You Are Obliged to Forgive

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:12-14

Forgiveness. Grace. Mercy.

I believe these are the characteristics of a true Christian. They are in many ways the core of God's character and are embodied in Christ Jesus. Christians struggle with a lot of matters: identification, perseverance, holiness, commitment... but there is one unifying bond that we all share and that is the knowledge that we were destined to an empty life and an eternity to Hell before we chose to follow in the footsteps of Christ. We acknowledge that there is nothing we can do to earn God's favor, that we continually screw up, and that despite what society tells us is right and wrong we know that we are no better than the murderer in prison, the homeless woman at the street intersection, and the gay man at the club. And it's because of Christ and his everlasting Grace that we have the power to continually forgive our brothers and sisters.

 ...Right?

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nakedpastor/2009/01/cartoon-exclusivisticalism/

As Christians we profess that God forgave the sins of the world when Christ was sacrificed on the cross. Christ was the blood atonement and the end to the "eye for an eye" sort of law that was given to humanity to reconcile differences and it's because Christ forgave us that we must forgive others. We have been ordered to give the man the shirt on our back after he has robbed us of our jacket. We have been told that God will not forgive the sins of those who do not forgive. We were given a parable by Christ in which He said that those who are forgiven and do not show forgiveness will be cast into darkness. So why do we think that it's okay to hold resentment and contempt to those who have hurt us? Who are we hurting by with holding forgiveness?

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Matthew 38 (Sermon on the Mount)

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15

I am guilty of holding resentment towards someone for a history of hurt. In fact, I hated that person and wished that individual ill-will (thereby breaking God's commandment on murder). I will tell you that until I chose to forgive, there was nothing he could say or do that would make me feel justified. In the same way, you will never receive the apology that you want. Revenge or "getting even" is an empty hole of contempt that can never be filled. It will never be "good enough". So instead of lashing out, or ignoring, or payback or whatever you choose to do to show that you're upset will never be as satisfactory and  healthy as choosing to forgive, show mercy, and help the person that hurt you.

God commanded you to forgive because He knew that was the only way we could grow and mature as Christians and in our relationships with others

Thankfulness and Dependence

Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him (Psalm 28:6-7).

Asking for temporal blessings from God and giving thanks for them is common in the Bible, yet I have often been hesitant to do these things myself. One reason for this is that I don’t readily accept tangible things I can’t see simply and directly. For example, before giving thanks for a leftover sandwich, the thought might come up that it came from the fridge rather than God. Of course, a little critical thinking will reveal that this does not rule out God’s involvement; he pre-ordained the circumstances for me to have that sandwich. An analogy from C.S. Lewis states that saying we don’t need God to provide for us since we can provide for ourselves is like saying that “we will be fine during the grain shortage because we will always have plenty of bread.”

Another challenge to the idea of our tangible items being a blessing from God is that they are unevenly distributed. Some people have private jets while others are starving. If blessings come from God, then why does he not distribute them more evenly? An answer that accounts for much of this is the existence of sin and free will, and the fact that God likes to work through people. Consider the following analogy: A king wants to send gifts to three of his vassals, so he sends messengers carrying these gifts. One messenger is entranced by the gold he is carrying and decides to run away with it himself. Another messenger is robbed by bandits. The third messenger successfully brings the gift to his assigned vassal. It is of course appropriate for that vassal to thank the messenger for his journey and provide him food and rest. Yet, it is also imperative for that vassal to send a message of thanks to the king. We should keep this in mind, especially considering what unfaithful vassals we are.

Now that I have addressed some reasons why one might be discouraged to give thanks, I want to provide some positive reasons why we should give thanks. Consider a child who is a spoiled brat and feels entitled to all that he has. He would not only be in an evil state, but an unhappy one. Now consider a child who is thankful for everything he has. He would be doing the right thing by giving thanks, and he would also be much happier. Another thing to consider is that Jesus is recorded giving thanks before the multiplication of loaves and fishes, as well as before the last supper. If we are to become more like Christ, we should include giving thanks in following his example.

Jesus taught us to pray “give us this day our daily bread.” An interesting implication of this prayer is that it implies the teaching of Jesus to not worry about tomorrow. This is one way we are to understand trusting in God and depending on him through prayer. One challenging thought to the idea of prayer is that one may wonder if his or her prayers are ever answered or if the events that follow are entirely up to the random forces of nature. C.S. Lewis said something along the lines of ‘If what you prayed for happened, there can be no doubt about it that your prayer contributed to that. If it did not happen, then God refused your request for your good, as well as the good of the world.’ I was a bit skeptical of this idea at first, but it turns out to actually have a really good point. If you are part of a group project and the project would get done with or without your help, it still does not discount whatever contribution you put in.

Ultimately, especially if Christianity is true, there will always be some mystery to the ways God works in the world. Even though we may not fully understand it, we are called to ask and trust God for our sustenance, and give him thanks for it. We should also give him thanks for our extra blessings, and ask for guidance to enjoy them in a way that is within his will and honors him.

The Effects of Sin

So I'm going to pull heavily from Genesis 3 in what the Bible describes as the first sin by humanity. I think that many people underestimate sin and in turn underestimate the impact it has on our relationship with God and our relationship with others. Not understanding sin can also lead to misconceptions on God's character as well. The fact is that we live in a world steeped in sin. Our whole lives are surrounded by it and it changes our entire perception on life. Christ heals that in us, but it is a process that we will undertake with our whole lives.

When we do things our way, it doesn't always go so well.

First I want to establish what sin is. In Genesis, we find that Adam and Eve are in deep with trouble. Eve just disobeyed God in an attempt to be more like a god. Adam stood there and let it happen and then thought he might try it out.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

The results are more than a slap on the wrist and God seems to oddly give some specific examples to them about how life is about to change. However, those examples exist for a reason, that is to classify the different kinds of sins.

To Eve,

I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.

To Adam,
Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

So I put into the bold the parts of these passages, which can be found in Genesis 3, that I want to emphasize. Sin doesn't just exist the world through our actions, the world itself is corrupted. When God told Eve that childbirth would become severely painful, He was signifying that our bodies had become vulnerable to sin. Sin corrupted our bodies. We can see these vulnerabilities through pain, physical suffering, disease, sickness, disorders, birth defects, and ultimately death.

Some of you ask, "Why did God make me this way?"or "Why does a good God allow mental and physical disabilities?" and my answer that yes, while we are made in God's image, sin has corrupted the human body so that you and I are not perfect! That's alright though because Christ has come to redeem everyone, especially the broken.

Sin affected the earth as well. Flowers and plants had no need for thorns before the fall. Devastating earthquakes and other natural disasters were not an aspect of God's paradise either. Why would a good God kill so many with a tsunami or an earthquake? The earth is cursed and sin brings death.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. Romans 5:12

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. Isaiah 59:2

Sin doesn't just affect the sinner; sin affects everyone. Imagine a drunk driver or a murderer who kills innocent people. His sin doesn't just affect him and he isn't the only one that feels the consequences. The deceased, the families of the deceased, and possibly many more will feel the consequences of someone else's sinful act. While God can certainly use any of this for His glory and He certainly has final control over the grave, it's not His will for anyone to die. It's ours.

God gave us free will in order for us to choose to love Him freely. When we use our free will to disobey him, we are choosing separation from God. That is us choosing our will over God's will, it's as simple that. This may seem really dark and dramatic and perhaps you don't realize that the little petty sin you have in your life is a big deal. However whether it be an addiction, an unwillingness to forgive, contempt...it's all poisonous and it's not only going to hurt you or possibly someone you love, it's going to push you away from God.

Thanks be to God though that He sent us a savior, Jesus Christ.  It's through Christ that we can be healed from sin but also share in His abundant life and grace.

God's Sovereignty and Our Free Will

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10

The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 1 Samuel 2:6-7

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

So I am writing my point of view on this subject as it I understand it be right now. For some, this is the most divisive areas of Scriptures with proponents and opponents on both sides tightly dug into their trench. Is God sovereign and in control of all of creation (including us)? Do we have free will and can choose our paths for our own lives? I think the answer is yes.

Note: This is not a post about salvation!

I want to stress that I am not the source of truth, Scripture is. I also believe God works in mysterious ways and I'm okay with that. I don't know God's reason for everything that He does (and me being who I am, I probably wouldn't even agree if I did) but I have faith that God's plans are bigger than me and He has more for my life than I can do on my own. God is in control. God is in so much control that He intervenes in my life through blessings and through reprimands. Both are ultimately for my benefit.

That's the Calvinist side of me...

A Calvin of a different kind (If you don't know who John Calvin is, look it up).

I do however believe that it is up to me to decide in my day to day life if I want to follow God's plan. It's also my choice to pursue that which is Holy and make myself a willing vessel that can be used by the Holy Spirit. So what does Scripture say?

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in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15a

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

___

So it's clear that we have a choice. We're not the product of a puppet master who changes us to believe or not believe. We have a choice to follow God and we will reap what we sow in this life or the next.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8

God is sovereign and He has designed us with our own gifts and talents and given us a chance to follow His plan for our life. He knows us and He knows how long we will be here and our potential. However He has given us free will to choose His path which is straight and leads to joy and eternal life in Christ or our own path which is a winding road that leads to no place except death. I can tell you, honestly, that pursuing God has an intrinsic (for lack of a better word) joy and satisfaction in it and that I am miserable and unsatisfied when I pursue anything else. 

(and because I am sinful, I catch myself pursuing things that are unsatisfactory all the time).

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I want to throw in a revelation that I had today when thinking about this topic, that I also backed up with a little research. Sometimes an English translated Bible will say that "God hardened someone's heart" or "God made him..." and when read for the first time (and the second and third...) I thought, why would God do this? The most famous example is when the Bible says in Exodus:

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses. Exodus 9:12

And then God proceeded to nail Pharaoh and the Egyptians with the most insane plagues ever recorded just short of destroying everything. In fact, if you read more of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, this happens a few times. The Bible would say that God hardened someone's heart and then they were punished. 

That's not fair, right? That's a contradiction! God can't say He loves everyone (and He does) and then damn who He chooses!

The trick here is in how it is read. Apologetics Press has a great article that details it more but I'll give you the short and sweet version.

(Here is a link to the long and sour one)

https://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1205

There is a little bit of flavor in the text that is lost in the English translation, a sort of figure of speech. The verb for hardened is a passive verb that lines up with a number of other verses where Scripture says "Pharaoh hardened his heart". Pharaoh's heart was hardened by the idea of submitting to another authority that is God. 

It would be like me saying, "The Republican and Democratic parties turned me off to politics"

The Republican National Committee and their leftist counter-parts have not actively sought me out and turned off my politics switch. I am hardened to politics like Pharaoh was hardened to God. 

Note: This is all an illustration. I actually find politics quite interesting.

The idea of submitting to God hardened Pharaoh's heart and God punished His nation for it as to make an example for His power, Pharaoh's (lack of) power, and as a remembrance to the Hebrews of God's promise to them. 

God's Perfect Word

God's Perfect Word

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

I want to start this blog with a post on the sovereignty of God and the Bible as His written authority, given to us (The Bible). I think that this is a huge stumbling block to new believers and unbelievers because submitting to authority is against our culture of rebellion and freedom. Our society also tells us that the words in a 2000+ year old book cannot be trusted because anything that old must be full of errors.

I am here to say that we can and should submit wholly to God who is sovereign and that we can trust that the Bible speaks absolute Truth down to each word and it has proven itself time and time again. Now, I am not going to say the Bible isn't up for interpretation because while divinely inspired, there are many theological concepts and theories that are up for debate. However, God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us through reading through scripture and encourages to seek out council when we have questions (Hence, the purpose of this blog).

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

Luke 24:25 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

So it is clear that God thinks pretty highly of His book. But so what? The writings in it are as old as dirt and it's been re-written so many times over, over so many centuries by so many crazy people that we must not even know what it originally said, right?

Let me tell you, God is protecting His book. Christians, for a long time, had their backs against the wall when it came to defending the integrity and accuracy of scripture. However in 1947, shepherds found in some pots in an old desert cave in Qumran what we now know as the Dead Sea Scrolls; essentially ancient Hebrew texts circa 250 BC to 70 AD that line up exactly with the Hebrew Bible we have today. For a book to be that important in shaping history and not having been changed by man over 2000 years is a miracle of God. Here is a link for more details:
http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=357

And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. Revelations 22:19

Okay, so it's old but that doesn't make it infallible, right? I want to first say that if you read the Bible, it's incredible how fluid the message of God is going through each book. The Bible is written by about 40 authors over a period of 1500 years and the common message of our need for grace, the coming of Christ, and the salvation He offers is so incredibly underscored in every single book it's almost as if it had a single author to it. You can see the Spirit breathe into the writers so that while their writing style may differ, their message does not. It' really an awesome experience.

So is it infallible? Yes. There are no errors in Scripture and I can tell you that I have looked for them. I can also tell you that the Bible has been used as a historical outline for archaeological finds. The book of Luke alone names 32 countries, 54 cities, and 9 islands without error. We found buildings and cities previously thought to have not existed that lined up exactly the way it was described in scripture. Suddenly, the Bible being thousands of years old seems to work in its favor.

There is historical proof that backs up the authenticity and integrity of the Bible and it's incredible.

That's all I've got for now. I would love to discuss this more!