Modern Forgivenss is not Forgiveness at All

The modern lie that we should forgive someone who is not sorry for our own sake is not Biblical and only brings about superficial acquaintances that have no depth based on nothing good and lasting.

Confession of offense and forgiveness of that offense are two sides of the same coin to reconcile a relationship. If one of those things is missing then the relationship remains broken, If there is no apology and no access then there has not been forgiveness. Just saying; "I forgive" does nothing, it is empty words that fall to the ground without meaning. We never forgive for our own feelings of superiority, we forgive when there is a confession of offense to remove the debt of offense and resume the relationship.

Symbols God's Way not Our Own

Water baptism is a symbol not a means to an end. It is a symbol of our dying to self and rising to new life in Christ. Just as the Lord's supper is a symbol of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, just as the head covering is a symbol of the woman as the church and the lack of covering on the men as a symbol of Christ.

Let's not add symbols of our own to please God, but let's practice His symbols that are rich and deep in meaning according to the heart of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

"But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts."

Galatians 1:10

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Romans 8:8

"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Romans 12:1-2

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Kind People are Always Kind

Loving, kind people never treat people badly even when they are in pain or being disrespected. Christ in those who love Him gives us the Spirit of love, peace, gentleness, kindness and self-control.

We are accused of being mean or rude for not doing what others want us to do that God never called us to do, but it isn't true. It is manipulation on the part of ungodly people who wish we were as rude and mean as they are when they cannot control someone.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Those who live a lifestyle of love because of Christ rarely treat people discourteously or with contempt. If they have slipped they will apologize quickly and feel bad that they did it.

However, there are those who live a life of pretense who are mean and rude on the inside but do not want to be discovered so they use much more covert ways to treat someone scornfully.

These people are growing in number in these last days. Our culture has become undiscerning and fearful of correcting bad behavior or attitudes so these things are growing. There is little to no accountability for those who desire to control the emotions of others through disrespectful comments and responses.

Their goal is to cause hurt and claim their target was rude when they point out the wicked attitudes and behavior of the one who covertly pokes at someone they dislike.

I am thankful that God told us it would be this way and that He can keep us from responding to the pokes and prods of wicked people. The goal is not to change anyone else, the goal is to remain Christ like no matter what others do to us.

Proverbs 26:3-5 "…3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him. 5Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.…"

A fool wants any answer at all so they can twist what was said to make us look like the aggressor. Don't do it, never respond to someone who is attempting to bait you into an argument. Even better, resolve to feel nothing personal knowing what they are doing we have no reason to feel badly about ourselves.

Keep looking up brothers and sisters, the devil is working hard to make us fall into sinful responses, but we can pray while we are being attacked and trust God to respond for us.

The Whore of Babylon

Revelation 17:4-6 ". 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.…"

Bio-Family or Family of Christ

Our desire is to see our families become born again but they are not our family until they become born again. Our love for God must be greater than our love for family.

It is not possible to fully follow Christ while still placing bio-family first. When bio-family is not obeying Christ they will drag us down with them as we worry about what they will think instead of what God thinks.

To worry about the loss of family is to place God second in our lives. There is no greater joy than to know who our real family is, that is those who love Christ the way we do.

Matthew 10:36-38 "36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; 38 and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.…"

Co-dependency with people is not godly but lack of faith.

Matthew 12:47-49 "…47 Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.” 48 But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers."

Matthew 10:37

"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

May we be so close to God that the loss of family no longer hurts or influences us. Just remember how unpleasant it was to be with family who fights, argues and demeans as they reject God's truth to embrace the ways of the world.

We cannot change anyone else, not even with prayer or influence, they must hear the gospel and make their own choices. When they choose against God then they choose against us too.

1 Thessalonians 4:7-9 "…7For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness. 8Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit. 9Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another."

Luke 10:16

"Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.""

Romans 5:5

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

2 Corinthians 1:22

"He placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come."

Galatians 4:6

"And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

1 John 3:24

"Whoever keeps His commandments remains in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He remains in us: by the Spirit He has given us."