Is forgiveness of a sin automatic upon confession and repentance of the sin?  Does the Lord wait with limitless patience and grace for a church member to repent of his/her latest iniquity (transgression of His Law–1 Jn. 3:4)?  What is His attitude toward those who remain in the repetitious sin-repent cycle that the Institutional Church claims to be part of “the Christian walk?”  To answer these questions we will turn to some “fine print” passages which will reveal the mind of the Lord relative to forgiveness of sin, which is a blessing He has promised in the Holy Scriptures.  Traditional “Headline” hunters will not like what they are about to read from the Lord’s Book.  Those who search out His “fine print” will rejoice that another Scriptural Truth has been uncovered.  But first, let us lay some groundwork before we delve into our study of repentance and forgiveness.

In chapter 13 of Matthew’s Gospel we find that Jesus and His disciples have arrived on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  Before long “great multitudes” (plural) gather around them, particularly Jesus .  In order to create some breathing room Jesus gets into a boat and pushes out from the shore.  Now He can relax and speak freely.  A question arises relative to this scenario: why were these multitudes of people following Him?  One would assume that they wanted to hear what He had to say.  One would also assume that they knew about His teachings, agreed with them and wanted to join themselves to Him as His disciples.  Why else would they follow Him, on foot wherever He went?  One would also assume that Jesus wanted them to become His disciples.  Why else would He speak to them?  As we will see, assumptions do not always prove to be right.  The first clue relative to the wrongness of these assumptions was that HE SPOKE TO THEM IN PARABLES.

A parable is a form of speech in which the speaker uses words and illustrations that teach a lesson THAT THE SPEAKER DOES NOT WANT THE HEARERS TO UNDERSTAND.  Christ’s use of parables puzzled His disciples.  Didn’t He want the masses to know what they knew?  Why then did He speak to them (His disciples) plainly, but speak to the masses in parables?  Did He not want everyone to know what they knew?  I am certain that His answer shocked them as it does most people who read it.  His answer was “No,” He did not want those who had followed Him to the sea to understand what He said to them.  He explained to the confused disciples that they were to know the “mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven” (the church)–what it would be, where it would be and how to enter it.  BUT THE MULTITUDES WERE NOT TO BE GIVEN SUCH KNOWLEDGE.  What did He say?  Did He not come to earth to SAVE THE WORLD?  DIDN’T “THE WORLD” INCLUDE THESE PEOPLE WHO HAD FOLLOWED HIM out of the comfort of the city and into the bare, weather-dominated countryside?

Listen to Christ as He answered the disciples’ question about His use of parables when speaking to the masses.  He told them that they–the 12 disciples–were supposed to understand His speech, but that the masses were not.  Again, why?  He answered in verse 13: “…. I speak to them in parables because they see, but do not see, and hear but do not hear ….”  HE SPOKE TO THEM IN PARABLES BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAW HIM DO AND HEARD HIM SAY.  In verse 15 He continues His explanation: “For these people’s hearts (minds) have become perverted, their spiritual ears have become dull of hearing and their spiritual eyes they have closed so that they do not believe My message and therefore cannot be converted.”

Notice that He did not ask the people following Him to believe Him and embrace Him as their Savior.  Nor did He did ask them to become His disciples.  Notice that He did not proclaim an “alter call” with the disciples singing “O Why Not Tonight” in the background.  Nor did ask them to repent of their sins.  Nor did He lead those who “walked the isle” in “the sinner’s prayer,” then assure them that they were “saved and born again.”  Why not?  BECAUSE HE KNEW THEIR HEARTS (MINDS).  Keep the following Truth in mind as we study our way to the theme of this series: JESUS KNOWS MEN’S HEARTS (MINDS) WHICH THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS DO NOT ALWAYS REVEAL.  For example, a woman whom God had instantly healed of a serious physical condition told me how close she was to God and how He watched over her, etc.  Then she accused me of using witchcraft to heal her.  He later told me that He was going to kill her because she did not believe what I had told her and shown her in His Word.  Shortly thereafter she died in her sleep for no medical reason.  Though she was a pillar in her church and a shining star in the religious community, GOD KNEW HER HEART. 

On two occasions Jesus spoke to a total of approximately 9,000 men, not counting women and children which, combined, probably totaled some 30-40,000 people.  He had compassion on them, healed their sick, cast out their devils and fed every one of them.  He then sent them away with no prayer, no alter call, no gentle persuasion, no fire and brimstone–nothing.  Why?  IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE BEEN LED ASTRAY CONCERNING HIS MISSION ON EARTH?  HAS PROFESSING CHRISTENDOM BEEN DECEIVED FOR THE LAST 1900 YEARS RELATIVE TO HIS MINISTRY?  HAS THE GOD OF THIS WORLD DECEIVED BILLIONS OF SALVATION SEEKERS CONCERNING CHRIST’S MISSION, SIN FORGIVENESS, THE CHURCH, CONVERSION, THE LAW, SALVATION, …?  HAVE THOUSANDS OF PREACHERS AND TEACHERS LED BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ASTRAY WITH THEIR “ONLY BELIEVE” THEOLOGY?  HAS THE “COME AS YOU ARE, STAY AS YOU ARE, JESUS LOVES YOU JUST AS YOU ARE” MESSAGE OF THE CHURCH LED THE MASSES THROUGH SATAN’S WIDE GATE AND ALONG HIS BROAD PATH TO DESTRUCTION? (Mat. 7:13,14;20:16).  Let us hear God’s answers with our hearts open to His Truth.  Let us determine to believe His Words and obey them so that we can join Him in His kingdom.  Read All That Glitters.  Key word–Glitters.  L.J.