Why Forgive?

 

I listened to a teacher I trust and respect this morning. He was talking on why we forgive. He said that we forgive not for the benefit to ourself, but for the benefit to others. He said it is an expression of love in action, not necessarily based on how we feel. I believe he got it partly right.

I would like to say that we forgive as an act of obedience to the Father and for His glory. Any time our philosophy involves the veneration of man it is off the mark. Jesus said that our obedience is an expression of our love FOR THE FATHER. Jesus said that if we love Him (Jesus) we will obey Him. Obeying Jesus is obeying the Father. They are One. So, in that regard, to forgive is an act of love - not for the benefit of man (although all people involved benefit from forgiveness), but to the glory of the Father! Remember when Jesus asked Peter three times (as many times as Peter denied Him), "Do you love me?" When Peter acknowledged that he loved Jesus what did Jesus do next? He gave Peter something to DO. Jesus instructed Peter to care for His sheep. Jesus has commanded that we love God, first, and then love others. Love requires the actions of love. Forgiveness is an act of obedience to the Father for the one who loves Him, to the glory of the Father. The one in unforgiveness is the one in rebellion.

When Jesus was in distress over His impending death, he said (in John 12:27-28), "Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." What Jesus did He did for the glory of God the Father because He loves Him! Jesus' love for mankind was the second love.  Jesus' love for the Father was His first love and prompted His obedience for the glory of the Father. Jesus set the example for why and how we take up our cross, and forgive.

Isaiah 1 and Ezekiel 36 are the litmus test to what I am asserting here. Please read these chapters. They are so important to learn from in our perceptions as to "God so loved the world" in John 3:16. God loved the world 'in this manner' - to HIS GLORY!

In a portion of Isaiah 1, in verses 18-20, it says, "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. IF you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; But IF you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken. 

In verses 26-28 God goes on to say, "Then I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning; After that you will be called the city of righteousness, a faithful city." Zion will be redeemed with justice and her repentant ones with righteousness. But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, and those who forsake the LORD will come to an end."

We see here God's deliberate plan of forgiveness and salvation for His people foretold. We see that it is conditional. In Ezekiel 36 God makes it very plain why He does this. Here is a portion of that scripture. 

Ezekiel 36:16-36 says:

Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Son of man, when the house of Israel was living in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds; their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had shed on the land, because they had defiled it with their idols. Also I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed throughout the lands. According to their ways and their deeds I judged them. When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name, because it was said of them, 'These are the people of the LORD; yet they have come out of His land.' But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD," declares the Lord GOD, "when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God. Moreover, I will save you from all your uncleanness; and I will call for the grain and multiply it, and I will not bring a famine on you. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field, so that you will not receive again the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and your abominations. I am not doing this for your sake," declares the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel!" 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of being a desolation in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, 'This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste, desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.' Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it."

Here God makes it clear that His forgiveness, redemption, and restoration of fallen people is for the vindication of His Name! It is for the sake of His Name. While He carries our sins away as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more, we do not forget our sins. When we have been redeemed and restored to life we look back upon our sins and abominations and, in our own sight, we loathe ourselves for them! We are ashamed and confounded - deeply regretful. So, in obedience, we forgive others their sins for the love of God and for the glory of His Name. In this we express our love for others, as well. If we do not forgive we are not forgiven. We are among the transgressors and sinners who will be crushed.

Glory to God for His perfect justice, full of mercy and compassion! Glory, honor, and power to His Name! May His Name be vindicated in all the earth. He has glorified His Name, and He will do it again. Let us glorify the Name of our Father in Heaven! Praise be to Him that He has shown His love for us in this way! Hallelujah! To God be the glory forever and ever, Amen.

The One Who Is Spiritual

In Psalm 51:6 King David says, "Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom."

In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

The scriptures say much about the importance of truth! Jesus Christ is the Word, and the Word is Truth. Jesus and truth cannot be separated. Jesus and truth cannot be dissected, meaning 'having a divided form or structure'. If one did dissect Jesus there would be found truth in every part of Him.

*In John 17:17 Jesus prays for His followers, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."

*In John 4:24 Jesus says, "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

It is not wise to minimize the importance of truth, nor to compromise with a lie. 

According to Ephesians 4:15 we are to 'speak the truth in love'. Jesus' command to His follower is to love. The first command is one command and plural in nature. It is found in both the Old and the New Testaments. In Mark 12:29-31, after being asked what the greatest command is, 'Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; and YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'" Jesus followed with the second greatest command saying, "The second is this, 'You SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

"Caritas" is the Latin word for charity, and it is used in biblical translations, specifically in the Latin Vulgate Bible to translate the Greek word agape, which is the word most commonly used when we speak of biblical, or godly, love. While modern English translations often use "love" instead of "charity" for agape, the term caritas and its derivatives are found in the Bible. A notable example is the opening phrase of Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical, "Deus caritas est," which translates to "God is love" and is directly from the Vulgate's translation of 1 John 4:8 (The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love). So while love and truth are not synonymous, in the concept of caritas (love or charity), love and truth are inseparable and mutually essential. The Catholic Church's social teaching, especially as articulated in Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Caritas in Veritate ("Charity in Truth"), emphasizes that one cannot exist in its authentic, purest form without the other. Just as the Lord our God is One, the Son and the Father do not exist one without the other. Elohim is 'one', with plurality as in a unit. (*This is not an invitation for Catholic bashing.)

Regarding 1 Corinthians 2:15, I have listed in the photo six different translations I deem reliable. The verse says, "... he who is spiritual appraises (judges; discerns) all things, yet he himself is appraised (judged; discerned) by no one." Some translations say, "not subject to any man's judgment", or "rightly judged by no one".

The original word for 'appraise' used here in this verse is 'ἀνακρίνω', transliterated 'anakrinō', phonetically 'an-ak-ree'-no'. 

Strong's definition is: properly to scrutinize that is (by implication) investigate interrogate determine: - ask question discern examine judge search.

Thayer's definition is: examine or judge; to investigate, examine, enquire into, scrutinise, sift, question; specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation; to interrogate, examine the accused or witnesses; to judge of, estimate, determine (the excellence or defects of any person or thing)

It means 'to separate or divide up, hence, to examine carefully, investigate, then, to determine, judge of, estimate, make a distinction.

I have been feeling distressed in concern for the larger Christian community. This is not a new thing for me, but a common occurrence. I pray and weep much in concern over these. I, too, have been bringing to the Lord the painful feelings of the recent recognition that I am 'expendable' to that same community (not to all, but to most) - which, in love and truth (ONLY) should be my 'tribe', my 'family'. For quite some time I have recognized the solitary nature of God's people as testified about in the scriptures of both Old and New Testaments - frequently experiencing hostility, and finally ending up abandoned and alone, even martyred. Yet, to experience the same can be initially painful. So we pray, "Father, forgive them". They don't know. Jesus DID say that the Way is narrow and few will find it! Oh, that we would heed the words of Jesus and take them to heart.

As I read 1 Corinthians 2:15 this morning, after a time of prayer over all this (Jesus Christ is not only our Teacher but also our Wonderful Counselor) - begging God to see with His eyes, to have His heart, to have understanding that comes from Him, to receive His correction - I got stopped on this verse. What does Paul mean that while the spiritual person judges all things, that same person is judged by no one? Why did this lead me to the verses on truth and love? I believe it is this:

God is love - 'caritas'; 'agape'. Jesus proclaimed He is truth. If God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son (Who are ONE) are dissected, (divided; judged; separated; investigated; scrutinized, etc as per definitions of the word 'appraised/discerned/judged in 1 Corinthians 2:15), there would not be - nor is there - any part to be found separate from one another, nor separate from truth and love. The one 'who is spiritual' (belonging to the Divine Spirit of God the Holy Spirit; one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God), then, cannot be dissected and found separate from the same BY ANY MAN. They are subject to no man's judgment in that being dissected (divided; judged; separated; investigated; scrutinized) no part of that spiritual one is found separate from love and truth, nor any part found separate from God, nor any part found separate from another spiritual man. Therein, alone, is unity. The one who is not spiritual cannot (rightly) judge the one who is.

Expendable

I chose a photo for this blog where Charlie Kirk looks young and vulnerable - as he was. I am convinced he was taken out by his own - those he was proselytizing for. They gave young Charlie accolades without the underpinning of respect, while bolstering his platform as he rode the wave of the useful political tool of Zionist Christian Nationalism. His success was a curse wrapped up as a blessing. Then he began to waver on Israel as his eyes were beginning to open in some areas regarding USA and Israel. Because whether one agreed with Charlie, or not, he really did believe his rhetoric and I honestly don't believe he was given to deceit. This does not mean I don't believe he wasn't deceived. I believe he was. I believe we all have had to contend, personally, with deception in our life experiences. So, this is a grief on my behalf, not a condemnation, for poor young Charlie. I have no place to condemn anyone. I am not God. This does not exempt me from making judgments - evaluations. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit to discern a matter, and we should pray for and practice discernment. In John 7:24 Jesus said, "Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” There is no righteous judgment without mercy.

A day and a half after the assassination of Charlie a reporter questioned Donald Trump on the White House lawn. Reporter: "My condolences on the loss of your friend, Charlie Kirk. May I ask sir, personally, how are you holding up over the last day and a half, sir?" Donald Trump: "I think very good. And, by the way, right there you see all the trucks? They've just started construction of the new ballroom for the White House..." Trump goes on to elaborate further on the ballroom with no mention of Charlie. Either a real (Mob) Boss move, or a complete lack of real concern over Charlie and his wife and children, or both. We must not mistake Trump as a man of concern and compassion. Finally, Trump spoke at Charlie's memorial. He spoke that Charlie's position would be one of love, forgiveness, and wishing well upon your enemies (although Charlie supported public and televised executions). Trump said, "I don't. I hate my enemies." And went on to further say that he does not wish his enemies well. (Side note), Trump isn't THAT concerned with getting into Heaven.

I document this as an objective observation. My point is that Charlie was expendable to those he had hitched his proverbial wagon to. It appears that even his good friend, Pastor Frank Turek and Charlie's body guard - the men standing around Charlie - were giving out a flurry of gestures and signals brief seconds before Charlie was shot. Standard security measures of checking in with each other? I don't know, really. I do know that an official assassination takes weeks to months of precise and deliberate planning. An official assassination almost always comes with a false flag event requiring a patsy. I also know that CEO's and such are being assassinated with heightened frequency now, with zero reporting. Charlie's assassination, however, was high profile - a significant and further divisive attraction for all the world to see. A public and televised execution, if you will, by a gun he was in absolute support of. Charlie's assassination was a very useful, morally exempt, rotten, political tool for both the Right and the Left. A tool of appeasement for Israel, as well, it likely may be. There is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Charlie died at the hands of everything he believed in. In this he was a 'martyr' - just not a martyr for Jesus Christ.

Now I will get to what came to me as I was praying about my perceptions around Charlie, the event, and the disturbing effect it has had on the majority of the remainder of the online Christian community I have surrounded myself with over the past couple of years. (The 'community' of my association has dwindled exponentially over this past year.) Charlie's assassination is disturbing to them, of course. It's a reprehensible and grievous thing. But, what I am talking about is how their reactions to Charlie's assassination has been disturbing to me. I want to say I never really knew of Charlie before this event. I am learning of who he was and his influence. I am sorry and grieve over what happened to him and his young family.

I know I have come across offensively in my reaction to Charlie's assassination to a few of this Christian community who actually give me any time or consideration. They see my response as hate. I see it as love. I quickly and honestly addressed what looks like a disturbing compromise in the ranks, an apparent wavering of former convictions and declarations, a veneration at the level of elevating Charlie to sainthood, suggestions that he died as a martyr for Christ, he was a 'Servant of Christ', a sheep mentality and behavior as the majority of the Christian crowd has been swept up in a Charlie frenzy, and so forth. Former declarations and convictions against Zionist Christian Nationalism, NARS, and Christians involved in Left or Right wing politics seemed to evaporate into thin air. A willingness to compromise evolved. I witnessed panic and increasing drama in the ranks of those who know what the Bible says. Charlie's assassination has become a spiritual tool of bringing to light and exposing that which was carefully concealed in the dark. It has become a spiritual tool of further division and separation. Many see this as a bad thing. We are supposed to be united after all, right? Well, I don't see it that way. Division causes one to evaluate and choose a side. The fence belongs to the devil. The Christian community is being sifted... winnowed.

As I was asking God - again - to see the matter as He sees it, to have His heart on the matter, the thought came to me to find a point of personal identification with Charlie. 

Charlie was a full on MAGA/Trump devotee. He believed in and endorsed the heretical Seven Mountain Mandate. He associated with false teachers and attended a mega church, enjoying popularity, influence, and wealth within the greater Christian community. He garnered a beautiful wife, and they portrayed their selves as having 'real love', and beautiful babies to show for it. I can safely assume they had a beautiful home. Charlie was richly blessed in his life's direction and endeavors! His target of influence was young people. Charlie was a rabid supporter of guns, and supported televised public executions. Just to name a few... He had a 'form' of godliness... I am not convinced as to the 'Jesus' and 'gospel' Charlie seemed to deeply love in great devotion. I don't trust it. It all appears as a wildly popular broad way among a large and particular political and religious culture. That's how it appears. Jesus help me to 'judge with righteous judgment'. I am diametrically opposed to every point I just mentioned. There may be more, but that is enough. The Bible warns against many false Christs, and Satan is a master deceiver, the father of all lies. His first line of offense is to work within the ranks of Christiandom. 

Now for the exercise of finding a point of personal identification with Charlie: Charlie is young enough to be as a son would be to me. I believe God wants me to feel personal about Charlie, as God does. The word that came to me as my point of identification with Charlie is 'expendable'. Besides being a fallible human, like Charlie, I identify with being and feeling expendable. Not with the world necessarily, but with those who should be my own - my 'tribe' - Christians.

Let's take a look at what it means to be 'expendable'. If you are considered expendable, it means you are seen as unnecessary, unimportant, or replaceable and can be discarded, abandoned, or sacrificed without significant loss to a larger goal or purpose. This term applies to both people and things, suggesting that their presence is not essential and they can be given up when no longer useful. 

Key Aspects of Being Expendable:

*Lack of Necessity: You are not essential to the situation or project at hand. 

*Replaceability: You could easily be substituted or replaced by someone or something else. 

*Sacrifice: You can be sacrificed to achieve a goal, such as in a military context. 

*Low Value: Your importance is considered minimal compared to the overall objective. 

*Abandonment: You could be gotten rid of or abandoned when no longer useful.

To the vast Christian community I have proven to be expendable. I have given from my poverty in amounts too small to warrant consideration to those in Christ in desperate plea who have much more than me. I have been called out, cursed, and shunned by those who claimed title of Brother and Sister - those who made declarations of Christian love. I was useful as the poor needy homeless grandma. I was a threat as the Child of God walking in His authority and grace. I was not supposed to share a vulnerability, share a dream, or stand my ground in the Lord. I was not to contradict, but to fall in line with the rest of what God showed me was a cult of personality. I was meant (and forcefully told) to stand down, stop talking, and take my place. I had taken pains to be vulnerable, yet share carefully (meaning under God's conviction and scripturally), honestly, and boldly, considering those of my association as friends and Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus - those of many who were eventually exposed as enemies in the ranks of Christiandom, where honesty and truth are not as appreciated as one might think they should be. Cult demands conformity and veneration of the primary personalities. Everyone jostles for a position of importance at the table. I concede. I'm happy to stay behind with the struggling stragglers. 

Relationships have fallen away of their own accord because of opposing spirits. The devil is not opposed to the devil. He knows a house divided will fall. But, at the Name and presence of Jesus demons will flee. I have come to give thanks to God that relationships fell away. I still love and pray for those people nearly daily. They don't have to know that. It's between me and God. Yet, these are relationships that God did not want for my life. They were deceptive and demonically driven. I tell the reader these details in the event someone is going through the same type of spiritual battle. The devil is an ancient serpent, a master of lies, and he attacks from within the ranks. Consider Job's friends. That said, my point in all this is that I come away from my experience with the majority of Christian community (so far) feeling (and treated as) expendable. I sound like a victim, right? We all are, even and especially when we think we're not. We have been born into a fallen world where evil forces begin their attack at our conception.

Now comes the important question: Have I felt toward, or treated others, as if they are expendable (in or out of the Body of Christ)? Have I been dismissive of others? There is the important consideration which I will be bringing before the Lord. It may not appear to others this way, but I am concerned should I have a plank in my eye.