We are going through the book of Matthew in the Chat Room. There are some things that I needed an entire post so I can explain this important book better. I learned this information about the book of Matthew from Michael Pearl who I think is an awesome Bible teacher. His clear teaching taught me why we are no longer under the Law and made this book much easier to understand. As a a highly intelligent Christian man who is a Jew by birth, Michael has spent many hours every day for many years studying the Word of God. He believes the KJV is the best version of the Bible because it best tranlates the words of the original languages in as similar a word order as possible to what was originally written.
Matthew was written to the Jews who were still living under the Law since Jesus hadn't died yet. One of the main purposes of Matthew was to show the people their need for a Savior. We must take it in the context that it was written.
Jesus teaches many very hard things. He told the people that God would not forgive them if they refused to forgive others. He told them to cut off their hands and feet and pluck out their eyes if these things caused them to sin. He commanded them to forsake their families so they "shall inherit eternal life." If we don't sell all that we have and give to the poor, we won't inherit eternal life, as Jesus told one young man. He said that lusting after someone was the same as adultery and that being angry with your brother is murder. He narrowed the Law to the extreme so people would see their desperate need for a Savior and how far every single person is from the perfection a Holy God demands. He wanted them ALL to understand that they had sinned and couldn't possibly fulfill "every jot and tittle" of the Law, so He fulfilled it for all who believe.
There are people that tell me they only live by the red words in the Bible, Jesus' words, because He only talks about love. Yet, many of Jesus' words have no grace in them, no forgiveness of sins, just the Law and a very narrowly defined interpretation of the Law. If they really obeyed what He said, there would be a lot of people walking around with missing eyes, feet and hands, no family and no possessions. Paul is the one who thoroughly explains all that Christ's death and resurrection accomplished in his writings; mostly in Romans and Hebrews. Context is vital to understanding God's Word, and many of the Words of Jesus were showing our incapacity to fulfill the law apart from a Savior.
There are people that tell me they only live by the red words in the Bible, Jesus' words, because He only talks about love. Yet, many of Jesus' words have no grace in them, no forgiveness of sins, just the Law and a very narrowly defined interpretation of the Law. If they really obeyed what He said, there would be a lot of people walking around with missing eyes, feet and hands, no family and no possessions. Paul is the one who thoroughly explains all that Christ's death and resurrection accomplished in his writings; mostly in Romans and Hebrews. Context is vital to understanding God's Word, and many of the Words of Jesus were showing our incapacity to fulfill the law apart from a Savior.
Yes, Jesus wants us to forgive others but if a mother saw her child brutally murdered by the Nazis and could never forgive them but loved the Lord dearly, she would go to heaven. If our hands, feet or eyes cause us to sin, we have a Savior who paid the price for our sin. ALL of our sins {past, present and future} have been forgiven. Jesus wanted them to understand how much God hates sin. No, we don't have to sell all we have to gain eternal life but we must worship God and Him alone by believing in Him in order to have eternal life; for with God ALL things are possible. If lusting was the same as adultery, every man would stand guilty of adultery. If being angry with a brother was the same as murder, we would all be murderers. Jesus wanted them to know that God cared about their hearts and that even their thoughts and condition of their hearts condemned them. They needed a heart transplant. He came to give them a new heart! Everyone who calls upon His name can be His disciples without forsaking their family. He calls us to love and care for our families, but we MUST believe in Him for eternal life.
He made a way for all of us by showing us that there was NO way we could ever attain eternal life without Him. When He was crucified, we were crucified. When He died, we died. When He rose again, we rose with Him. {Colossians 2:11, 12} He has put His Spirit within us. We have everything we need for life and godliness. His commands aren't burdensome. ALL of our sin is forgiven. Wow! What a Savior. All that He calls us to do is to believe in Him and His finished work, for He said, "It is finished." Now, walk with Him. He died to free us from sin and the Law, walk in the freedom that He has provided for us.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled.
Matthew 5:18
Logging you in...
Psalm1Wife 22p · 525 weeks ago
We like to use verses like: "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." to feed our own imperative and by doing so, we are missing the point and molding the Bible to fit into our own personal box. What happens if we do that by using a verse like: "Curse God and die!" You see? If we do not understand the context, we are simply playing Bible verse Russian roulette.
I am so thankful that God included all of the Old testament and the gospels because they are full of admonitions and stories to help us and they also show God's relentless mercy for His people. We must remember, however that there was a curtain divide and we are on this side- the side that Paul is on. Thank you Lord for you grace! The Lord's grace was abounding in the OT when he readily forgave entire towns like Ninevah when they turned from their wicked ways. The Lord's grace was abounding during Jesus' ministry and it shows in verses like this: "And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven." Now, His grace abounds by offering His son as a sacrifice for all of our sins! The entire Bible shows us God's mercy but we are in the tail end of this beautiful story. Praise the Lord!
If we remember the plot we can understand that Jesus was talking to Jews, as a Jew. Yes, we can learn about our enormous shortcomings from Jesus' teaching by keeping a perspective that you show when you say: "He narrowed the Law to the extreme so people would see their desperate need for a Savior and how far every single person is from the perfection a Holy God demands." I would much rather be well versed on the overall plot of the Bible than concentrating on all of the exceptions or phrases and then ending up plucking out my eye.
Lori Alexander 122p · 525 weeks ago
Deb · 525 weeks ago
Heidi · 525 weeks ago
karen kuntz · 525 weeks ago
Lori Alexander 122p · 525 weeks ago
Ken · 525 weeks ago
I certainly understand what you are trying to say, but Lori is correct in the point she is trying to make that we are no longer under the penalty of having to keep ALL of the law in order to be saved. As you point out, individually only God knows who is and is not saved as He sees the heart, but theologically Lori is correct that no one sin, can keep us out of the gates of heaven and an eternal life with God except the sin of unbelief. Precisely because ALL our sins are hung on the cross with Jesus the moment we believe and we are saved.
I will add, that God's Word does not say that we must forgive everyone, and forgive for all sins. The space here is not long enough to scripturally explain it all, but if Hitler does not ask for forgiveness from those he perpetrated his evil upon, they are under no oblgaton to forgive him. If God does not forgive Him, so why shoud we? God's love does not forgive all men, nor annul all consequences for sins for those who do not believe.
Certainly there is a need not to habor bitterness towards such a one who is now most likely writhing in hell as we can certainly feel badly that they destroyed their own eternal life with their evis, but we have no obligation to forgive them. We also may have nothing to forgive if they did not harm us directly. If you are spending anything more than a fraction of second thinking about this Nazi guard, and he did not harm you or your friends or family directly,then it is a fraction too long. There is no need to forgive him, and your best bet is to forget him and know that the judge of this whole world will deal justly with all men. It is not to you to forgive him, and taking on such a responsibility is unwise and unprofitable as we as believers live in the present with a focus on the future. We leave the past in the past and move forward in the joy of the Lord not burdening ourselves with the sins or judgments of others from the past.
I suggest that you Google the subject so you can understand it better. This article seems like a pretty good one to explain that we have nothing to forgive for those who have not harmed us, no matter what their evil, and we have no obligation to forgive certain most heinous of crimes apart from first accountability and their asking for forgiveness.
http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/e_teachings/forgi...
Remmeber, Jesus said to forgive your brother 70 x 7. This is close to unlimited as in principle we as Christians are to forgive others because He forgives us. But it is not unlimited forgiveness for those who God will not forgive, but we cannot let a root of bitterness destroy our own lives. If that happens the evil done against us, or family, will live on causing more destruction within our lives, long after the Nazi guard has received his just recompence.
Jennifer Dunn · 525 weeks ago
Reading and understanding the Bible is intrinsically linked with understanding the context with which each "book" is written. Part of rightly dividing the word of Truth.
Thanks so much for sharing Lori!
Lori Alexander 122p · 525 weeks ago
Tawnya Howell · 525 weeks ago
Roma · 525 weeks ago
Kerri · 520 weeks ago
Ken · 520 weeks ago
So if the Nazi seeks forgiveness, no matter how heinous his crimes or sins we are to forgive Him, as God will forgive Him. But if the Nazi remains unrepentant in His sins, there is no forgiveness from God, no pardon for His sins, and no requirement that those who suffered at his hands forgive him for something he does not desire to be forgiven of.
Thus the words of Jesus in Matthew may not be so clear as one may think they are, because he is speaking in terms of certain hyperbole and not in a way to teach of the intricacies of Christian forgiveness. Because HIs Words were meant to be like the words of Moses, the new law giver who proves once and forever that no man can stand before God unblamed and without sin. That we all need a Savior who died for our sins But He certainly goes on to explain that apart from repentance, and a request to be forgiven by placing one's faith in Christ, no forgiveness is forthcoming from God.
I refer you again to this article: http://www.heavensfamily.org/ss/e_teachings/forgi...
I certainly understand any confusion or disagreement. You are welcome to your point of view, and certainly it is healing to one's soul to forgive even those who do not seek our forgiveness. But God will certainly punish those who put His son to death if they do not seek forgiveness where it can be found, in the blood of Christ with repentance. Once we believe in Christ Jesus, no sin but perhaps the sin of unbelief can separate us.
I wonder how you reconcile with your understanding of Mathew 6:15 where Jesus after he is resurrected tells His disciples that whoever they do not forgive their sins will not be forgiven?
“Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:21-23).
Kerri · 520 weeks ago
Ken · 520 weeks ago
The issue is must we forgive all sins committed against us, even those from people who desire to harm us and our family and don't seek our forgiveness? Jesus taught too that we love our enemies and turn the other cheek, … all correct in principle, be we are also to protect our families from harm, for that is what love does.
There are times for forgiveness, and it should be the rule of life for the believer, but I can think of exceptions for which God will not hold his children accountable when they do not forgive.
A couple of evil men enter your home with the intent to commit terrible things against your family. You hear cries from the room of your 14 year old daughter and then your twelve year old son. You walk into your daughter’s room and see that she is undressed with a stranger trying to have his way. In your hand is a gun. Do you forgive or do you pull the trigger? WWJD?
Or you weren't there that night and the two men had their way with your kids... but now they sit before the judge with no remorse, only hate in their hearts. They don't want your forgiveness, they want to do it again if they can only get the chance. Do you think God expects you to forgive them for the destruction they caused your family when they show no remorse?
Yes, ten years later one of them writes to you a sorrowful letter begging you for your forgiveness. Then you are called to forgive no matter what the crime.
The words of Jesus that we are to forgive others are true, but don't think for an instant that Jesus was not talking about the forgiveness for those who are repentant and desire your forgiveness. Look at what God’s Word says to clarify who is to be forgiven. Luke 17:3-4 is clear that forgiveness comes from repentance:
“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and IF he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Jesus does not teach here that forgiveness is to be given even if he does not repent. So which one is true? They both are. Jesus speaks words of truth, but he is not teaching everything about the subject of forgiveness in either of the passages. To understand the full mind of God on such a subject one must look to all of God’s Word, and recognize that God is not, and will not forgive the unrepentant.
Just as God operates with us, I am sure that he expects the same from His children. Universally the Christian is ready and willing to forgive, but to do so requires one who wants and seeks our forgiveness. We can “in our heart” forgive others, so to speak, but true forgiveness can only happen if it is accepted by the one who caused the harm. If they will not accept the pardon, they have no forgiveness, even if you wish to give it to them.
Don’t you find it ironic that God can love all of mankind, yet only forgive the sins of those who confess and seek His forgives? We are called to love even the sinner, but to forgive or pardon requires two parties… the forgiver and the one who desires forgiveness. See below:
http://www.cbmcint.org/index.php/monday-manna/the...
In 1829 two men, George Wilson and James Porter, robbed a United States mail carrier. Both were subsequently captured and tried in a court of law. In May 1830 both men were found guilty of six charges, including robbery of the mail "and putting the life of the driver in jeopardy." Both Wilson and Porter received their sentences: Execution by hanging, to be carried out on July 2.
Porter was executed on schedule, but Wilson was not. Influential friends pleaded for mercy to the President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, on his behalf. President Jackson issued a formal pardon, dropping all charges. Wilson would have to serve only a prison term of 20 years for his other crimes. Incredibly, George Wilson refused the pardon!
An official report stated Wilson chose to "waive and decline any advantage or protection which might be supposed to arise from the pardon...." Wilson also stated he "...had nothing to say, and did not wish in any manner to avail himself in order to avoid sentence...." The U.S. Supreme Court determined, "The court cannot give the prisoner the benefit of the pardon, unless he claims the benefit of it.... It is a grant to him: it is his property; and he may accept it or not as he pleases." Chief Justice John Marshall wrote, "A pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws.... (But) delivery is not completed without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and...we have no power in a court to force it on him."
Kerri · 520 weeks ago