|
|
|
“Forgive
Us Our Debts” By
Max Von McDaniel In
Matthew 6, Jesus instructs us in a simple efficient prayer which
touches on man's relationship to God and upon man's relationship with other men,
who are made in the image of the Creator. How we treat others has a direct
bearing upon God's forgiving of our own
sins. This is shown in Matthew 18:23-35, commonly
called "The Parable of the Unmerciful
Slave.” Pay special
attention to verse 33 which states, "'Should
you not also have had
compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’" Love
Your Neighbor Yet,
why are so many Christians confused on this teaching of forgiving others? Many
hold deep grudges which should have been
long forgotten or at least have been forgiven on the part of the
Christian. Did not Jesus teach us the greatest commandment, "'You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind"' (Matthew
22:37), and then add the second to it saying, "'You
shall love your neighbor as
yourself"' (vs.
39)? He then emphasized its importance stating, "On
these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (vs.
40) When we don't fulfill this royal law are we not blaspheming the name
of Christian? James said, Do
they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? If
you really fulfill the royal law
according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,'
you do well, but if show partiality, you
commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James
2:7-9) The
book of James also tells us that blessings and cursings should not come out of
the same mouth. James says, "With
it (the tongue) we bless our God and Father,
and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out
of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought
not to be so." (3:9-10) We
Are Called to Peace Therefore,
in Jesus' illustration to us, how can we ask God to forgive us our great
trespasses and yet not forgive those who have trespassed against us? Brethren,
we have been called to God for peace in this respect. Paul said, "If
it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans
12:18) James 3:17-18 tells us that the wisdom from above is
peaceable and full of mercy, and the fruit of righteousness (right-way-ness)
is sown in peace by those who make peace. Sometimes
this forgiveness among mankind is one-sided (the
Christian being the forgiving one). Yet
forgiveness does not mean reconciliation in all circumstances. For
example, an innocent wife could and should
forgive an unfaithful husband and yet still may desire to remain
separated, as her own choice. In this case forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean
reconciliation. Paul said, "Repay no
one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men" (Romans
12:17). This is for our sake as well as those who may be our enemies. Let
Your Light Shine Christians
have been called to live a tranquil and quiet life in
all godliness and dignity. We should live this way because we desire men to come
to the knowledge of the truth that they might be saved (1 Timothy 2:2-4),
and that our light shining before men (in
this matter) might cause someone whom you forgive to become a
follower of the Lord. & Christians
with Disabilities By
John Waddey Several
years ago our Congress passed "The Americans with Disabilities Act."
It provided equal protection and opportunities for those with hearing and vision
loss and other disabilities. There are some Christians with obvious problems
with their sight and hearing. Jesus spoke of those with eyes that cannot see and
ears that are dull of hearing (Matt. 13:15). Rather than an injury or a
congenital problem, he said, "their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they
should perceive with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart and should turn again." Two
kinds of disabilities are evident. There are rebels who refuse to see or hear
God's word. They really don't want to see or hear what He says on matters of
religion, ethics and conduct. You can hear them denying that God has given us a
pattern to follow! They close their eyes and stop their ears to Paul's
exhortation to Timothy that he should "Hold the pattern of sound words
which thou hast heard from me..." (II Tim. 1:13). (See also Hebrews 8:5) Some
boldly proclaim, "There is no law of God with which Christians must
comply." All the while they stop their ears and close their eyes to
Galatians 6:2 which says, "And so fulfill the law of Christ." Paul
says "I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but
to be in quietness" (I Tim. 2:12). With hands over their eyes they insist
that they cannot see where Scripture forbids women to fill such roles in the
church. Scripture
tells us to sing and make melody with our heart (Eph. 5:19). But change agents
close their eyes and stop their ears and shout "Nowhere does God forbid us
to use instruments with our singing." Paul
cited seven sacred things of which there is only one (Eph. 4:4-5). Among them we
read "there is one body," which he says is Christ's church (Eph.
1:22). The promoter of change refuses to see, hear and accept this truth,
arguing that Christ's church consists of many denominations, of which we are but
one. This
indictment could be enlarged, but these examples establish my point. Like
stubborn children, these rebels stand, with eyes shut and ears plugged, refusing
to hear and accept the word of the Lord. But
there is another class of disciples who are willfully blind of eye and bereft of
hearing. They are brethren who themselves believe and worship as Christ expects.
They have no desire or intention of doing otherwise. Yet they do not want to see
or hear anything about others going astray. Such unpleasant news distresses
them. It forces them to make choices and decisions about people, schools and
congregations that they do not wish to make. They have no intention of making
those hard choices and decisions, so they shut their eyes and stop their ears to
the reality of apostasy in our ranks. They imagine themselves to be true
followers of Christ, but they only obey that part of his will they find easy to
do. The command to "mark them that cause divisions and occasions of
stumbling" they ignore (Rom. 16:17). The factious man, they still accept
(Tit. 3:10). The man, church or school that refuses to abide in the doctrine of
Christ they bid god speed (II John 9-11). They love and serve Christ with only
part of their heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). Both of these groups
evidently think that God has in place a "Disabilities Act" that will
protect them from his wrath. How disappointed they will be when the supreme
Judge says, "Depart from me I never knew you." Only those who do the
will of the heavenly Father will receive the eternal blessing (Matt 7:21-23). &
Meet
James and Jude By
Bob Myhan The
epistles of James and Jude were not written by apostles. If the authors of those
epistles had been apostles, they would have identified themselves as such to
provide the strongest possible credentials. But notice how these letters begin. James,
a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which
are scattered abroad: Greetings. (James
1:1) Jude,
a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called,
sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: (Jude
1:1) Herod
had killed James the brother of John with the sword before any of the New
Testament was written (Acts 12:1-2), but even James the Less would have claimed
the authority of an apostle if he could have done so. The
only other “James” who would not have to identify himself further than as
“a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” is the Lord’s
half-brother, who was one of several natural sons of Joseph and Mary. And Jude
was almost certainly the brother of this James (see Matt. 13:55) Jesus’
brothers did not believe on Him before the cross (John 7:2-5), but James was one
of many who saw Jesus after the resurrection. (1 Cor. 15:3-8) And, having been
convinced of the truth of their half-brother's claim, they were among the
disciples in |