Forgiveness for the Sinner

Part I

2 Cor. 2:5 I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. 6Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. 7Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. 8So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.

9I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. 10When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, 11so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.

What a powerful force is forgiveness!  It is most powerful when God extends it toward us but it is also powerful when we extend it to others.  When God forgave us, an He did so completely through Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the Cross, He did so by a decision.  He did not forgive us based on our actions.  He simply but profoundly forgave us without reservation.  He did it without measure.  If it had been done because of our actions then redemption would not have been necessary.  He simply gave to all who believe on the work of Jesus His full forgiveness and reconciliation. 

Paul here is telling the church at Corinth to restore a sinner among them.  This sinner was of such a sort that his vile sin was that of incest.  He had been put out of the church and regarded as a non-believer because of his sin and his resistance to repentance.   Now the actions of the church in putting him out had accomplished repentance and sorrow on behalf of the sinner.  Now is the time for restoration.  Now is the time to do the harder thing than excommunication.  Now is the time to welcome him back in restoration.  Not only has he suffered and shown fruit of his repentance but he is grieving greatly.  How hard it is to now face the one who has so openly sinned and receive him back as “one of us.”  Yet, that is exactly what Paul was instructing the church to do.  It has been said that “it is human to ere but forgiveness is Divine.”  Forgiveness always begins with a choice.

Part II – Next writing

Kingdom Terrorism

Terrorism is a word that we never heard when I was a boy.  Today we hear it most days.  It has always been a part of warfare from the most ancient days.  The word itself is defined as  "the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims."  Certainly the first century Church endured both violence and intimidation as they sought to extend the Kingdom of God in the earth.  Can you imagine learning that a member of your Church was murdered from sharing their testimony at work?  How would that affect us the next time the opportunity arose to share our allegiance to Jesus?  That is the nature and the purpose of terrorism.  It is designed to silence all opposing views of the terrorist.  That is what Saul of Tarsus was all about.  He wanted to stop the "new cult", later called Christianity from spreading.  Imprisonment and execution was part of his tool box.  Until...he met Jesus personally!  Then the hunter became the hunted.  It was this former terrorist who now proclaimed "There is a wide open door for a great work here, although many oppose me." (I Cor. 16:9)  A lesson to be learned here is that there will always be opposition to the Gospel message.  The level and brand of opposition will vary according to the level of social freedom in a particular place but opposition remains constant.  In the Middle East and other places the opposition is much like it was in Paul's day.  People are still imprisoned and murdered for nothing more than the crime of telling others about Jesus. Let's remember our comrades in the love for Jesus and pray for them.  

A Gospel that has been diluted for personal consumption has implied that God is such a God of love and mercy that He never allows his children to suffer.  They gleefully eat spiritual meals from the pulpit that teach of a God who resembles Walt Disney more than Father God.  Now that doesn't mean we need to return to preaching our own brand of Christian terrorism where we use fear and intimation to get people to live according to our standards but we do need to teach Biblical Truth and perspective.  It is the Truth that not only sets us free but also strengthens us and prepares us for war and terrorism from the enemy.  Notice Paul's attitude.  Opposition was not a surprise for him.  He seemed very much at peace and excited in his work in the midst of opposition or terrorism.   Yes he wrote that "many people oppose me", but his emphasis was on "There is a wide open door for a great work here."

May we live and prepare others to live understanding that opposition WILL be a part of our journey and work as "ambassadors for Christ."

"Let Me Remind You"

There are some things in life of which we need to be reminded.  Jesus tells us that we have an enemy that works to steal away Truth.  The parable of the sower is an example of that.  Jesus said that the enemy would come after truth is sown and try to steal that newly planted seed in an effort to keep it from becoming rooted and grounded in our lives.  Today there are a lot of thieves all around that would like to move us from the foundation of our true Faith.  It is only the Truth that can save us and set us free.  No one can be saved and set free apart from the Truth of the Gospel.  There may be programs that might give people some relief but nothing other than the Gospel can bring total deliverance from the old and radical transformation into the new.  As hard as it might be to believe, we need to be reminded of that fact.  We need to regularly inspect what we are teaching, preaching and talking to make sure we aren't offering a Gospel that is less than truth.  

The Apostle Paul writes the church at Corinth and brings them just such a reminder and a call back to the basics.

 I Corinthians 15:1"Let me now remind you, dear brothers and

sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3I passed on to you what was most important and what had also

 been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the 

Scriptures said. 4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead 

on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.  

Paul reminds the church of the Good News and a definition of what that good news entails at its root level.  That foundational message is that Christ died for our sins, He was buried and he was raised from the dead on the third day.  The last phrase is also important, "just as the Scripture said."  We must remain true to our immovable belief that the Scripture is true, the very bedrock of our salvation and the salvation of all who hear us declare salvation.  We must regularly and unashamedly preach in our churches that Jesus died for our sins, he was crucified and put to death and he was raised from the dead.  It is a spiritual and historical fact.  If we ever relegate this to fiction even in a passive way, our Gospel ceases to have the power to save the lost.  We must be reminded as Paul reminds us that this Gospel is the very "power of God leading to salvation."

The Word Above Conscience

Our conscience is a powerful help in life. The conscience sets guidelines for living and acts as an alarm when we begin to stray from the right path.  To delve into a discussion regarding conscience would be an almost endless debate.  For example, where does a persons conscience originate.  Is it derived from nature or nurture? The Bible tells us that there is a knowledge of God within all of us when we are born.  Even nature declares his glory.  Then as we develop we are taught from an early age what our parents feel is right and wrong.  Then, if and when we become Believers in the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes within and becomes the greatest influence upon our conscience.  It becomes difficult to distinguish between the inner voice of the Holy Spirit and the voice of our conscience.  

As we grow in our walk with the Lord our conscience can change.  It changes in differing ways.  It may change by becoming more strict in some areas of living and more flexible in others based upon the Light of the Scripture and the working of the Holy Spirit within us.  The Bible tells us that some people can't eat meat or drink wine because their conscience is weak and that we shouldn't try to lead a person beyond the sphere of their conscience.  That stance could change in them through time.  How then can we trust our conscience?  Generally speaking, our Holy Spirit led conscience is accurate and can be trusted.  However, our conscience is not fool proof.  Only the Scripture and the Holy Spirit are infallible.  For example, if you are around people who practice things that are against your conscience, in time you may embrace what you formerly felt was wrong.  The change could be correct and it could be wrong.  How are we to know?  An old saying tells us to "let your conscience be your guide."  That is not an absolute truth.  We must know and choose the Word of God above our conscience.  The Word is the Word of God and it "changes not".  The Word and the Spirit are in fact God.  If there is a conflict between your conscience and the Scripture,  ALWAYS CHOOSE THE SCRIPTURE.   Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."
No matter how right if may seem or feel, The Word always must triumph over feelings. 

He Is Faithful

I am thankful that God's faithfulness is not contingent upon my faithfulness! While you and I as believers are committed to faithfulness, God is Himself faithful.  There is a difference between a commitment to faithfulness and the essence of faithfulness.  With a commitment, though well intended and truly meant in the heart, there is a breaking point in most of us.  If enough pressure is placed upon us and the cost becomes so great, humanity will usually break.  Like Peter who loudly proclaimed that he would never deny Jesus, when the pressure became great enough he retreated from his commitment like a frightened child.   Yet, I am convinced he was as serious as he knew how to be.  It would be easy to say here, "Oh, that was before he received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit!"  True, but even in the power of the Holy Spirit, there is great temptation.  Where then is our confidence if not in our faith and faithfulness?  Faith in human faithfulness is a fragile foundation, sinking sand.  Our confidence is not in human commitment, faith or faithfulness but in the Faithful One.  It is difficult for us to comprehend the faithfulness of God because we think in terms of human abilities to "act" in a faithful way.  God is not acting, He Is Faithfulness.  It is a part of not only his nature but his Very Being.  For you and me, faithfulness is a commitment we will hopefully follow while for God it is as much a part of Him as the color of our eyes.  As we can't change our biological composition, nothing can change the faithfulness of God.  

That means that we must continue to walk out our commitment to the Lord in daily life while never believing that our faithfulness is all on our human shoulders.  I love the New Living Translation of
 I Corinthians 1:8-9.  "He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."  That is exciting news!  He will keep you and me strong to the end…"FOR HE IS FAITHFUL TO DO WHAT HE SAYS…"  There is the confidence in our faithfulness.  I know that I will be faithful until the very end, no matter the cost, no matter the pressure, not because of my great commitment but because of His great faithfulness to keep me strong.  It is his Word and He says that He will keep us to the very end!  That strength is made possible daily for us because we are in "partnership with Jesus Christ our Lord. "

May we take these verses and save them onto the hard drive of our spirit man and live out all the days of our lives with this confidence.  

Is Sanctification a Dead Doctrine?

There was a time when much of the church world including the early Methodist and Pentecostals believed that there was an appointed work of the Holy Spirit known as sanctification.  There was even a phrase that said there was a chronology of events in the life of the follower of Christ.  That phrase was, "saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit." During the early days of the Charismatic Renewal that phrase was ridiculed because believers no longer needed to "tarry" at an altar awaiting a work of the Holy Spirit known as sanctification.  Since receiving the Holy Spirit baptism was a work of grace activated by faith, one just believed unto receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Thousands and even reported millions of people received the blessed experience of this heavenly baptism without the tarrying step.  Certainly, theologically this seems accurate since all we receive from God we receive by grace through faith and it is not a work of our own effort.  The argument is that the "waiting or tarrying" occurred at Pentecost and is not needed again.  I agree with all of that thinking.  However, when I compare "Spirit filled/Full Gospel" people of today to 40 years ago I see distinct differences.  
We could put these differences in pros and cons.  The con side of the comparison would include legalism, sin consciousness and often a lack of boldness because of a weak understanding of our righteousness in Christ.  The pro side of observation of the past was a greater life of outward holiness.  Believers today do things on a regular basis that would have stunned believers 40 years ago.  Is the difference only that we have come to a place of enlightenment of the Scripture and Spirit that our growth has made us different?  Are we stronger now?  Are we more like Jesus now?  I'm just observing and asking.

I don't have time or space to do a Biblical study of this subject but basically Holiness is a life and lifestyle that represents a life dedicated to God.  When we dedicate buildings to use as church buildings we set them apart for worship and ministry.  They are dedicated to God.  We, like buildings are called God's building, the real church.  The Scripture tells us that now "we are the temple of the Holy Spirit."  That indwelling of the Holy Spirit sets us apart.  It is not meant to simply be a ceremonial setting apart or sanctification but a real experiential sanctification.  There is a moment in time and certainly an ongoing change from "glory to glory".  Here is my question for us today.  When was our moment in time when an experience of sanctification occurred.  Regardless of when you believe it happened whether at your salvation, baptism in the Holy Spirit or an event that was called sanctification, when was that moment? Did anything happen?  Were you different afterward?  Are you different now?  Sanctification of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Believer should produce holiness, a holy life.  That would mean that there would be a difference from the former life.  Please make this a matter of prayer and meditation today.  Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal the matter to you and may we be courageous enough to embrace His revelation.  

Vigilante Justice

Matthew 7:1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.(NLT)  

The word "judge" used in this verse brings to mind exactly what it should, the Judge in a court room.  The word in the Greek means "to decide by implication, to try, condemn, punish, avenge, condemn…"  Judging in a way as to determine the penalty for ones wrong doing belongs in a court room or lies in the hands of governmental authority and not in the power of citizens.  That is why civilized societies have established courts of law for just such purposes.  The normal citizenry should not deal with such issues, neither are they equipped to do so.  Anytime that men intervene in the judiciary process, take the law into their owns hands and dole out what they believe to be justice, that action is called vigilante justice.  Vigilante justice, regardless of motive is in itself, a crime punishable by law. 
One of the worst places that vigilante justice occurs is in the church.  Why is it so prevalent in the church?  Because Christians have knowledge of "the Law", the Bible and that knowledge causes them to rush to justice, often without all the facts and at times prejudiced by personal offense or by taking up the offense of others.  In the world we have courts of law to handle such matters and in the church only church leadership should be involved in judging matters and dealing with matters of discipline.  Judges and church leaders are supposed to be mature and impartial when it comes to such issues. If they are not, they recuse themselves from dealing with the issue at hand.  Only those appointed and anointed leaders are equipped to deal with such solemn matters.  
Jesus actually said that when we begin to judge others we set into motion an atmosphere of judgment that will entangle our lives with judgment coming back to trouble us too.  That is the principle of "sowing and reaping".  What then should we do when we have knowledge or think we have knowledge of a crime or wrong doing?  There is a process that is equipped to deal with such matters and it begins with duly appointed leadership in the courthouse and the church house.  Lay it confidentially at their feet and release the offense and the possible offender and don't speak of it with others.  That is the only way we can be sure we won't become embroiled in vigilante justice.  

Dr. David Livingstone

 There was a time when Dr. Livingstone was approached about the possibility of a missionary society sending some more men to help him in his efforts to reach the people of Africa. They wrote him a letter that read, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."

I believe that is all I need to say in this blog!

LAJ

The Holy Spirit in the Now

Zech 4:6 "So he answered and said to me:

This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’  It seems that we cannot be reminded enough how critical it is that all Christian ministries remain daily dependent upon the Person and power of the Holy Spirit.  We commune with the Lord in our private times and gain direction.  Then hopefully, we take that to a natural world among mankind. However, how easy it becomes to get so busy in the natural labor that we forget to get midstream adjustments from the Holy Spirit.  How do we miss the mobile adjustments in the daily routine?  We miss them because of a lack of desperation.  When trying to find the original direction we desperately sought God.  Once we heard that direction we then ran with the vision with excitement.  We were no longer desperate for instruction because we mistakenly thought we had a complete plan.  God doesn't work that way.  He is a builder who gives plans and even adjustments as we go.  (Very important adjustments.)

Have you ever felt certain that the Lord gave you a mission and you had a clear vision of the work only to come to a place of failure in the mission?  You think, "I just know I heard the Lord say to do that!"  You probably did.  But did you build with a moment by moment sensitivity to the heart of God or were you made insensitive by the deafening noise of the activity of the work itself.  Remember, the Lord is just as concerned with your nearness to Him as He is the outcome of the project.  Also, don't let soulish emotional excitement "to do" overcome that calm seeking of His ongoing communication with your spirit man.