Ableness to forgive those who wronged us

In the 18th chapter of Matthew we learn that we should humble ourselves. Jesus also tells us we should be open to welcome the ‘innocent” or “young ones’ or “children” and warns us for the dangers of following our temptations.

Woe to the world because of temptations! For it must be that temptations come, but woe to that man by whom the temptation comes! {Matthew 18:7 MEV}

We perhaps can not escape to receive many temptations, but we can avoid falling for them. In our life we shall encounter many times, we ourself doing wrong, but also others doing wrong against us. That shall put us often in a difficult position, having to take a certain attitude against the one who did wrong to us.

In Matthew 6:15, Jesus looked at that situation where we would meet people who did something we did not like or found wrong. Jesus then taught that if we would not forgive men their trespasses, how could we then expect God to be willing to forgive our trespasses?

We should know that others, like ourself, can do wrong. Such wrong doing should not always be done on purpose. And even when it would be, it is up to the follower of Christ to take the first step. Though forgiveness isn’t always easy, the follower of Christ should remember Jesus his example.

The Jews knew about Judaic teachings emphasizing forgiveness for those who have offended. In the Testament of Gad, for example, the writer says

“Love one another from the heart, therefore, and if anyone sins against you, speak to him in peace. Expel the venom of hatred, and do not harbor deceit in your heart. If anyone confesses and repents, forgive him” (T.Gad 6:3).

When speaking from the heart, others soon shall come to find out what sort of heart you have. A good Jew was required not to have a heart of stone. The example above is sufficient to demonstrate Jews in the first century were not proto-Puritans condemning everyone’s sin, nor were they standing on the street corners with signs damning everyone else to Hell. For the most part, the Judaism of Jesus’s day understood they had received great mercy and grace from God and that the “venom of hatred” does no one any good.

In Jewish teachings it was taught every Jew as a Chosen one of God had to respect any other human being, because each man is created in the image of Gdo and as such as creatures of the Most High Elohim should be respected by a child of God.

It is known that offering mercy and forgiveness is not easy. When Peter asked Jesus

“Lord, how often shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

he probably thought he was being gracious with forgiving 7 times.

Jesus his reply may be astonishing, what a number of times we should forgive: he says seventy times seven which is 490. Even so He means this figuratively. We are to forgive always.

We should look at our Creator Who had to endure the rebellion of man and Who saw man going astray so often, but always was willing to come close again and help man. On many occasions God showed His love for the sinful man. Man should come to see that the Kingdom we strive for is really built on forgiveness.

To be able to forgive there first has to be love. Without love there is no possibility to honestly take the right attitude against the one who did wrong to you. We may not forget that love wipes away many sins. (1 Peter 4:8) Forgiving is covering up. Having to face a multitude of sins in our life we shall have to disregard the offences of others many times. Each time the memories of the wrong resurface, we may need to forgive again and again.

The difficulty we may face is that our emotions do not agree with forgiveness, but then we should think of Christ Jesus who looked at the people around him and knew very well what he had to do to bring salvation over them. Would we do such a thing like Jesus did? Giving our life for an other?

Remember the unending forgiveness God has already given to the disciples, and by extension to all those who are in Christ in the present age. We should come to reflect the unending mercy of the heavenly Father who has already forgiven mankind of all of their sins.

Let’s not hold grudges today and let not our pride being stronger than our humbleness. In a way it requires to be humble to put our own grudges away. Let’s remember that bitterness only destroys the vessel that carries it. Let’s love in spite of our feelings.

Sometimes we have to start all over and forgive again and again. The bigger the hurt or wrong, the harder forgiveness can be. But if Jesus can forgive us of our greatest wrong, then we too should be able to forgive others who have wronged us.

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Preceding posts

Matthew 18:7-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Danger of Stumbling-blocks

Matthew 18:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Searching for Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Three Steps to Gaining a Brother

Matthew 18:21-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Forgive 77 Times!

About transgression, law and punishments

Psalm 32:1,2 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered…”

Have you ever done something very wrong and shameful; and wished that you were let off without punishment and without being exposed?

If you think of what all you have done, right from childhood till now; I am sure there will be something for which you are ashamed off and something which you don’t want to pay for. Most of us don’t have to go so far back into their childhood, to think of this. It may be quite recent. But we know how blessed it is to be forgiven and covered. King David knew what it is to be forgiven and covered. Though his actions were not kept secret, yet he was covered from being put to death as per God’s law.

Some have asked, why God sent his son so late into this world. Why did not Christ come earlier?

Well, God purposely waiting for the right time:

Galatians 4: 4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Moses receives the law (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God had to first let the people know, what it is to face the consequences of their wrong action. So God first gave them the Law through Moses. The breaking of the Law brought in swift punishments. Eye for eye and life for life it was and there was no escape:

Exodus 21: 23-25 “But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burns for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

Those caught in adultery were to be put to death:

Deuteronomy 22: 22 “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die.”

Those who committed murder had to be immediately killed:

Leviticus 24:17 “And he that kills any man shall surely be put to death.”

The thief who was caught had to restore four to five times of the amount he had stolen:

Exodus 22: 1 “”Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.”

The people do not go by the Law and often demand a lot more; besides handing in any number of blows and insults:

Proverbs 6: 31 “Yet if he is caught, he must pay seven-fold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.”

Under the Law of Moses, a person who lied in court would receive the punishment the person on trial would have received if the lie was believed. (Deuteronomy 19:16–19)

We don’t even have the time to mention all the punishments that one has to face for breaking various other laws. In short, the Law was our teacher, to make us realize the grace we received through the coming of God’s son Jesus:

Galatians 3: 24 “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

Though we gentiles were not under the law of Moses, yet we all know the consequences of facing punishments from the government and the court of Law.
There is no forgiveness or letting up, once we are caught, without paying hefty fines or spending years in Jail or even getting death penalty.
Imagine how many times we have to be killed or jailed for all our wrong actions from our childhood up until now?

How blessed indeed we are, that the God who knows all our actions, will forgive us and protect us from such a great penalty. All this He did, by sending His Own Son, Jesus, to take our punishment and shame. How thankful we must for this great blessing and repent truly from our mistakes.

Let us pray:

Thank you, Great and Merciful Father in Heaven; for this great blessing of forgiveness. Please help me not to take advantage of your goodness; but rather repent fully and bring glory to your name. I pray in Jesus’s lovely name, Amen!

These Daily Bible comments by Bro. D.S.P. Varma, Bangalore, India. It is part of a forthcoming book and therefore, it is not to be compiled or translated or published by anyone, without written permission from the author.
For any inquiries or Bible questions, Call: 9731566541 or Mail to: varmjack@gmail.com

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Preceding articles:

Object of first woe

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 5:27-30 – 2. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 20:14

Matthew 5:31-32 – 3. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Deuteronomy 24:1

Matthew 5:38-42 – 5. The Nazarene’s Commentary on Exodus 21:24

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Additional reading

1. Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans
2. Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4
3. No time for immorality
4. Brunei introducing a raft of tough sharia punishments
5. Necessity of a revelation of creation 1 Works of God and works of man

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Further related

1. Leviticus 24 – Eye for an Eye
2. Proverbs 5: Duplicity
3. Proverbs 25:21-22 How To Treat Your Enemy
4. July 26, 2017 – The Legacies We Leave – 1 Kings 2:1-4
5. The Beautitudes in the Law of Moses
6. “An ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere?” ~~Jesus
7. What is Forgiveness? Why some people are more forgiving than others?
8. This is your Brain. This is your Brain on Porn
9. probation
10. Don’t Touch!!
11. Modern Day Idols
12. children of prostitution
13. The first to drop the stone
14. Adultery – The Sin of the Eyes and the Flesh
15. Spiritual Adultery!
16. Don’t give in to Temptation! – Prov. 5
17. The Sixth and Seventh Commandments
18. Command Number 7: You Shall Not Commit Adultery
19. Aphrodite In Chains: Adultery Vs. Technology
20. “Abstain from Sexual Immorality”
21. Divided Opinions
22. Who are the adulterers of the book of James?

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Related articles

• God can change for your sake
• Irish priest who exposed pedophile to sue Florida diocese for defamation
• Case raises questions of fairness in executing mentally ill
• A new breed of prosecutors are changing the US criminal justice system from the inside out
• Consistent And Flexible
• Do you purpose that your mouth will not transgress
• For Getting to know Jesus

The Picture of the Governing Body

Crasizag is a blog that wants to document a family’s journey from what she calls a cult, but what we would consider more a denomination. It is namely very difficult to get in that congregation of believers but very easy to get out of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

It seems she has not had “a bright and happy past” in that organisation, because she is now looking forward to a better “future”.

Is it Asiza (?) whose purpose is

to help people to think for themselves, so they have the freedom to make their own decisions and to give them the love and support they need while on their personal journey’s. To encourage, to strengthen and to inspire them to live their best lives.

that is something every person should do, believer and non-believer.

The birth of her baby boy changed her life and he taught her about real, unconditional love.

He was a scrap of humanity but in just existing he took my heart, expanded it and helped me understand completely that there can Only be unconditional love for your children. From that point on I knew that no matter what happened I would Always love him and I could never ‘cut him off’ just because of not believing what I believed. {For my son} (editorial note: the shouting with capitals has been removed and replaced with only one capital: by only & always)

In a way that brings us to “shunning of people their own children” which seems to happen by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and which is not only shameful and needs to stop, it is also an unchristian act. But we must know that shunning is being used more as a social control mechanism. Such social control mechanism are used most commonly in small tight-knit social groups to punish those who violate the most serious group rules.

When your child, no matter what age has done something wrong -surely that is when they need their parents the most, they do not need to be exiled and ignored! {For my son}

Whatever children may have done wrongly, even when it would be murder, parents always have to take care of them and should show them their love and protect them against those who could do them harm.

the writer of the above mentioned blog and of this guest-writing came to leave the Witnesses for good, whilst

a great deal revolved around the love for my son, and wanting a different life for him. {For my son}

she writes.

For her

A parents love should reflect how God loves us, not this conditional love that the Witnesses teach, but an all encompassing love and acceptance that cannot be denied.

Leaving has made it possible for our son to have a normal life. A life full of family, friends, joy, and new experiences, without the rules of the Witnesses isolating him from the world around him.

With her husband she writes her blog, where both share their experiences so that other’s can also see there is most certainly life after the Witnesses!

More life and more love than you can ever imagine.

we hope they found out, as well coming to the knowledge they still can keep to the same faith, loving Jehovah and giving their life to Him, instead of giving it to an organisation.

She writes

One of my reasons for leaving – I was dealing with my own memories of child abuse, and during that process I was increasingly sensitive to other’s stories. I read them and shared their pain, one of those stories was Candice Conti, another was the write up in the UK about Gordan Leister and the shocking behaviour of the elders in that case. These articles scratched open a lot of wounds, and forced small cracks into massive ones. I keep on researching paedophilia in the congregations and found the Silent Lambs website, I read Barbara Anderson’s story and Bill Bowen. Suddenly the reality was so ugly that it was hard to look at it, and it was one of the reasons why I had to leave the Witnesses. I could not in good conscience stay associated with them. My heart would not allow me. I could no longer say I was a witness without cringing inside. I felt dirty, degraded and a liar. To rectify that I left, with my head high. Yes, it was scary – the Witness lifestyle was literally all I knew, but having a clear conscience and knowing my young son would be safer out of their clutches gave me strength, and still does to this day. My love for my son is another huge reason I left, but that I will leave for another post.

Comparing the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses to the moral fantasy novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde has been bouncing around her head for some time. She writes

It occurred to her that

if we were to find those metaphorical portraits of the Governing Body our eyes would scorched by the vile filth there portrayed.

She asks us to imagine the portraits of the Governing Body members, the so called faithful and discreet slave

They have been complicit in death, sexual abuse, in fact every abuse we know of, lies, hypocrisy, shame, fearmongering, guilt inducing their members, controlling their members very lives. Why? All to maintain their power, their money, their empire.

When she looks at the JW and their organisation she writes

To understand a bit better why jw’s think as they do about those that leave, think of it this way. Instead of using the words, disfellowshipped, excommunicated – use the words treason and traitor. No matter what your reasons are for leaving, no matter how justified, no matter how reasonable, those that leave are traitors to them . Being a traitor they can call you whatever they like, they can think you the lowest of the low, simply because you decided you no longer wanted to be part of their delusion. {The usual thing with diaries}

She and her husband both waked up at the same time and by doing so they were lucky to have a real support to eachother,

though it doesn’t always work out that way. If one of you has already woken up and the other is still in deep – well that is where some real mental gymnastics find their true calling. {Taking off the ‘blinders’}

We can imagine that many have problems by accepting that the Governing Body are not God’s spokesmen, because they have been told so for many, many years, and never have seem questioned it thoroughly.

Craig explains from here:

“Trying to reason with someone with blinders on is like bashing your head against a brick wall. They cannot see the fact that they cannot see. One of things that I always loved about my wife was her intelligence, but when it came to the Jehovah’s Witnesses she refused to use it.

… The Witnesses see everything good is for Jehovah, and evil is not for Jehovah, the real world you have to learn to live for yourself and think for yourself. Being honest was not encouraged by the jws. If you were honest you would have to question their decisions, because even God says in the Bible, ‘test me’, the jws say ‘obey me blindly’. I could never accept that.

Trying to open her mind was exceptionally difficult, eventually I had to back off and just lay some seeds so that she would think for herself and trust her own intelligence would prove true. When she did finally wake I was there to support her. Eventually that is what happened, but it wasn’t me that done it, it was the birth of our son. I was full of hate for what they were doing to my wife, but never for my wife! It was sad, the woman I loved was being completely subverted by bullshit that didn’t care about her.” {Taking off the ‘blinders’}

For them they came to see that

If you strip away the ‘spiritual aspect’ of the Witnesses all you have is a corporate pyramid scheme. As long as you don’t scratch the surface  – ask too many questions, their product looks amazing, but under examination its full of holes, it doesn’t make sense, and like a virus its designed to take control of your thinking and tear you away from normal society, to hammer you into another drone to join the ranks of the other drones who have done the same. {How important is that JW image? Part 1}

The writer also came to question

What is the most prevalent news item regarding the Witnesses now? Child abuse. Why can’t they simply acknowledge they have a serious problem? Even the Catholic Church have acknowledged their guilt and are working with the authorities. Why can’t they just change the disgusting two-witness rule? Adhere strictly to reporting to the authorities and letting the professionals take over? I think that it all comes down to their hard maintained squeaky clean image. They will deny, lie and otherwise ‘spin’ whatever they have to because their corporate perfect image is the most important thing to them. Sadly, even death, torture, rape and thousands of molestation cases cannot out weigh the importance of maintaining that image. {How important is that JW image? Part 2}

and she came to see where there is a big danger in the organisation’s focus or saying

Well there it is, anything that comes from the publications and the platform or personal counsel from elders means you have to listen to it and apply it, doing otherwise means you are NOT a full grown Christian and are DISLOYAL. {New personality or cult identity?}

It is that fear of being disloyal that may make many not dare to question.

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Preceding articles

A Society pleading poverty

Male domination and tyranny giving opportunities to defile the Name of God

Belonging to or being judged by

Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Random Observations From My Most Recent JW Convention Experience

You Are The Truth

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men

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Additional reading

1. A visible organisation on earth
2. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
3. Jehovah Witnessess Making sure all records relating to child molestation are in harmony
4. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
5. Parenthood made more difficult
6. Growing rift between observant parents and their children
7. “Prayer 2” – Child Abuse
8. Not an easy decision to make
9. Pope Benedict will hide
10. Last day of Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI
11. Responsibility for children who were molested by clergy
12. Catholic church asking for forgiveness and promising to take action against child-abusers
13. Remember there’s a light in the next day
14. Joy: Foundation for a Positive Life

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Further reading

1. As I walked out one summer’s morning
2. Having Fun at Jehovah’s Witness Convention
3. Pedophilia amongst the Jehovah’s Witnesses
4. Jehovah’s witnesses pedophile policy
5. The Watchtower Punished: Society loses legal battle over child abuse case
6. “We will decide who is a predator!” – New Watchtower Instructions to Elders on Child Abuse
7. Jehovah’s Witnesses Child Molestation Victims seek justice
8. Barbara Anderson’s Anecdotes
9. Why Watchtower shut down JWsurvey.org for over 24 hours
10. The Girl Who Took On The Watchtower – Candace Conti Speaks Out
11. In their own words: Candace Conti and Rick Simons speak out in their 2013 interview videos
12. Watchtower files reply brief as Conti appeal continues
13. Kathleen Conti breaks down during emotional SNAP presentation
14. Kathleen Conti supports new bill for victims of child abuse
15. Candace Conti speaks out at RNA 2013 conference
16. Resiliency
17. If child abuse were a disease, we’d see urgent action. Our culture must change : Guardian.
18. Chicago Non-Profit Seeking To Prevent Child Abuse And Neglect
19. The Goddard Inquiry is not the answer to survivors pain
20. Empty Chairs: Much more than a story of Child Abuse. Excerpt here.
21. New Zealand judge who headed an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse in Britain has quit
22. Housemaid saga: Questions for Madam
23. Did God make her leave?
24. Jehovah’s Witnesses Instructed to Brutally Kick Their Own Children Out of the Family If They Disobey the Religion
25. The Shunning
26. The Watchtower Steps Up Their Demands to Shun, Even Family
27. The Loaded Language of the Watchtower – Part 1 … Shocking Where We’ve Heard This Before
28. The Loaded Language of Watchtower – Part 2 … How Words Became an Easy Means to Scapegoat Runaway Slaves
29. Shunning amidst a crisis
30. Jehovah’s Witness Shunning Video Depicts Torture as Acceptable
31. In Shocking Public Discourse, Jehovah’s Witnesses Are Told to Shun Inactive Members, Even Parents!
32. Bigmouth Strikes Again
33. When Leaving Religion Costs You Everything…
34. The Truth About the Watchtower Judicial Committee Process, as Told By a Former Elder
35. Cult or Not a Cult?
36. Finding the Way
37. An Audacious Proposal
38. Review of talk at “Remain loyal to Jehovah” 2016 convention of Jehovahs Witnesses
39. Behavior Modification Is Alive And Well In The Scientology Conflict – Horrifyingly So
40. Them and Us Mentality
41. community
42. Is The Church Really Clueless?

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Related articles

• Night in downtown Erie marred by garbage on streets: Letters to the editor
• 1,200 Jehovah’s Witnesses clean arena before convention
• CESNUR 2016 Conference in Korea, with presentations by Introvigne, Kim (UTS’91), and Fefferman (UTS’86)
• Gen Con set to get underway in Indy
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Accused Of Destroying Ancient Religious Site In Mexico
• Marcus Garvey Park to Feature “All Along the Watchtower” Installation
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
• Russia’s battle against the Jehovah’s Witnesses
• Soviet Witnesses
• Christian group vandalizes ancient Mexican archeological site claiming it’s linked to ‘Devil worship’

We Chose Freedom

This idea of comparing the Governing Body to the book “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde has been bouncing around in my head for some time. It occurred to me that if we were to find those metaphorical portraits of the Governing Body our eyes would scorched by the vile filth there portrayed.

If you are not familiar with this book, here is the plot from Wikipedia:

—Dorian Gray is the subject of a full-length portrait in oil by Basil Hallward, an artist who is impressed and infatuated by Dorian’s beauty; he believes that Dorian’s beauty is responsible for the new mode in his art as a painter. Through Basil, Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, and he soon is enthralled by the aristocrat’s hedonistic worldview: that beauty and sensual fulfilment are the only things worth pursuing in life.

Newly understanding that his beauty will fade, Dorian expresses…

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