Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: Be forgiving with eachother
Here is a true story about when I was a child.
As a child, I grew up with two older sisters. Now as most here could imagine, I was the young little brother who used to torment his sisters a lot. It wasn't that I meant to torment them... more that I wanted to be around them and their friends, and be nosey and prying.... much like all little brothers are.
My sisters also used to pick on me for stuff... some of it I deserved, and some of it I didn't deserve. Occasionally we would fight over something stupid... and argue about it. Your typical type of fights and arguing amongst siblings.
One day, my sister, who was the younger of the two, was picking at me and making fun of me for something (I can't even remember what it was right now). We were outside by the apple tree. So I chucked an apple at her. In retaliation, she thew one back at me and hit me... yet, it didn't hurt me... but it angered me. So the next apple I threw at her as hard as I could... hitting her in the temple of her head (lucky shot I thought). Of course, she went off crying to my mother about it... and my mother came outside to give me heck about hurting my sister. At the time my mother came out, I was still very angry at my sister for making fun of me. So my mother said to me: "You go and say you're sorry to your sister!" How did I respond? I said: "But I'm not sorry! I hate her guts!"
What a terrible thing to say about my sister! Of course I got into a lot of trouble for both what I did to my sister, but also for what I said about my sister. The next day though, who was I playing with? My sister of course. We had all but forgotten the things we did to each other, and the things I had said. Of course we had our arguments and spats afterward, but each and every time we would always go back to playing together afterward, and forgetting all about it. To this day, my sister and I are very close... and we love each other dearly.
The point though, is that during the heat of the moment, we can say and do things to each other that are unloving and unkind. Yet, this is because we're human and get caught up in the moment. My sister too, during the course of us growing up had done and said plenty of unkind things to me as well. Yet, those things were quickly forgotten about, and we always ended up playing with each other and getting along afterward.
But what about those who are our spiritual brothers and sisters? Will we not also do and say unkind things to them as well in the "heat of the moment"? Of course we will... for none of us are perfect. But afterward, how should we react with each other?
My mother never did make me say I was sorry to my sister for what I did. As a matter of fact, she was so angry with me, that she immediately sent me into the house and into my room. I never did say I was sorry to my sister for that incident. Yet, my sister did not demand an apology from me, but she still forgave me anyways. She didn't tell me that she forgave me either... but rather showed it by her actions. Therefore, when our spiritual brothers or sisters sin against us, should we always demand an apology from them before we forgive them? Sure... it is always nice when we do get an apology. Yet, isn't the more righteous act to forgive them anyways, without an apology? Likewise, when we're forgiven by our brothers and sister for the things we do... without giving an apology... doesn't that also show love on their part?
I am sure we can all think of various things throughout our lives that are much like this story. We have all sinned against someone before who has forgiven us for our trespasses without demanding that we apologize. Also too, most of us have forgiven the ones we love without demanding an apology from them. Why? Because we actually love that person... and our love for that person covers over their transgressions towards us.
So let us be loving our spiritual brothers and sisters in the same manner. If your love for them is great enough, it too will cover over their transgressions towards us. We will not feel the need to make them apologize to us... but we will have already forgiven them in our heart. Likewise too, with the measure of love we show our brothers and sisters, we will also receive such love back from them in return.
Our heavenly Father also loves us this much that he freely forgives us of our sins without us saying we're sorry all the time. If we had to say we're sorry for every sin we committed against him in order for him to forgive us... that is all we would ever be doing is saying "I'm sorry".... for many of the times we sin against him, we're not even aware we've sinned.
So let's have patience with one another. And let's be loving one another by freely forgiving each other for our various trespasses. For by doing these things, we display love towards our brothers and sisters. Yet, by doing this, we also do what is pleasing in our heavenly Father's eyes... and bring praise to his name.
We also have responsibility to defend our faith. There are too many untruth rampant. There are also despicable thing going on using Jesus' name. Let's not forget our responsibility as Jesus' servants.
We also have responsibility to defend our faith. There are too many untruth rampant. There are also despicable thing going on using Jesus' name. Let's not forget our responsibility as Jesus' servants.
You're absolutely right about that. We have to bear witness to the wickedness, that is for sure. Yet, not all are our brothers... and sometimes the best way to come through to these people is instead of bearing witness to what they're doing wrong and to their sin, is by simply bearing witness to Christ and trying to plant a few seeds of truth with them.
For instance, when Paul was ministering to the Gentiles, he did not always bring out what these people were doing wrong. Since they were not under Christ, he used the opportunity to sow seeds of Christ in them. He knew they were practicers of idolatry, spiritism and all sorts of vile things.... yet, he tried to sow seeds of Christ in these ones hoping that Christ would grow in them, and when that happened, they would flee from their wicked practices. He used a great deal of patience with these ones.
Yet, when it came to his brothers, Paul certainly did bear witness to them if they sinned. For instance, Peter who was also called Cephas... when he was sinning by separating himself from his gentile brothers, Paul resisted him and laid bear Peter's error face to face. By doing so, he saved Peter's life... because the scipture says that Peter "stood condemned". So it was a very loving thing that Paul did by reproofing Peter... for doing it saved Peter's life.
Likewise, we have to be of the same attitude. Not all who profess to be Christian have Christ. Not all are really Christian are they? For being a Christian means to be a "follower of Christ" by definition. Yet, if these ones are following men, and following organizations, and not followers of Christ, then of what benefit is it to lay bear their error unless they have Christ? First, we should try to sow seeds of Christ in such ones... and when those seeds grow, then lay bare the fault as to reprove and refine such ones in a spirit of mildness. The idea of laying bear the fault is to always save our brothers... not to condemn them with judgment... for we're not to judge anyone.
For instance, imagine going to a Catholic's home, and knocking on the door. When the householder answers the door, what do you think he would say if the first thing we said was: "Hello, I came here to bear witness to you that the bible says you should not call ANYONE your father here on earth. Since you call your priest "Father", this makes you a sinner. Therefore REPENT SINNER! LEST GOD STRIKE YOU DEAD!" Do you think you would be received well? Probably not. Yet, if we were to start declaring the Good news about God's kingdom and his Christ, then the householder may respond favorably if he has a thirst for truth. Then, later, you can bear witness to the various faults of his previous beliefs... as long as you have first replaced those beliefs with Christ. So in this sense, we're trying to gain our brother, and turn him over to Christ.
Take note, that Jesus Christ did condemn the Pharisees for their practices and things they were doing against God. Yet, when Nicodemus came to him, Jesus did not condemn him for his wicked ways, but preached to him and reasoned with him from the scriptures. He used it as an opportunity to bear witness about God's Kingdom, rather than an opportunity to bear witness to Nicodemus' wrongdoings.
Yet, when the Pharisees showed opposition to Jesus, and they started to teach and work against him.... it was then that Jesus laid bear their error... for these ones were not responding to the good news of the Kingdom. It was then also, with the desire that these ones would turn around and repent to God after their faults were laid bare. It was a last resort, and not a first resort.
As a matter of fact, Jesus had to lay bare the fault of the whole nation before his death... as the nation was an apostate nation. Yet, at first he tried to lay bare the fault by means of parables... and in a meek and humble way, so that he could gain over as many as he could. It was only towards the end, when he knew that they were not responding that he said "Woe to you".
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that yes, we have to bear witness to the wickedness. Yet, we have plenty of examples in the scriptures of where Jesus and others did this as best they could in a spirit of mildness, with the hopes of gaining people over. It was only after all else was exhausted that they became confrontational. Remember, that the first thing Jesus taught the people was the "sermon on the mount". He proclaimed gladtidings to the people.... for he had good news for them. It was only after they rejected this good news that he became confrontational with them and laid bare their sins... warning them about impending judgment.
"As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
"THE CHRISTIAN is to be ready to do good at the expense of his own time and convenience to all men, but he is to be ready to lay down his life for the brethren--he is to seek opportunities for laying down his life day after day, in the sense of giving his time to the communication of the Truth, or helping the Lord's brethren in any manner, to put on the whole armor of God, and to stand in the evil day." Z.'03-121 R3180:3 _________________ reslight.net/forum - bibletoday.com- Divineplan.org - mostholyfaith.com -
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