words in prayer to God. Meditation is rolling every word around in our minds, thinking of its meaning, its direction, its application to us, how it addresses our lives. It is emphasizing each word and phrase in a sentence and pointing its message at our lives and our souls.

Borrowed

Meditation

Thy word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against Thee. Psalm 119:11

1. The Law exposes our sin (without the law, there would be no sin)

2. Man’s constant struggle is against sin

3. God also gave the “antidote” to sin

4. Why, then, do we try everything EXCEPT what God has prescribed

5.

borrowed

Meditation on the Word

If you were to meditate on this portion of Psalm 1, what would you get from it?

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

The last sentence tells the benefit of meditation. It is of interest that we don't teach more on this discipline if that is the reward. "In whatever he does, he prospers". Wow!

Paul continues in Romans 12 with his discourse of worship and the role of the Believer when he writes, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect".

The description of the clean animal was the cloven hoof illustrates "not being conformed to this world" and, chewing the cud, "being transformed by the renewing of your mind".

Renewing of the mind is the crux of the Christian life. This is the only way to transform the life of the Believer. Behaviors, that we try to change in our own power, will be modified by God through the power of His Word. The writer of Hebrews reports this when he pens, "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart".

The process is simple, taking a section of Scripture, reading it, thinking about it, its meaning, the setting and pondering it. Bringing it back up later, to think about it again, put it in the context of your life and the lives of those around you. Critique it, test it, ask what God meant by it. Challenge it. Argue it. God's Word stands the test.

This is meditation. This will change your thinking which in turn will change your behavior.

"You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. Deut. 11:18

The word transformed (by the renewing of your mind) is metamorphoo, the origin of the English word, metamorphosis. The changes are sometimes not noticeable and changes take time.

The result of not conforming to the world and transforming the mind is that we will know or discern what the will of God is.

This is the most asked question in the church, "What is God's will for my life"?

When we meditate on the Word, the benefit of making this a habit is that you will begin to know what God's will is for your life.