Proverbs 21:21 devotional

^{I get a daily Bible verse from Biblegateway.com, and I always get it in two translations: KJV and NIV. Sometimes the KJV is just too florid for my understanding, so I get it in two translations. The other day the verse was Proverbs 21:21, and I read it in several different translations and found it fascinating.}

Whoever pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor. (NIV)

He who pursues righteousness and loyalty
Finds life, righteousness and honor. (NASB)

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy

findeth life, righteousness, and honour. (KJV)

The substituted words are "love, loyalty, mercy". It struck me as interesting that there was such a difference in these translations. How are these substituted words similar? I am not familiar with the original language, so forgive me if my interpretation is less than academic. I am merely stating what the Holy Spirit related to me for my own personal understanding.

One of the most consistent words is "righteousness". He who pursues righteousness will inherit this wonderful promise. But righteousness is not enough, you must pair righteousness with love, loyalty, and mercy. This two-fold requirement reveals the nature of God. God is holy, God is righteous. But God is more than a flawless being; His love is what drives Him to make His children righteous in His image, so that they may share in eternal life with Him. If you think about what God's love is, it's an extension of His mercy, which He bestows upon us in the form of grace. His grace will never fail, and He will never run out of grace. This is the loyal promise of God: that He will pursue you faithfully to the end of your days, bestowing upon you his mercy, grace, and love. He will teach you His righteous ways so that you may pursue it passionately; He has changed your nature so that it desires a life of righteousness and love rather than self-centeredness and sin.

If you pursue God for who He is, and you will find life, prosperity, and honor. The definition of "honor" is this: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions. The definition of "prosperous" is this: Having success; flourishing. Why does the NIV say "prosperity" rather than "righteousness"? I suspect it has to do with the several references to righteous people of God flourishing. See some Pslams below:

Psalm 92:12 "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon"

Psalm 72:7 "In his days may the righteous flourish

and prosperity abound till the moon is no more."

Go back and read Proverbs 21:21. Isn't this an amazing promise of God? If you pursue Him, He will bless you.

The unbelievers do not know or understand this promise, but it is extended to them as well. If in their hearts they pursue the attributes of God -- His righteousness, love, loyalty, mercy -- God will reveal Himself to them. He desires that none of His children perish. They too have the chance to find life, and it is our duty to lovingly show them the way through our actions, both spoken and unspoken. Sometimes we don't realize how much of a positive effect we have on a non-Christian friend when we simply treat them with courtesy and kindness. They notice when you "Love your neighbor as yourself," whether you realize it or not. The Christian life is about showing the nature of God whether people expect you to or not; in fact, you must show Christ more-so when people expect you to do the exact opposite! Matthew 5 has all sorts of interesting things to say about a Christian's behavior. I encourage you to go read it as a refresher.

Let us pursue righteousness and love, not only for our own spiritual growth, but for the sake of those around us.

Attitude Toward Sin: Flippant or Inevitable?

I can't tell you how many times I hear a speaker attest to the wonderful things God has done in his or her life. The speaker is very passionate, gets emotional when discussing previous sinful state, and joyfully announces the victory found in Christ. The audience feels a great sense of hope and encouragement from this talk, especially when it concludes with a crescendo of passion such as "God saved me from my life of sin so that I may live a life in freedom and serve Him! Praise God!" There is an appropriately animated response of Praise God indeed. But then -- as if this is an obligatory and mandatory addendum to the speaker's testimony, he or she will say (lest they are thought of as arrogant) -- "I'm still imperfect, that's a given -- I mean, we're all still sinners" to which the audience will reply with applause and hearty head bobs. Yet, I bury my head in sadness. Why do we prize sinfulness and assume it is a necessary part of the Christian life? What should the Christian attitude be toward sin?

You might be thinking, "What's the big deal? What the speaker said is absolutely true!" The reason I get so upset when people have this flippant attitude toward sin is because it's 1) confusing to unbelievers 2) misleading to believers and 3) blasphemous to God (therefore not true). I don't mean to offend those who have ascribed to this belief all their lives, so bear with me as I explain. Again, this is a good time for me to say that if you have any issues with my analysis, please feel free to email me or talk to me.

The modern Christian church teaches that sin is inevitable and it is likely a daily part of the Christian walk. Lately confession of sin has been mistaken for humility; saying that you are not a sinner is akin to saying you believe in works-based salvation (i.e. others find you blasphemous and proud and will quote 1 John 1:8 at you). No, they will say, the proper thing to do in the church is to admit that you sin, confess your sins, and try not to do it again (but you inevitably will – because you’re a sinner). The problem with this flippant attitude, upon closer examination, is that it is unbiblical and wildly hypocritical. There, I said it. Please don’t wag your finger at me and tell me I’m not saved. I am no proponent of the works-based salvation. I simply believe that Christ is serious when He says “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Don’t think this is possible? Think this was just something to aspire to? Please continue reading.

Somebody once compared this flippant church attitude to a vegetarian who still eats meat. "I only eat meat when I can't resist it, or when it's more convenient. I'm still a vegetarian, don't get me wrong." But how does this practice look to outsiders? Instead of unbelievers thinking it's great that Christians are not holy rollers, they get disgusted that church-goers call unbelievers out on their sin, deny them marriage rights, and speak out against evil, and yet these so-called Christians still commit the same acts! What's the difference, a few spoken words of commitment? Romans 2:21-24 “you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? ²²You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? ²⁴For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written.”

It's damaging to both the unbeliever and believer to have a flippant "oh we can't beat it" attitude about sin. It's a very negative and unbiblical view. Jesus is all about freedom! Galatians 5:1 “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” He came to set us free from the bondage of slavery so that we would know the fresh air of righteousness and live to serve Him. Some of the first words of His public ministry were Isaiah 61:1-3 (as seen in Luke 4:18-19 below).

¹⁸"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,
¹⁹TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD."

To say that Christians are free from sin yet still live in it does not make any sense. Think about that statement for a second. How are you set free if you are still enslaved to sin?! It's absurd! It's the biggest lie of Satan. Jesus tells us we cannot serve two masters as shown in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth.” John reiterates it in 1 John 3: 6-9 “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. ⁷Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

It is NOT inevitable for Christians to sin! What flesh we had that hindered us is now crucified and removed; there is nothing barring us from following Jesus with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength!

Galatians 5:19-24
¹⁹Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,²¹envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

I've seen a popular quote from Blaise Pascal: "There are two kinds of men: the righteous, who believe themselves sinners; & sinners who believe themselves righteous." Yet the Bible says, "Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous." (1 John 3:7) A truly righteous man knows he is righteous. The Bible states it plainly. Pascal's intention was probably influenced by a bit of Truth. It's true that the only way Christians are righteous is because they've accepted Christ (therefore admitting they were unrighteous), allowed Him to purify them, and then walk in righteousness with the Holy Spirit's leading. You cannot be righteous by your own works. Those who have not accepted Christ, who believe they need no redemption, are the unrighteous who believe they are righteous. This is what is meant by 1 John 1:5-9 “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; ⁷but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

When you read this passage in context, it is a gospel message, but I frequently hear 1 John 1:8 used to say “see? Christians still sin!” In order to be redeemed, you have to be redeemed of something. All have sinned (Romans 3:23) but those who accept Christ are purified and do not keep on sinning. To say otherwise is to say you walk in light and yet you walk in darkness as shown in 1 John above. 1 John 2:3-6 ^“By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; ⁵but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected By this we know that we are in Him: ⁶the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

I am so very passionate about this topic because I believe the current teachings and attitudes about sin are straight from Satan himself. It's a disturbing thought, that the blind are leading the blind. My friends, do not serve Satan, do not even say you serve him. Make your testimony "I have been redeemed and freed from sin" and keep it at that! God gives you a way out of every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and He fights the battles for us. For goodness' sake, Jesus has already won! Live in victory and freedom, please do not allow Satan to ensnare any part of your heart. If you are a child of God, you are free. You are no longer enslaved to sin. It is not inevitable! That is the real gospel message! Praise God for His unending grace, His promise of life and freedom, and His sacrifice on the cross that makes all of this possible.

The Importance of Forgiveness: Part 3 -- The Unrepentent

I recommend reading The Importance of Forgiveness Parts 1 and 2 before reading this particular blog. Part 1 is about the definition of forgiveness; Part 2 is the definition of true repentance; and Part 3 will deal specifically with the unrepentant. What do Christians do when somebody refuses to repent? There are several different underlying factors when a person does not repent (ie recognize and change sinful behavior). Are we still required to forgive the person even if they have not yet asked for forgiveness? It is impossible to forgive somebody if they have not yet asked for forgiveness. Is there something to forgive? Yes. But how can it be done if there is no repentance? Jesus says in Luke 17:3-4 " 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." Again, forgiveness is the act of pardoning a person's sins or mistakes and not holding it against them ever again; repentance is the act of changing a behavior (or sin) as a result of remorse or contrition for that behavior (or sin).

I think it's fantastic and heart-warming when a Christian proclaims to the world that they have forgiven the person(s) responsible for murdering their loved ones. It is a bold statement, it is honorable, and it certainly sheds a good light on Christianity. However, I would argue that it is not the exact model of forgiveness the way our Lord lays it out. Before God forgives us, we must come to Him, renounce our ways, and ask Him to pardon us for our sins. Then He faithfully and lovingly forgives us and cleanses us from our sin. What did He do before we asked for forgiveness? He made it clear that He wanted to forgive us. (Matthew 18:14 "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.") He showed us how wrong our behavior was, and promised us that He would cleanse us from it and teach us to change it. But He did not forgive us until we asked for it. If God forgave everyone for sins before they asked for it, they would have no need to repent and they would go to Heaven. That is the doctrine of the Universalists, which is completely unBiblical and wrong.

Now, just because a Christian does not have to officially forgive a person unless that person repents, that does not mean the Christian is allowed to harbor anger in their heart toward the person. In fact, Jesus says this in Matthew 5:43-44: "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." A Christian must be ready to forgive a person as soon as they ask for it the same way Jesus is ready to forgive a sinner when a sinner repents. Jesus does not say, "No, I can't forgive you yet -- I'm still ticked about the way you used my name in vain." It is essential for a Christian's heart to be prepared to forgive a person the moment they ask for forgiveness! Since we do not know when a person will ask for forgiveness, our hearts must always be willing to forgive, that is, pardoning a person's sins and not ever holding it against them again. Christians do not have the liberty of holding a grudge or reveling in anger. Sometimes a person will ask for forgiveness when you did not even realize they sinned against you. I remember back when my fiance (at that time my boyfriend) and I asked for forgiveness from his parents for lying to them about something for years. They had no idea, and yet they forgave us on the spot. They were still crushed and heartbroken, but they pardoned us and did not ever hold a grudge or use it against us. That is a model of God's forgiveness. It is awe-inspiring to know that we, once sinners, came to the Father in humility and asked to be forgiven -- and He did it! Our sins are no more and He does not count them against us. Praise be to God for His love!

Here's a sticky situation: What do we do when a friend who professes Christianity sins against God and does not repent? You've probably known a person like this. Perhaps it is a person in your Sunday School who occasionally lies, or a college buddy in your Fellowship who is an underage drinker. Most of the time these kinds of people are not unwilling to repent -- most of the time they say they really want to repent but just end up sinning again in some way. We should not, as some claim, "cut them some slack because we all sin too". This statement really gets me upset. It's about the most hypocritical statement I've ever heard in my life. Not only should we not excuse sin, we should not engage in it! Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2) No, the proper response would be to go to your friend in love and try to help them correct their behavior so that they may be reconciled to God. Normally this involves many interventions, late-night chats, Bible studies, and accountability partners. Ask your spiritual leaders for help, for they will undoubtedly have good ideas about disciplining a brother. Jesus gives us some instructions in Matthew 18:15-17 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." It's pretty straight-forward. For the most part, the person in question will only get to Stage Two before they wise up and taking measures to stop sinning.

If you know somebody who has surpassed Stages 1 and 2 of Jesus' Helpful Guide to Bringing Back the Unrepentant, then this person is probably in deeper darkness than you initially realized. Commit them to serious prayer. They need it. This person is in great spiritual danger and might need to experience a very hardcore kind of love. If a person calls him or herself a Christian and obviously lives a life contrary to God's standards and refuses to change, even after countless hours of pleading and explaining why their lifestyle choices are unBiblical, you and your church are required to cut that person out of the church as a last resort. That seems quite harsh and almost contrary to the modern (albeit Biblical) exhortations to love that person no matter what. But here's the kicker: sometimes kicking a person out of the church is the most loving thing you can do. Paul talks about this extensively in 1 Corinthians 5. Verse 5 specifically explains why this is a loving act. "I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." This person is obviously not saved, but thinks they are. Paul even refers to this kind of person later in the chapter as a "so-called brother". This is the most dangerous spiritual state to be in. If a person believes they are saved when they are really not, they have no incentive to change their ways or repent. They believe they are forgiven already and going to Heaven when really they are doomed to Hell.

Here is an instance of this in Matthew 7:18-23 --
A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you;DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Paul, like Jesus, talks about not associating with a so-called Christian in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 --
"I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; ¹⁰I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. ¹¹But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? ¹³But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES." (CAPS part of NASB version)

While the modern church has it right that we are to love those who wrong us, we must attempt to correct their sins for their sakes. This is love in the most heart-wrenching form. To outsiders and to the person described in 1 Corinthians 5, this does not look like love. If you or your church feels called to carry out the actions of 1 Corinthians 5 as a last resort, it will be painful and difficult, especially if that person is a loved one. But God calls us to love others more than ourselves. How can we love someone if we refuse to tell them their sin will doom them to hell? How can we love someone if we sit back idly and allow a person to sin because it is easier and safer for us to ignore the issue? That is not love; that is selfishness. It is also heresy. If a so-called Christian blasphemes God's holy name by claiming to be a holy child of God and yet refuses to repent -- what does that say about our perfect and holy God?! How does that look to non-believers? If you refuse to cut a person like this out of their life because you love them so much you couldn't bear to see them in pain, then you are treading into dangerous territory. Jesus says in Matthew 10: 37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." Take care that your love is agape love, as shown in 1 Corinthians 13, not the kind of false love that stifles a person's well-being for your own sake.

This is a difficult topic, especially since I have a loved one in this situation. I do not write this because I enjoy the idea of cutting out those who defile God's name. I do this out of love, the kind of love that requires me to love another more than myself, to put their salvation as my top priority. It is a love that "does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth" (1 Cor 13:6). This kind of love requires absolute faith in God's holy Word, trust in His judgment, and absolute reliance on His wisdom. God knows best, and if He says we should do something a specific way, it is because He has a good reason. Oh how glorious that day will be with the unrepentant finally humble themselves before the Lord!

The Importance of Forgiveness: Part 2 -- does God forgive future sins?

One of my previous blogs discussed the definition of forgiveness and some Bible passages on the subject. I titled it "The Importance of Forgiveness" and I recommend you read that first before you read this one, which will discuss what to do in situations where a person refuses to repent even when they should. You can find it here http://thegodfiles-hewhohasears.blogspot.com/2009/07/importance-of-forgiveness.html at that link or search for the July 4 post. Many thanks to my readers who suggested that I discuss this thought-provoking and sometimes controversial topic. I must introduce a difficult theological subject in order to write about how God wants us to treat those who do not repent. If God overlooks and forgives future sins, as so many believe, then Christians would be required to do the same thing to their fellow believers, meaning many Biblical passages will be rendered obsolete and my argument faulty. So I must debunk the illogical argument before presenting my views on this subject. I am well aware that my views are unpopular and very different from modern Christianity, so I hope you will continue reading despite your initial reservations. If you wish to argue why my beliefs are incorrect or unBiblical, I urge you to do so in the comment area or by e-mailing me at thegodfiles@gmail.com.

Let me first define true repentance: the act of changing a behavior (or sin) as a result of remorse or contrition for that behavior (or sin). Notice how I made the most important part of that sentence "the act of changing". In today's version of Christianity repentance is merely a form of false remorse, where the sinner feels slightly guilty for his or her behavior and continues to do it even though they know it is wrong. That is not true repentance. If you truly repent for your behavior you will change it. Imagine this scenario: a robber is in the middle of cleaning out a bank vault and you come along to stop his heist. "I'm terribly sorry, I know it's a horrible thing to do," the robber says, "please forgive me. I'd say that I won't do it again, but I know I will, so please forgive me for that too." Then he turns around and continues to rob the vault while you watch in horror at his blatant hypocrisy. This scenario seems absurd, but it is a sad representation of modern Christianity's views on redemption.

Tell me, if God forgives you for your future sins, what is the point of asking for forgiveness? Why would God tell you that you are freed from sin and demand you to live in holiness if He really means that you will be sinning for the rest of your life? Are you telling me that any professing believer who commits adultery and rapes children without repenting of it will go to Heaven because at one point in their life they said the prayer that was supposed to give them salvation? If you say no to that, then why not? If God truly forgives a person for all past, present, and future sins, then an unrepentant murderer, rapist, and adulterer will go to Heaven. Some would protest to this by saying, "but a Christian would not do those things!" All I have to say to that, is EXACTLY. Neither would a Christian steal, lie, cheat, get drunk, or sin in any other way. God's Word is absolute, and He says this:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 John 3:5-6
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

Some will say to this, "Christians are covered by God's grace, so they don't count when the Bible says 'those who practice this will not go to Heaven'". I will just blink open-mouthed at the absurdity of that statement. There is no contradiction in God's Word. Those who practice these things (sins) will not inherit the kingdom of God, and those who are of God do not practice sin. Therefore, those who are of God do not sin and inherit the kingdom. Do you really think God is going to take an unrepentant child molester into Heaven? What makes you think He'll take a liar? Even Revelation makes the distinction between those who follow God's commandments and those who still sin: Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

His grace empowers us to overcome all sin and Jesus says He will cleanse us of it completely. We don't have to do anything but obey Jesus, for He fights the battles for us and He rids us of sin! I am not suggesting that a person can lose salvation, what I am suggesting is that Christians are not given liberty to sin when God so clearly instructs otherwise. I believe that those who do not turn from their sinful ways never truly repented, and are therefore not saved. To say that those who merely recite the "sinner's prayer" and never change their lives are going to Heaven is a complete lie. Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. (Go to this link to understand my views on sin http://thegodfiles-hewhohasears.blogspot.com/2009/06/problem-of-sin.html. I believe it is only ever a conscious decision made in rebellion; I do not consider sin to be an accident or mere lack of knowledge. It is willful and deliberate defiance of God's Known Law.)

I hope I have not lost you in a grand theological debate. I assure you that my unpopular views on sin and salvation have everything to do with the discussion of unrepentant sinners. You see, if God truly forgives believers for future sins, then the Bible is painstakingly contradictory. It would mean that you and I would be required to "overlook" (as God presumably does) the many sinful actions of our fellow believers. But as I do not believe those who sin ever truly repented, I can continue my commentary in the next blog.

The Importance of Forgiveness: Part 1

There have been times in my life when I've been asked to do something that seemed completely contradictory. I was supposed to forgive someone who wronged me and show them love, yet the most loving act I could do was make it painfully clear how wrong their path was. How can you forgive someone and still call them out in their sin? Doesn't that mean you're still holding it against them and being unloving? Does forgiveness necessarily mean we have to trust and respect the person who wronged us? These questions are valid, confusing, and important to answer.

Let me first define forgiveness: the act of pardoning a person's sins or mistakes and not holding it against them ever again. It is to be given when a person asks for it, as often as they ask for it and as soon as they ask for it. It is NOT denying that the sin ever happened, or denying that your feelings are possibly still hurt. It is NOT giving the person approval to continue in their actions, or pardoning it by saying "it's okay, that wasn't so bad"; rather, it is saying "that was wrong, but I forgive you". Matthew 6:14-15 ¹⁴"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

Let's analyze the following Biblical passages. (All Biblical text comes from KJV, NASB, or NKJV)

Matthew 18:21-35
²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. ³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Matthew 5:38-48
³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. ⁴¹ And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Why is forgiveness so important? Jesus wants His followers to be set apart and holy. Not only are we to forgive our enemies seventy times seven times if need be, we are not to lash back when they lash against us. This can be difficult to do! But God is with us always, and if Jesus was able to take insults and a crucifixion by his back-stabbing creation, we ought to be able to handle it when somebody offends us. If somebody slanders your good name, do not gossip about that person. You can defend yourself and ask them to stop, but they may call you a coward for not engaging back in the fight. To the world you seem like you are turning your other cheek, but in your heart you are giving them nothing. The approval of men means nothing in light of God, the Giver of everything.

Now, there is a difference between defending yourself and your loved ones and “turning the other cheek”. If you are carrying a paycheck in your wallet that you must cash to keep your family out of poverty and some robber tries to steal it from you, I don’t think you would be required to “turn the other cheek”, because other people are depending on you for that money. Likewise, if a husband is protecting his wife from a rapist, he is not to sit back and say “sorry, honey, I’m supposed to turn my cheek on this one”. We are required to protect those in our lives who need protecting, including ourselves. I believe Jesus was saying that if we have extra to give, whether that is money, materials, or our effort, we should give it. We can set a good example to our enemies by having the God-given strength to go another mile, to freely give up our material possessions and such because our worth is not set in this world. God can replenish anything we lose.

Forgiveness is necessary for any and every scenario. How are we to love those who have betrayed us and taken everything? Imagine yourself in a horrifying scenario: somebody brutally murders your family, ends up on death row, and before he is put down he asks to speak to you. He says, “I am so sorry, will you forgive me?” What would you say? I hope you would say yes. Now, imagine this worse scenario: a man brutally murders your family, steals your livelihood, sells you into slavery, and he lives as a king with everything while you have nothing. He comes down to your lowly quarters as king and asks you if you will forgive him, but is unable to change your current situation. Would you be willing to forgive this murderous man now? I hope you will say yes even in this scenario.

Most people find it easier to forgive someone when they have reaped the consequences of their sins; unfortunately, it does not always work out that way. In this case we can rest easy knowing “ ¹⁹Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. ²⁰"BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." If you think about it, before we accept Christ into our lives and cut out sin, we are just as bad as that murderous man. We have all willfully sinned against God, and each sin must be like a twisted knife to the heart to the most loving Savior who died to save us from such disobedience. If Christ can forgive us of our numerous trespasses, bad as they were, we can forgive those who trespass against us. If you choose not to forgive others for their transgressions, make no mistake, God will not forgive you (Matt 6:15). To me, that is much scarier than accepting an apology.

Forgiveness does not mean we forget. If you child steals money from you and admits it to you later, you should forgive them on the spot, but you should still punish them. God forgives us of our sin, but He still purifies us and teaches us the way of righteousness. If trust has been broken, it needs to be earned back, not given freely because the sinner learns that apology will get them out of trouble. The sinner who believes that will never truly repent to you or God. They will believe they can sin and get away with things and just “ask for forgiveness”, and they will be in the clear or go to Heaven. This is just as dangerous for them as it is for you. Do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of if a person proves they are not trustworthy; do not give your heart to a person who has smashed it; do not give your respect to one who has spit on you and your loved ones. What you can do is love them, reprimand them for their actions, teach them the way of righteousness, and forgive them readily when they ask for it.

Forgiveness is an act of love. God is love, and since forgiveness is part of His character, it would be wise to remember the definition of love and compare it to forgiveness whenever you are tempted to get angry or not forgive:1 Corinthians 13:4-8a ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails. It is possible to forgive someone for the past, call them out on their current sins, and love them back to Christ.

(Part 2 posted on Wednesday, July 29)

He who has ears let him hear. Matthew 11:15

Good evening, fellow bloggers.

I write to you with the hopes of being a source of encouragement and light. I plan to write about myself very little unless it is required for the discussion topic at hand. If you have come to this blog expecting juicy gossip about my life or a detailed family tree analysis, you've come to the wrong place! You may get my occasional rants about society and how overall ridiculous it is, but I promise it will stay relevant to whatever topic I feel led to discuss.

Right, that leads me to these mysterious "topics" I keep mentioning. Here's a disclaimer: all of my topics will be about God; more specifically, following the life modeled by Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior of the world. God tends to teach me valuable truths of His Word in lesson plans, which I file away safely in my brain -- hence the name of this blog, "The God Files". My brain picks up on all sorts of interesting spiritual things but nothing clicks until God gives me the proper external stimuli of a speaker, book, movie, or music to tie it all together. It is like God purposely left the corpus callosum out of my brain so that He could remind me that this wisdom I so readily receive is from Him! This is why Matthew 11:15 "He who has ears" is one of my favorite verses; not only does it explain my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it reveals the style of my ministry through music and blogging!

Even though I will talk freely about Identity, Love, Sex, Conflict or whatever pops up, I am well aware that there are certain topics more troublesome than others. If you have a conflicting thought, a different translation or outlook please share it respectfully with me. I do my best to keep an open mind and heart to the opinions of other people, regardless of whether you consider yourself to be a Christian or not.

The Lord has transformed me into a woman passionate about changing the world one person at a time. I could not do it without His loving widsom, guidance, and patience. I pray that my humble attempts to exhort you in the ways of Christ will bear great fruit and further the Kingdom of God, and I look forward to the adventure!


Now for those of you who have not run away screaming, I will be glad to show you a summary of my doctrinal beliefs. If you ever want to clarify what it is I believe, feel free to ask me.

I believe in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all, (Ephesians 4:5-6) existing externally in three persons: Father, Son – who is fully human and fully divine (Colossians 2:9), and the Holy Spirit. I believe that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23-25), and that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice (Romans 3:23-25). Those who want to receive eternal salvation need to accept Christ and only Him through faith (1 John 5:11-12) and not on the basis of righteous works (Ephesians 2:8-9). I believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord Jesus Christ and His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:3,9). I believe in the unique divine inspiration, entire trustworthiness and authority of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). I believe in the calling to glorify the Lord by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. (Philippians 2:2).

God Bless!