How many times have we heard the victim of a grievous act say: “I forgive him/her because God tells us to forgive those who trespass against us.”  That “headline” is correct, as are all Biblical “headlines.”  Because the church’s god–Satan (2 Cor. 4:4)–has done what Jesus warned that his (Satan’s) false prophets would do in the latter days (Mat. 24:4,5), we have yet another Satanic lie being put forth as God’s Truth.  This series involves that lie–that we are to forgive everyone who offends us no matter the situation.  Though this theological “truth” sounds good, it is not Biblical.  This series will prove it using the very Words of God.

The “headline” is Scriptural–as far as it goes.  As is the case with all such headlines, there is more to it than what is put forth from pulpits and podiums, from televisions and radios, from pamphlets and books, from documentaries and movies.  In every case an ultimately important aspect of the situation is left out.  What is omitted (the “fine print”) is as important as the “Headline” itself, possibly more-so.

I recently saw a group of Nazi death camp survivors who were visiting the prison where some of them had lost their entire families.  A woman in the group, along with her sister, had been one of the sets of twins upon whom Nazi doctor Joseph Mengele had performed experiments which normally cost the children their lives.  After one such experiment Mengele had, in her presence, said she would die.  The woman brought everything to a standstill when she declared that she had forgiven Dr. Mengele for what he did to her and her sister.  She had also forgiven all those who were responsible for killing millions of Jews because the Lord said we must forgive those who harm us.  Needless to say, the people who were with her disagreed vigorously.  Still, she held her ground, using the Words of the Lord as her standard.  I dare say 99% of those who profess Christ as their Savior would agree with her.  But would they be Scripturally correct in doing so?  This series will upset some people.  Some might agree with it if they read it unto the end.  I doubt that anyone will have a shoulder shrug reaction to it.  As we delve into this very important subject let us keep in mind that the Lord’s forgiveness of our sins has the same requirements as does our forgiveness of the sins of others.  The question is, what are those requirements?  Let us find out.

“All have sinned and (have) come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).  This statement is profound in two very subtle ways.  First, Paul is referring to sins that took place BEFORE ONE EMBRACES GOD AS LORD AND SAVIOR.  Secondly, he is saying that God’s true saints REFLECT THE GLORY OF GOD to the world, and that IF a saint sins (1 Jn. 2:1–read this passage carefully) he fails to project that glory and thereby fails in his responsibility, which is to be God’s light to those around him.

The other side of that spiritual coin is that most people will not recognize God’s glory in the saint.  Instead, most people will hate him just as people hated Jesus for reflecting God’s glory to them (Lk. 6:22/ Jn. 15:18).  Read Persecution by that name.  The world, including the church world, lives in darkness, and “great is that darkness” because it is put forth as God’s light (Mat. 6:23).  Men, especially churchmen, hate God’s light (Word) because it contrasts with the spiritual darkness they call the “Christian life” (Jn. 3:19).  This ministry is designed by God to reveal what professing Christendom does in darkness by shining God’s light (Word/Truth) on it.

When men walk in light, God’s glory flowing from them illuminates the sins of darkness dwellers for all to see.  Jesus told us what to expect when we shine God’s light on religious man’s darkness which he calls light.  Doing so cost the prophets to be severely persecuted, and in some cases killed (Isaiah is believed to have been sawn in two).  Walking in God’s light caused Jesus and His apostles to be martyred in a variety of ways.  Why?  Because they served as God’s light among darkness-loving men.  Nothing has changed in the church world except the punishment allowed for hatred toward the light.  This will change, and soon.

Because we were all sinners before coming to the Lord, we needed forgiveness from God for not exhibiting His glory to the world around us.  Before conversion we were the world.  Therefore we were in need of divine forgiveness because of our multitudinous sins.  Jesus Christ gave His life as a propitiation for our PAST SINS (Rom. 3:25).  This carte blanche (total) removal of all past sins is known as JUSTIFICATION (vs 26).  Justification is awarded because of God’s grace (unearned favor) and is based on the believer’s faith.  A hint into what is required to be forgiven (justified) by God is found in Romans 2:13: “For not the hearers of the Law are just(ified) before God, but the DOERS OF THE LAW SHALL BE (REMAIN) JUSTIFIED (until the end of their lives IF they maintain their justification–Mat. 10:22).  Notice that the caveat (requirement) for receiving forgiveness from God and retaining it is OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAW.  Why?  “To transgress (break) the Law is sin; for sin is the transgression of the Law” (1 Jn. 3:4).  The formula for receiving forgiveness of past sins is to STOP SINNING–STOP BREAKING GOD’S LAW.  As this series will prove, where there is sin following confession and pronounced repentance, there is no forgiveness of those past sins, nor is there forgiveness for any future sins.  OBEDIENCE MUST FOLLOW REPENTANCE FOR HAVING DISOBEYED GOD’S LAW.  This is totally opposite to what has always been and continues to be taught in the Catholic/Protestant Church System.  Notice what Jesus said to the prostitute and the man at the Bethesda pool following His forgiveness of their PAST sins?  “SIN NO MORE.”  Why?  Because future sin would prevent their previous sins from being forgiven.  God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).  What He required of the prostitute and the man at the Bethesda pool He requires of all.

The first ministerial words spoken by Jesus of Nazareth involved the removal of all past sins from the salvation seeker.  He came on the scene proclaiming: “… repent (of your sins–Lawbreaking) and believe the Gospel” (Mk. 1:14,15).  Believing the Gospel (Law/Word/Truth/Will/Light) is called FAITH: “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God” (Rom. 10:19).  Anciently most people were illiterate.  They had access to God’s Word only by hearing it proclaimed in the synagogues or the Temple.  Simply put: FAITH IS BELIEVING THE BIBLE.  IT MEANS TO TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD.  Jesus was God’s Word/Law made flesh.  He fulfilled the Law by living it perfectly.  He came to “magnify the Law and make it honorable” (again)–Isa. 42:21.  He did not come to destroy it, nor to destroy the writings of the prophets (Mat. 5:17).  The New Covenant Church is built on the foundation of the writings of both the prophets and the apostles (Eph. 2:20).  The apostles taught the Gospel as it was presented in the Old Testament.  As the Apostle Peter tells us, “Holy men of old spoke (and wrote) as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21).  What they spoke and wrote is commonly called the Old Testament.  The Old and New Testament His “WITNESS” to the world (Mat. 24:14).

What was the “Gospel” Jesus told the people they had to 1) REPENT FOR HAVING BROKEN and 2) BELIEVE?  It was the same Gospel He had preached to Abraham many generations earlier: “And the Scripture (the Word–Jesus–Jn. 1:1-4,14) … preached the Gospel to Abraham ….” (Gal. 3:8).  God (the Word Who became Jesus of Nazareth) preached THE (one and only) Gospel to the man through whom He would raise up the nation of Israel which He commissioned to be His “light to the Gentiles.”  Paul reiterates this Truth in his letter to the Hebrew converts, telling them that the same Gospel the Lord gave to “them” (the children of Israel while they wandered in the Desert of Sinai for 40 years) He also gave to “us”–the New Covenant Church.  Read Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man?  Key word–God-man.  The Gospel (good news about the coming Kingdom of God on earth) has not and will not change.  Jesus, Who is the same yesterday, today and forever, was the Word/Gospel/Law of God in human flesh.  He was the glory of God in human flesh.  As His spiritual brethren, we must also be God’s glory in human flesh by obeying His Word/Gospel/Law.  L.J.