The teaching that we should forgive those who are not repentant has led to a misunderstanding about God's forgiveness.
There are many people now who believe they do not have to repent or confess sinfulness, in order to become a Christian.
Grace is dependent on repentance. Grace will not be applied to those who will not repent or confess their sinfulness.
Isaiah 26:10 " 10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. "
The scriptures have been so masterfully twisted by the psychological community that nearly everyone who is a Christian believes we should forgive those who are not repentant.
This is part of the great deception. Now we have the world believing no one has to be sorry over their sin to be saved.
Romans 2:4
"4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
Sunday, June 10, 2018
Repentance and Confession First and Then Forgivenss
Forgiving for our own selves is selfish. If we love others we require confession so they will grow in holiness. If they refuse to repent then the relationship remains broken.
This teaching of forgiving when an offender is not sorry, pressures the innocent to forgive, when it should be pressuring the offender to repent.
Once again the perpetrator gets all the love and the victim gets nothing but pressure and even contempt for not wanting to forgive someone who continues in their sin without sorrow over it.
Forgiving without confession and sorrow over sin does absolutely nothing. We are not bitter because the offender will not be sorry, they remain in their guilt and that's where we should leave them.
Removing the guilt of the offender removes the possibility that they might realize their need to be cleansed. We demonstrate that God does not require repentance to know the fellowship of God, it lies against God and His character.
God is a just God, He never beats up on the victim to forgive, but He does call the offender to account while defending the victim of abuse.
This twisted thinking of forgiveness for the offender without confession has led to abuse against victims of evil. Its lying against God, His character and His purpose.
Those who are too stubborn to confess their sin must be afforded the blessing of remaining in their guilt so they will eventually see the need to confess to be changed.
The mentality of forgiving before there is sorrow over sin has been foisted on the American culture to make everyone feel better, even leading people to believe there is no such thing as sin, just hurting people who hurt people.
In this culture everyone is just a hurting people who hurt others., This is not only unbiblical it is devilish, leaving the victims with unjust answers to the harm that was done against them.
These are modern and sophisticated self righteousness. Those who are proud of themselves for forgiving others who need to be punished. Punishment if for the purpose of bringing someone to a state of repentance.
The very sad thing is the unnecessary pressure exacted upon the innocent to forgive when the offender should be called to account and avoided if they are too stubborn to confess and repent.
As a culture we have managed to empower evil while harming the victims. We ought to be hugging and encouraging the victim while punishing the evil.
Don't anyone come to me and express that they have forgiven Hitler, he was not forgiven by God and neither should we forgive him.
And so it is true about anyone else who has offended God and man, they are not forgiven until they repent and confess. NO matter how small the sin is, the formula remains, approaching the offender to tell them of their sin, if they will not listen then we are to leave them in their sin and avoid them. This is God's way. If we love the offender we allow them to remain in their guilt until such time as they are burdened to repent. That is God's love.
Romans 2:4
"4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
This teaching of forgiving when an offender is not sorry, pressures the innocent to forgive, when it should be pressuring the offender to repent.
Once again the perpetrator gets all the love and the victim gets nothing but pressure and even contempt for not wanting to forgive someone who continues in their sin without sorrow over it.
Forgiving without confession and sorrow over sin does absolutely nothing. We are not bitter because the offender will not be sorry, they remain in their guilt and that's where we should leave them.
Removing the guilt of the offender removes the possibility that they might realize their need to be cleansed. We demonstrate that God does not require repentance to know the fellowship of God, it lies against God and His character.
God is a just God, He never beats up on the victim to forgive, but He does call the offender to account while defending the victim of abuse.
This twisted thinking of forgiveness for the offender without confession has led to abuse against victims of evil. Its lying against God, His character and His purpose.
Those who are too stubborn to confess their sin must be afforded the blessing of remaining in their guilt so they will eventually see the need to confess to be changed.
The mentality of forgiving before there is sorrow over sin has been foisted on the American culture to make everyone feel better, even leading people to believe there is no such thing as sin, just hurting people who hurt people.
In this culture everyone is just a hurting people who hurt others., This is not only unbiblical it is devilish, leaving the victims with unjust answers to the harm that was done against them.
These are modern and sophisticated self righteousness. Those who are proud of themselves for forgiving others who need to be punished. Punishment if for the purpose of bringing someone to a state of repentance.
The very sad thing is the unnecessary pressure exacted upon the innocent to forgive when the offender should be called to account and avoided if they are too stubborn to confess and repent.
As a culture we have managed to empower evil while harming the victims. We ought to be hugging and encouraging the victim while punishing the evil.
Don't anyone come to me and express that they have forgiven Hitler, he was not forgiven by God and neither should we forgive him.
And so it is true about anyone else who has offended God and man, they are not forgiven until they repent and confess. NO matter how small the sin is, the formula remains, approaching the offender to tell them of their sin, if they will not listen then we are to leave them in their sin and avoid them. This is God's way. If we love the offender we allow them to remain in their guilt until such time as they are burdened to repent. That is God's love.
Romans 2:4
"4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
Unforgiveness in the Heart
There is only unforgiveness in our heart if the offender repents and we don't forgive. We desire to forgive. Forgiveness is for the purpose of reconciling a relationship. When someone is not sorry and refuses to mend their ways, the relationship remains broken. It is wrong to forgive when the offenders will not repent. We are to forgive the way God forgives, that is "when they confess", 1 John 1:9. When we forgive before they repent we are enablers, allowing them to be empowered in their sin.
No where in the Bible does God say to forgive without repentance. He requires sorrow over the offense for the relationship to be mended.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. "
We do not forgive for our own sake, we forgive for the sake of the other person and for the relationship. It is selfish to forgive before someone is sorry, it removes the burden of guilt from them that leads them to repentance.
If we love someone we require that they are sorry so they can move on to a guilt free life. If they are too stubborn to repent, then they remain in their soulish condition, never growing and not free from the guilt of their sin.
It is selfish to forgive just so we can feel better. Hitler is not forgiven by God nor man, He was evil and there is no forgiveness for him. To forgive an evil man is a slap in the face of God and all those whom he harmed.
The victims are often pressured to forgive those who don't deserve it, this is unjust. God only forgives us when we confess. No one is forgiven without it.
Because of the false and psychological teaching that every one is to forgive even though someone is not sorry, causes many people to believe other must forgive them even when they are not sorry for their sin.
Those who will not confess to God their sinfulness will not go to heaven. Those who will not admit their sin against others will not be forgiven by God and should not be forgiven by others.
When someone refuses to confess then our response to them is to remove ourselves until they want to confess. Our culture today expects for others to just "let it go" when they commit sins, removing all guilt that leads to sorrow over sin Because of this flippant mentality toward sin people don't grow and change.
It is also foolish to think that someone is going to change simply because we act friendly toward them. We are never to do revenge and we are always to pray for them, but as long as the offender is stubborn and unrepentant we must leave them alone for God to deal with. We have no right to remove the conviction of sin with our smooth words that only enable the wicked man.
God commands us to go to the offender, tell him his fault, if he repents we are to forgive, if he does not then we are to treat him as an unbeliever and remove ourselves from the relationship.
Matthew 18:15-18 "Discipline and Prayer
15 “If your brother sins, go and [l]show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 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. 17 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 collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
No where in the Bible does God say to forgive without repentance. He requires sorrow over the offense for the relationship to be mended.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD. "
We do not forgive for our own sake, we forgive for the sake of the other person and for the relationship. It is selfish to forgive before someone is sorry, it removes the burden of guilt from them that leads them to repentance.
If we love someone we require that they are sorry so they can move on to a guilt free life. If they are too stubborn to repent, then they remain in their soulish condition, never growing and not free from the guilt of their sin.
It is selfish to forgive just so we can feel better. Hitler is not forgiven by God nor man, He was evil and there is no forgiveness for him. To forgive an evil man is a slap in the face of God and all those whom he harmed.
The victims are often pressured to forgive those who don't deserve it, this is unjust. God only forgives us when we confess. No one is forgiven without it.
Because of the false and psychological teaching that every one is to forgive even though someone is not sorry, causes many people to believe other must forgive them even when they are not sorry for their sin.
Those who will not confess to God their sinfulness will not go to heaven. Those who will not admit their sin against others will not be forgiven by God and should not be forgiven by others.
When someone refuses to confess then our response to them is to remove ourselves until they want to confess. Our culture today expects for others to just "let it go" when they commit sins, removing all guilt that leads to sorrow over sin Because of this flippant mentality toward sin people don't grow and change.
It is also foolish to think that someone is going to change simply because we act friendly toward them. We are never to do revenge and we are always to pray for them, but as long as the offender is stubborn and unrepentant we must leave them alone for God to deal with. We have no right to remove the conviction of sin with our smooth words that only enable the wicked man.
God commands us to go to the offender, tell him his fault, if he repents we are to forgive, if he does not then we are to treat him as an unbeliever and remove ourselves from the relationship.
Matthew 18:15-18 "Discipline and Prayer
15 “If your brother sins, go and [l]show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 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. 17 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 collector. 18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Devotion to Traditions or Devotion to Christ?
Most people who say they are Christians today have more devotion to their denomination and their traditions than they do to Christ.
I am grieved at how people will violently defend unbiblical practices just because it has been what they have always done, or because they do not want to seem radical to their family members.
Those who seek the Lord with all their heart will be separated from those who love their superficiality. They will be isolated from the pew warmers and pretenders, not because they sought to be, but because they were rejected by those who love their traditions.
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Matthew 15:3
"He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Are you so sold out to Christ that every challenge is seen as an opportunity to learn more about Christ?
If anyone finds themselves shrinking from speaking of God merely because of the company they are keeping, then that alone is reason for repentance.
When Christians get together for a meal and Christ is never mentioned and the things of God cause embarrassment, we might want to think twice about attending these gatherings in the future.
It is harder to be with superficial Christians than with non-believers. We expect the non-believers to act like that, but it is shocking and frustrating when rage and indifference come out of the mouths of believers when scripture is brought to bear on a discussion.
Every authentic believer should be excited to speak about Christ. I don't mean moral things or practices, I mean about Christ Himself. I find so many superficial believers who love to speak about abortion, homosexuality or politics, but when the name of Christ emerges the room becomes silent from the weight of embarrassment.
Cultural Christianity is the majority of what we experience today as we move through Christian circles, embarrassment over the mention of the Holy Spirit or words from the Bible often bring division and contempt upon the one who dares to speak openly about these things.
My advice, just keep going when led by the Holy Spirit. The responses don't say a thing about you, but they do reveal the hearts of others who express those responses.
Romans 1:16-17 "16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17 For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”…"
I am grieved at how people will violently defend unbiblical practices just because it has been what they have always done, or because they do not want to seem radical to their family members.
Those who seek the Lord with all their heart will be separated from those who love their superficiality. They will be isolated from the pew warmers and pretenders, not because they sought to be, but because they were rejected by those who love their traditions.
Colossians 2:8
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ."
Matthew 15:3
"He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?"
Are you so sold out to Christ that every challenge is seen as an opportunity to learn more about Christ?
If anyone finds themselves shrinking from speaking of God merely because of the company they are keeping, then that alone is reason for repentance.
When Christians get together for a meal and Christ is never mentioned and the things of God cause embarrassment, we might want to think twice about attending these gatherings in the future.
It is harder to be with superficial Christians than with non-believers. We expect the non-believers to act like that, but it is shocking and frustrating when rage and indifference come out of the mouths of believers when scripture is brought to bear on a discussion.
Every authentic believer should be excited to speak about Christ. I don't mean moral things or practices, I mean about Christ Himself. I find so many superficial believers who love to speak about abortion, homosexuality or politics, but when the name of Christ emerges the room becomes silent from the weight of embarrassment.
Cultural Christianity is the majority of what we experience today as we move through Christian circles, embarrassment over the mention of the Holy Spirit or words from the Bible often bring division and contempt upon the one who dares to speak openly about these things.
My advice, just keep going when led by the Holy Spirit. The responses don't say a thing about you, but they do reveal the hearts of others who express those responses.
Romans 1:16-17 "16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17 For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”…"
Philippians 3:13-15
"…13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well."
Matthew 7:21-23 "21
“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. 22 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 [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"
Notice in the explanation of the self righteous who think they are going to heaven, that their focus on what they did for the Lord, not what He did for them.
Self focus, obligatory actions to gain something for self is detestable to God.
Notice in the explanation of the self righteous who think they are going to heaven, that their focus on what they did for the Lord, not what He did for them.
Self focus, obligatory actions to gain something for self is detestable to God.
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