Ed Stover

As the hope of an eternal home in heaven springs forth from our soul, we cannot help but consider the joy of being reunited with our loved ones in the glorious presence of God. Will we know one another? Will we recognize our family members? Will we recognize and be able to sit at the feet of such great men as Abraham, Moses, Peter, Paul, and others? These are questions that stir our spirit, and excite our dreams, as we patiently wait for that great day when we will finally be free of the shackles of this world. The questions under consideration have no doubt stirred the imagination of millions over times past. What is the answer? Will we know one another? The Bible teaches conclusively that we most definitely will. Let’s examine a few of the many passages from the Bible that shed some light on the topic.
1. 2 Samuel 12:23. David had been fasting and weeping while waiting to see if his child by Bathsheba would live. The child died, and David said, “But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” The significance of the statement “I shall go to him” in this passage can only be understood if David meant that he would know and recognize the child when he saw him in heaven.
2. Job 19:25-27. Job asserted in this passage that he understood his fleshy body would be resurrected and changed to a glorious state. He said, “in my flesh I shall see God…and my eyes shall behold, and not another.” Job said it would be his “flesh” and his “eyes” that would be in the presence of God. We can see from this that the inspired Job understood that his identity and personal characteristics would be with him in the presence of God.
3. Mark 9:2-8. We read in this text the account of Jesus being transfigured in the presence of Peter, James, and John. When the transfiguration occurred, Elijah and Moses appeared along side Jesus. The apostles no doubt recognized Elijah and Moses, because Peter offered to build tabernacles for each one of them. Peter could identify Elijah and Moses. This is even more interesting considering that Peter had never before seen them in person. If their spiritual bodies were identifiable on earth, they surely will be in heaven as well.
4. Revelation 6:9-10. Brother Guy Woods spoke of the souls in this passage as being, (a) personalities in the death state; (b) they had a consciousness of their surroundings; ( c) they knew why they were there; (d) they had been murdered; (e) they were aware of the fact that their murderers had not yet been punished.
5. Luke 16:19-31. The case of the rich man and Lazarus gives us a glimpse into the afterlife. Some contend this is only a parable and it cannot be relied on as an accurate picture of Hades. Parable or not, it is still Biblical truth. If it is a parable, it is the only one in the Bible where one of the people in it is listed by an actual name. All the characters where conscious, aware of their surroundings, and they possessed a memory of the world that was left behind. The rich man no doubt recognized who Lazarus and Abraham were. During the incident Abraham told the rich man to “remember,” which indicates we will have the ability to do so. We can safely infer from this passage that we will have memory of one another, and even recognize individuals we have never seen before in person (e.g., Abraham). -Ed

The Bible has many ways of describing the Christian’s walk through life, but I would like to compare it to something we are all well familiar with today. Paul often referred to the Christian life as a walk or race (Eph. 4-5), and Jesus compared us to branches on a vine and sheep in a flock. All of those things would be very familiar to the people that Paul and Jesus were addressing. One thing common to all of society today is the roads we travel on a daily basis. Let’s see some lessons we can learn from using that teaching method in today’s times.
1. “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life” (Matt. 7:14). Jesus teaches that there will be few who make it to heaven because of the challenges the Christian life will present. It clearly takes dedication and focus. Imagine you’re driving down the highway and come to a construction zone. You find that the lanes are being closed until you are crammed between two concrete barriers in a lane barely the width of your car forced to drive at 60 mph. What is demanded of us in a situation like that? Can we be careless and distracted by our surroundings? It takes focus. You have to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes squarely on the road. Lack of focus could cause you to swerve into one of the barriers. The Christian life is much the same way, except the Christian life is like driving between those concrete barriers all the time. We have chosen a roadway for our life that demands more effort than those who choose the easy way. The easy way is described as “the way that leads to destruction, there are many who go in by it” (Matt. 7:13).
2. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). We must remember that while we are driving down the highway of life, we are heading to the greatest destination ever. We are taking this road trip because of our love for God, and because we were “called according to His purpose”. The roadway of life will have many obstacles to overcome. We will drive through many storms during our life. There will be times we will have a “flat”, or the “car” breaks down. We will hit the many potholes and speed bumps of life that will slow us down. But, during all this we have the promise of Paul in the verse above. That promise states that if we love God, He will take all those obstacles and somehow turn them into something good that will later benefit us on our journey. Paul also reminds us that no matter how hard the drive may be, we have something much greater to look forward to. He said, “for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18). The destination is definitely worth the drive!
3. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). There are times that we get lost as we try to find a certain destination. We may take a wrong turn or listen to some bad directions. The same applies to our Christian life. There may be times when we take a bad spiritual turn away from the Lord. John tells us in the verse above that God has given us a way to get back to the right road and direction. We can confess our sins to God, and He will forgive us. He has made it possible for us to get back on the correct route to make it to our destination. God is the ultimate “GPS” system, and He has given us the greatest road map ever in the Bible. -Ed

We live in a day and time when a big part of our money, time, and energy is devoted to preparing for the security of our futures. Just spend a little time watching television and you will see countless commercials prodding us to get the right 401(k) or IRA, so our “nest egg” will be nice and plump by the time we reach our golden years. It’s always good to be prepared for the future, and we would be irresponsible if we did not. If we do not make plans to support ourselves in the future, someone else will have to. However, just like with everything else in this world, we can go to extremes. We must be careful not to neglect the duties of the present because of anxiety about a future that may never come. It’s easy in today’s society to want to lay up treasures in all the wrong places.
Jesus taught about this very thing in the parable of the rich fool. The fool was apparently obsessed with storing up great possessions for his future. The rich fool said, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). The fool had stored up his treasures in the wrong place, because God was going to require his soul that very night. Jesus stated in the parable that “God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20,21). We learn an important lesson from the parable. There is nothing wrong with preparing for the future, but we must have our priorities straight. Is it more important to lay up treasures on earth or in heaven? The fool was only concerned about here on earth. Are we spending more time preparing for our temporal future here on earth, or our eternal future in heaven with the Father?
We must also remember that we are not promised another day on this earth. James gave a warning to those who would say “today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit” (James 4:13). He went on to say, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:14,15). Are we laying up spiritual treasures or worldly possessions? Let’s consider some questions we can ask ourselves to examine what our true motives are for our future.
1. Am I seeking to accomplish God’s will, or my will in the way I am preparing for my future? We must consider our true motives for the assets we set aside for the future. We should ask, “Am I keeping back from God now, so I can enjoy it on myself down the road?”
2. Am I seeking first the “kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33), or am I seeking first the kingdom of ___________________ (insert your name here)? We must remember the context Jesus was speaking of when He told us to seek first the kingdom of God. Jesus told us that by doing so, God would provide those essential things we need in life. It’s a matter of trust in God! When we neglect the work of the kingdom in the present, by going overboard on preparing for the future, we are showing a lack of faith in God’s providential care. -Ed

One of the most important things a Christian must do is study God’s Word, and a failure to do so will lead to a lack of spiritual growth and a weaker faith. Paul told the Christians in Rome that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Our faith becomes stronger as we study the Bible. Paul knew the importance of study. He told Timothy to “continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from who you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:14,15). Notice that Paul told Timothy to “continue in the things which you have learned.” Paul understood that it takes continual study of God’s Word to remain faithful and grow. That is why he also told Timothy to “study to show thyself approved unto God” (2 Tim. 2:15).
We place ourselves in spiritual danger when we stop studying the Bible. God condemned Israel through the voice of Hosea when He said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hosea 4:6). Many of the Jews in the first century also had a problem due to their failure to study. They were sincere in their religion, but they were sincerely wrong. Paul described them as having “a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). We must be diligent in our studies to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Let’s examine some different ways we can study the Bible. First, we must understand that there is a difference between reading the Bible and studying the Bible. Regular Bible reading is important, but it is not the same as in-depth study. Here are some different options to consider.
1. Get involved in the congregation’s Bible classes. Many of us limit our study to the time we spend in our Sunday and Wednesday night Bible classes. Study the material you are learning in class at home before you go. You will also retain much more of the material if you review what you have learned during the class later at home. Take good notes and organize them in a notebook for later reference.
2. Conduct your own expository Bible study. Decide on a certain text that you would like to study in-depth. It could be a few verses or a whole chapter. Go through the text verse by verse and write down several key points you learn from each verse. You can then search for other scriptures that elaborate on the points you wrote down.
3. Conduct your own topical Bible study. Decide on a specific topic that you would like to study about. Use a topical Bible, concordance, or commentary to locate all the other passages in the Bible that are related to your topic. This is very effective way to study, because it teaches us to harmonize the Scriptures.
4. Get organized and equipped. Purchase some three ring binders, and get dividers so you can make space in them for information on specific Bible books or Biblical topics. Keep track of your notes and handouts from Bible classes by filing them in the binders. You may also consider buying a good concordance and Bible dictionary. Commentaries are good to have as well, but remember that not all commentaries are written by members of the Lord’s church and some of them can be misleading. -Ed

It seems like everywhere you look today you can find a “support group” or “support system” to help someone caught up in serious problems, addiction or despair; but what about the Christian? Do we have a support system? Those addicted to alcohol have support systems. Those addicted to drugs have support systems. Those who have eating disorders, anger disorders, or marital problems have groups. Christians are not immune to the problems or addictions of this world. Christians will fall into sin, temptation, and despair at times. Where can the Christian go for help? Some Christians may need the help of some of the support systems offered by the world, but the greatest and most beneficial support the Christian has was provided by God himself. The problem seems to be that many Christians who go to the world for help either do not know what God has provided, do not have the faith it will work, or has not taken advantage of the many blessings we have. Let’s examine some of the characteristics of the ultimate support system that God has provided for those who follow Him.
1. We have the Word of God. God has given us “All things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory” (2 Pet. 1:3). Paul told Timothy “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16,17). As Christians we must believe these statements to be true. That means that God has provided us with everything we need in His Word to deal with anything that comes our way whether good of bad. God has given us the tools to use, but they don’t help if we don’t use them. We can look to God’s Word for the answer to any problem we may face. We can also look back at men and women in the Bible who suffered through similar ordeals, and see how they used God’s help to overcome. God’s Word is part of our support system, but it only works if we open it and study it.
2. We have the support of other Christians. This is a major component of God’s support system. The New Testament is full of passages telling us to lean on one another and bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2, Rom. 12:19-16). We are told to exhort and edify one another constantly (e.g., Heb. 3:13; 10:24,25). We come together for spiritual nourishment on the Lord’s Day and mid week Bible study. The support comes from edifying and confiding in one another. Unfortunately, this part of the support system does not get used like it should because brethren are afraid to open up to one another in fear of embarrassment or shame. This shouldn’t be so. When we fail to use one another as God intended, we cut our amount of support short.
3. We have the power of prayer. Who else better to talk to about your problems than God? Many Christians do not benefit from the power of prayer because they fail to talk to God about what is going on in their lives. We can talk to God about anything. The apostle Peter said that we could cast all our care upon Him, because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Again, many of us do not benefit from the support God gives us because we are not taking full advantage of all He has blessed us with.
Christians can seek help for their problems outside the Lord’s church, but we must not forget that as Christians we actually live everyday as part of the ultimate support system that is overseen by God Himself. -Ed

So many Christians never experience the true blessings of being one of God’s children because they refuse to exert the energy it takes to grow spiritually. Christianity is not a religion of relaxation; it is one of constant work and effort. The athlete does not become good at their chosen sport by simply putting on a uniform and then doing nothing to further their skills. It takes practice, dedication, effort, and persistence to become good. The same applies to Christianity. We are expected to grow, and if we do not, we cannot expect to benefit from God’s blessings. The athlete will never win without effort, and the Christian will never reach the goal of heaven without growing spiritually. Peter spoke of this very issue when he exhorted Christians to give “all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:5-8). There are some things we can do to add those things Peter spoke of in our effort to grow spiritually. Consider the following suggestions.
1. Spend some time in God’s Word every day. This is one of the most important things we can do because God has “given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Pet. 1:3). The Bible has everything the Christian needs to be “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17). Our faith grows by reading and studying the source of our faith, the Bible (Rom. 10:17). We all need to be actively involved in some type of daily reading or study. There are many Bible reading schedules you can follow. If you have access to the Internet, use the “Daily Bread” sections of the “Preacher Mail” to give you an organized way to spend time studying each day. We simply cannot, and will not, grow spiritually if we do not spend time studying our Bibles.
2. Spend as much time with your church family as you can. Being part of a loving church family is one of the greatest blessings from God. Not only does it provide an important support system for the Christian, but it is also a source of spiritual growth. We all know the Bible teaches we should not “forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Heb. 10:25). This is a vitally important part of God’s plan for us to spiritually grow, but it does not stop at just attending all the worship services. We need to be around our Christian brethren all during the week as well. We grow from being around other people who believe and cherish the same things we do. We can lean on one another, and learn from one another.
3. Dedicate certain times of your day to drawing nearer to God in prayer. Prayer is a time for us to thank God, praise God, and ask for His support and forgiveness; but it is also a time that we spiritually grow. We learn a great deal about ourselves while we pray. When we lay it all out there before God, we recognize those areas of our lives where we need to grow. We are not only talking to God when we pray, but we are also talking to ourselves. Prayer is a great opportunity for us to find out if we really are trying to conform our lives to God’s will.
It’s easy to fall into ruts of complacency regarding our spiritual life because of everything else going around us. Let’s all remember what truly is most important! -Ed

County music singer Johnny Cash had a hit song titled “I Walk the line” in which he sang about how he had to walk the line in his relationship to keep the woman that he loved from leaving him. One of the verses of the song states, “I keep a close watch on this heart of mine, I keep my eyes wide open all the time, I keep the ends out for the tie that binds because your mine, I walk the line.” Cash presents some great truths in this song when it comes to the responsibility of living life in a manner that will strengthen and maintain a relationship instead of putting it in danger.
The metaphor of “the walk” is often used to depict how one lives their life. Cash used it to represent maintaining one’s character of life in order to maintain a human relationship. The Bible often uses that metaphor as well. The apostle Paul mentioned the Christian’s walk several times, especially in the book of Ephesians. In Ephesians chapters four and five, Paul points out the “walks” of life that Christians should avoid and then explains the walk (or manner of life) that all Christians should strive for. Johnny Cash’s classic song dealt with a man’s walk having influence on a romantic relationship, where Paul’s admonition speaks of a much greater truth; the relationship between God and man. Let’s examine how Paul says we as Christians should, and should not, “walk” through this life as servants of God.
1. Ephesians 4:17-24. Paul warns of returning to the way we were before we became Christians. He stated, “that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind…being alienated from the life of God” (Eph. 4:17,18). He goes on to say later that we should “put on the new man” (Eph. 4:24). Once we begin our Christian walk, we must leave our old way of life behind us.
2. Ephesians 5:15-18. Paul tells us the need to walk “circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Eph. 5:15). Johnny Cash stated in his song that he “kept his eyes wide open all the time”. Cash was basically saying what Paul meant when he said to walk “circumspectly.” We must constantly be on guard in our life using the wisdom that God provides, and not that of the world. A fool will constantly be trapped and tempted by the ways of the world, but the Christian is to “understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17), and conform his or her life to it.
3. Ephesians 5:2-7. Paul tells us that we must “walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us” (Eph. 5:2). He then goes on to contrast how walking in love means we will abandon the many selfish sins that will keep us from inheriting the kingdom of Christ. Walking in love shows our obedience to God (John 14:15), as opposed to being “partakers” with “the sons of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6,7).
4. Ephesians 5:8-14. Paul tells us that we must walk as “children of Light” (Eph. 5:8). We know that “God is light, and in Him is not darkness at all” (John 1:5). We know that we are to “walk in the light as He (Christ) is in the light” (1 John 1:7), so God will continue to forgive us. Paul takes it a bit further and tells us that we are to walk as light to expose the darkness of the world around us. He said, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph. 5:11). Remember, Jesus said “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).
Let’s be sure to ask ourselves if we are walking the line for Christ in our lives! -Ed

Skeptics have been searching the Bible for almost two thousand years looking for a contradiction that would prove it’s falsehood, and some claim they have found just that between two of the accounts of Paul’s conversion given in the book of Acts. Unbelievers feel confident that a contradiction found in God’s Word would prove that the Book is not divinely inspired, but in every case they have failed to do so, including this one. The two verses in question are Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9. They are both passages speaking of the same event, Paul’s conversion, but each account is given by a different person. In Acts chapter nine we see Luke giving a description of the conversion, where in the twenty-second chapter we have Paul describing the event in his own words. The casual reader of the two texts can quickly see there is a difference in the two accounts given, but one must fully consider all the options before stamping the incident as a proven unquestionable contradiction.
The incident in question from both of the passages is regarding whether or not the men that were with Paul heard or did not hear the voice of the person who was speaking to Paul in the vision on the road to Damascus. Luke stated, “And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one” (Acts 9:7). In Paul’s account of the incident, he said “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me” (Acts 22:9). At first glance this may appear to be a contradiction, but an explanation can be reached rather easily. Before we do so, however, it would be beneficial if we have a proper understanding of what an actual contradiction is. To contradict means to be in opposition of something or the opposite of something. A statement may be labeled as a contradiction, but one must be able to prove that it is by showing that there is no other possible explanation or solution for why the statement may appear to be so. So, in our case above, can it be proven that the two statements are contradictory, or can a reasonable explanation or solution for the difference be shown as a possibility? If a possible solution can be shown, then the statement cannot be declared as a definitive contradiction.
The issue with these texts comes down to the different possible uses of the verb “hear”. We must remember we are hearing the same story being told by two different men from two different perspectives. Can someone “hear” the sound of a person’s voice without actually “hearing” the words that are being spoken. Have you ever heard someone say, “I can hear your voice, but I can’t hear what you are saying?” Have you ever heard the voice of someone talking to you, but were not actually able to hear the words they were saying? Have you ever heard a person’s voice speaking to you, but tell them “I don’t hear you” when you could not understand the actual individual words they were saying? It’s possible to hear without hearing!
It would seem that is what occurred with the men in the two accounts we are studying. In Acts 9:7 it is clear that Luke said the men were “hearing a voice”. In Acts 22:9, Paul said they “did not hear the voice”. We have to ask if it is possible that the men heard the sound of the man speaking but could not hear the actual articulated words that were spoken whereby understanding them. Since this is one possible and viable solution, the two verses cannot be proven to be a contradiction. -Ed

Unfortunately there is much error in Christianity today, but without a doubt the most damaging doctrine taught is that of “Faith Only” salvation. The doctrine was born and developed in the protestant reformation by such men as Martin Luther and John Wesley, and has grown rapidly over the last several hundred years. We know the Bible warns us about believing the doctrines of men, and we must always see if any teaching of man can be supported by the New Testament Scriptures.
The doctrine of Faith only salvation teaches that all one must do to become saved and have his sins forgiven is believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and ask Him into his heart. There are many ways to prove this doctrine false by simply opening our New Testament and studying it. One of those many ways is to simply ask the question stated above and answer it from the New testament. According to this false teaching all one must do is simply believe in Jesus Christ and they are saved. So I would ask you to consider the question. Is it possible to Believe in Jesus Christ and not be saved? If we can show the Scriptures answer this question in the affirmative, then we would have successfully proven the doctrine to be false.
The first, and most obvious, passage we should turn to is in the book of James. James said, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble” (Jam. 2:19)! Here James tells us that the demons believe in God, but it is obvious that they are not saved. Why is that? Even though the demons believe, they cannot be saved because they do not have an obedient faith. They have a dead faith that does not lead to obedience and cannot justify anyone (James 2:24).
Another good example of some people who believed in Jesus Christ, but were not in a saved condition, were some of the chief Jewish rulers of Jesus’ day. Listen to how the apostle John described them. “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42,43). Again we see an example of people who believe, but they do not have a Biblical faith, which is willing to act on their belief in obedience to all of God’s commands. There is an example of some other chief Jewish rulers who showed the proper kind of belief in the sixth chapter of Acts. “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). So what is different about these rulers? They heard the Word of God, believed it, and were obedient to it. They not only claimed to believe, but they showed their belief by obeying the faith. Just believing is not enough. On the day of Pentecost three thousand Jews yelled out to Peter and the apostles, “men and brethren, what should we do” (Acts 2:37). If believing was all it took, then Peter should have told them just to believe. Peter told them something else they had to do in addition to their belief, and it was for them to “repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38). Belief is vitally important to one’s salvation, but faith alone will not save anyone (James 2:14,24). The Biblical faith that saves is the kind that faithfully obeys the commands of God, especially the ones that are conditions of our salvation. -Ed

Sometimes forgiving someone can be one of the hardest things we ever have to do. As Christians, we must always remember that the principle of forgiveness is at the center of our faith. The New Testament is very clear about our duties to forgive. We do not have a choice in the matter. The apostle Paul said, “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3:13). Paul related our forgiveness toward others to the forgiveness that Christ gave to us. He made a similar statement to the Ephesians when he said, “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). Paul told us in that statement that we should forgive because God forgave us through Christ. Jesus prayed “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt. 6:12) when he was teaching the disciples how to pray. Jesus also said immediately after the prayer, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15).
Jesus and Paul directly linked God’s forgiveness of our sins to our willingness to forgive others who sin against us.
The apostle Peter and Jesus had a revealing conversation about forgiveness, where we learn that God does not put a limit on the amount of times we should forgive each other. Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (Matt. 18:21) Jesus answered Peter by telling him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matt. 18:22).
As we consider all of this, we also need to remember what Jesus described as Biblical forgiveness. God only forgives us of our sins when we repent of them. In like manner, we are expected to forgive those who have sinned against us when they repent while asking for forgiveness. We should always have a forgiving spirit, even toward those who are not penitent, but Jesus commands us specifically to forgive those who actually repent. Jesus stated, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4). Repentance and forgiveness go hand in hand.
All of us have had times when we found it difficult to forgive someone. We cannot settle for holding a grudge when the Bible is so clear on what we must do. Consider the scriptures above along with these following points.
1. We must remember that God forgave us even though we have sinned against Him, and are so undeserving of that forgiveness.
2. We must remember that people are not perfect and make mistakes. You never can tell when you may be guilty of the very same thing you are not willing to forgive someone else for.
3. We must remember the influence that our lack of forgiveness toward others will have on weaker Christians who must learn to forgive others as well.
Maybe when we find ourselves in a situation where we need to forgive someone, we should remember these three things. I’m sure they will help us all see the importance of following God’s example and forgiving others. -Ed