November 10, 2024
Sermon Part 4B: “First, Walk Blindly Backwards, To Move Forward in Jesus Christ!”
If you are born-again Christian, to walk with Jesus Christ, you must “first” learn and be willing to walk “blindly” backwards to cover (forgive) the sins of fellow Christians, and all people, with the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lord.
Good Morning Saints, It is So Good to Know the Lord!
Introduction
I trust that you have been enjoying this Series entitled, “The Story of Noah: You’re Gonna Love It!” The story of Noah is like none other in the Bible. In my humble opinion, with the exception of Jesus Christ, no man on earth was exposed to sin and violence as much as Noah, and yet Noah alone stood with God. (Gen. 6:5-8, 13) Furthermore, with the exception of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead on the third-day; the saving of Noah, his family, and the animals from world-wide destruction by water, is by far the greatest earthly miracle experienced in the history of Mankind. While the entire earth was swallowed up in water, from beneath the depths of the seas and Heaven’s rains above, and every living thing perished; the Ark of Noah floated on top of the waters (the world) until it rested on dry land more than a year later after the Flood. (Gen.7:16-23 & 8:1-17)
However, in Noah’s story there was also self-inflicted calamity. Noah, God’s great Prophet’s behavior was not perfect after the Flood; and neither could it be. Just as every person born into this world has “evil imaginations” planted within their heart by Satan, due to Adam’s sin. Within the recesses of Noah’s heart was also an evil imagination from his youth. (Eph. 2:1-3) And, Noah did act on it.
From a vineyard planted by Noah he harvested grapes, made wine, got drunk, and passed out in his tent. (Gen. 9:21) Tempted by Satan, Noah, for a moment in time let his inner carnal urges to drink wine get the best of him, and he over indulged. His youngest son Ham, with evil intents of the heart, took advantage of Noah by stripping him of his garments and exposing his nakedness.
We studied the wicked actions of Ham last week, and today we will focus on the actions of Noah’s two sons Shem and Japheth, who when told by Ham of their fathers drunkenness and nakedness came to his rescue. As born-again Christians, we can learn from Noah’s two noble sons how we must respond when fellow Christians miss the mark and sin, as well as people who do not know the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior.
Also, from this unfortunate episode in the life of Noah and his family, we gain strength and joy in knowing that evil never triumphs over good, and only serves to propel the Lord’s people who will walk in love, into greater harvests of blessings. The actions of Shem and Japheth provide for us a clear window into how the supernatural blessings of God’s prosperity and health are manifested in our lives, when we practice, “first” walking blindly backwards to cover the sins of others.
Shem and Japheth Walked Backwards and Moved Forward in Rich Blessings
For the sake of anyone who has missed any part of this Series, and are unfamiliar with the episode of Noah’s drunkenness after the Flood, the “whole story” is recorded at Genesis 9:20-29. I say the whole story because one night of “error” does not erase the great life Noah enjoyed walking, with and in God, for his 950-years on earth.
In the New Testament of the Bible there is no mention of the incident of Noah’s drunkenness. Rather, Noah is remembered as the descendant of Adam and a part of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, for his unfeigned faith in God in building the Ark, as a Preacher of Righteousness completely embodied by Christ’s Spirit, and the victor after the Flood. For God made Noah the heir of Righteousness and ruler of the new world! (Luke 3:36, 17:26-27, II Pet. 3: 5-6, 2:5, & Heb. 11:7) That’s an awesome and excellent resume wouldn’t you say?
Since we are born-again Christians, and admonished to “live and walk by faith in God in Christ,” then we must give far more regard to actions of faith demonstrated in the Story of Noah, rather than momentary lapses in judgment, fear, and sin. (Rom. 1:17, Gal. 3:11, & Heb.10:38) Yes, our holy ambition is to absorb all we can from the Story of Noah to help us walk circumspect before the Lord, and pleasing in His sight. (Rom.15:4)
Now, Genesis 9:20-29 reads as follows:
20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.
24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
26 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
As illustrated in the lead picture of the Sermon, when Ham deceitfully told his brothers Shem and Japheth about their father’s condition, they immediately took a garment, and laid it upon both of their shoulders, and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father while he was still passed out. Their faces never saw Noah’s drunkenness and nakedness as they walked backwards. In other words, out of a motive of love, honor, and respect for their father, both sons refused to see Noah in a sinful and shameful state. They refused to guilt, shame, and condemn Noah for his wrong actions; as their brother Ham had hoped they would.
Instead, Shem and Japheth turned a blind eye to it all, and walked backwards with the garment to cover Noah’s sins. In their eyes and hearts, their father was a “holy” man of God, blameless, and worthy of all respect. Each step backwards they took to Noah, was in faith that God’s Mercy and Grace was upon him.
This is the great take-way that God wants the Body of Christ to have engrafted into our thought-life; until it becomes our lifestyle. That metaphorically speaking, regardless of the person and reason for their sin, each of us must learn to walk blindly backwards, to cover the sins of others with the blood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ shed blood on the cross at Calvary “unconditionally” cleansed and delivered the whole world of sin; past, present, and future. In so loving the world, Jesus first walked blindly backwards, from the sinful days of Adam and throughout all the ages, to cover and wash away the sins of the world. God working in Christ on the cross was reconciling the world to Himself, “One time for all times.” To God be the glory for the things He has done! (Rom. 5:19, Rev.1:5-6 & II Cor. 5:18-19)
Tell me Saints, shall we as born-again Christians, (who possess regenerated hearts, purged of all evil imaginations of the heart, and made complete with the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Jesus Christ) do anything less for our brothers and sisters who commit sin, and all other sinners? Shouldn’t we, as the elect of God in Christ, follow Christ’s example? We certainly have been Commanded to walk as Christ walked. More on this will follow, but see what the Apostle Paul wrote at Ephesians 5:1-2:
Be ye therefore followers (imitators) of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Now, I want you to look closely at Verse 24 of Genesis 9; it’s vitally important. After Noah’s sons placed the garment on him, (an act not just of protecting his physical privacy, but also of spiritual covering of sin), it says their father “awoke from the wine.” Umm, can you see the Power of God at work in this?
When Ham undressed Noah he remained in his drunken stupor, and more wickedness was done to Noah. Oh, but when Shem and Japheth covered Noah with the garment, he woke up!
You see when we walk-backwards and blindly forgive the sins of our brother or sister in Christ, and others, we clothe them in “God’s Righteousness.” We present the person before God, as God sees them, and not as the world perceives them to be. God sees them as “Holy,” “Blameless,” and “Useful for His Purpose,” ordained as such from the foundations of the world. Having predestinated them to be adopted as the children of God. (Eph.1:4-5) When we see and treat people as God sees them, then our actions on earth, match those of heaven, and the blessings of God are released on us with supernatural good. When Shem and Japheth put the garment on Noah, there was agreement and unity in the faith; there was the agreement of Righteousness (right-standing with God).
In the Body of Christ corporately, and individually, we need to spend our time dressing Saints and sinners up, rather than undressing and tearing them down and uncovering them! Leaving folks only to wallow in their sins, while steadfastly we claim to be walking/moving forward with the Lord!
When Noah woke up from his wine, he did so in the Wisdom of God. Verse 24 says that Noah “knew what his youngest son had done to him.” The Bible doesn’t tell us that Noah was hung-over, stumbling, or slurring his speech. Rather, Noah was in his right mind and his thoughts were clearly articulated. This reminds me of the song “Amazing Grace.” The lyrics are as follows:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
The Lord hath promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we first begun.
For a period of time, Noah was blind and could not see. But, the grace of God covered his sins, and awakened him to Righteousness that only comes by faith in God, so that he could see again. Though he committed the fault of drunkenness, he knew he was still blessed of God, and a partaker of God’s Covenant and Everlasting Covenant.
In the Spirit, Noah knew all the wickedness Ham had done “to him.” But even more importantly, Noah knew fully of the motives and actions of his two loyal sons, Shem and Japheth. You see when people walk in hatred, they do bad things “to you.” But, when people walk in love, they do good things “for you.” Always be mindful of the steps you take towards others and your motives for doing so. They either lead to cursing or blessing; Steps of betrayal, gossip, complaint, and judgment; or steps of forgiveness, love, kindness, and reconciliation.
In Verse 25, Noah cursed Canaan (grandson of Noah) and omitted the patriarchal blessing on Ham for what he had done “to him.” On the other hand, Noah pronounced “rich” blessings on Shem and Japheth for what they had done “for him.” Simply put, Ham’s sinful actions brought the curse on Canaan and his descendants, and bountiful blessings came upon Shem and Japheth and their descendants for their loving actions.
Saints, this is God’s primary pathway to receiving the Promises of Blessing, enunciated in all Covenant relationships with Him. For example, God through Moses told the children of Israel how to walk in the path to the good-life on earth, recorded at Deuteronomy 30:19-20. It reads:
19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
To walk in the Covenant blessings of Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:1-5), as well as the Everlasting Covenant made with Noah and all of mankind, born-again Christians must choose to love God and keep His Commandments, which is also the cornerstone of our New Covenant. When we love God wholly and keep His Commandment to love others, He manifests Himself in our lives. Yes, God becomes our life and length or our days.
God living in and through us, brings us into His prosperity and divine health. Jesus Christ said that when we love God and our neighbor as ourselves, then we “fulfill all of the law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:36-38) The Apostle Paul also affirmed this truth at Rom.13:8-10. God’s law given to Noah in the Everlasting Covenant said in part, that as long as the earth remained, there would be “seed-time and harvest,” without ceasing. Thus, to walk in love “guarantees” that the blessings of God’s Promises, spoken in faith, will rebound in your life in due season. (Gal. 6:9)
The covering of Noah with the garment by his sons, which symbolically demonstrated their willingness to forgive their father’s sin, led to the awakening of Noah to Righteousness and “propelled” the blessing of God on their lives mightily. Again, having a blind willingness to forgive the sins of others, not only blesses the person receiving the kind-act, but sets you up for even greater blessings from God. Shem and Japheth sowed a blessing into their father’s life, and reaped from Noah bountiful harvests.
Again this week, I share with you Bible Commentary included on the Website, “You Got Questions,” which provides a description of the blessings of both spiritual and material prosperity inherited by Shem and Japheth, in their generations, resulting from Noah’s blessings pronounced on them. The Commentary, with Bible references are as follows:
According to Genesis 10:21, “Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.” This is important because the word Eber is the origin of the Hebrew word for “Hebrew.” The word Shem means “name,” which implies that Noah expected this son’s name to become great. He was right—the modern words Semitic and Semite are derived from Shem’s name. The Bible records that Shem had five sons: Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram (Genesis 10:22).
Shem lived to be 600-years of age (Genesis 11:10–11) and became the ancestor of the Semitic peoples (Genesis 10:1, 21–31). Abraham, a descendant of Shem, is the first person in the Bible who is referred to as a “Hebrew” (Genesis 14:13).
Scripture shows us that Noah blessed Shem above his brothers (Genesis 9:26–27), and it was through Shem that the promised seed destined to crush Satan came (Genesis 3:15). That seed is traced back to Adam’s son Seth (Genesis 5:1–32), through Shem, and on to Abraham, Judah, and David, leading all the way to Jesus Christ. (Luke 3:36).
Shem’s son Elam was the father of the Elamites, who later settled east of Mesopotamia. Shem’s son Ashur, whose name is related to the word Assyria, is most likely the father of those who settled the ancient region of Assyria (Genesis 2:14). Arphaxad is thought by many scholars to be a compound form of the Hebrew word for “Chaldea,” which was a region in southern Mesopotamia (Genesis 11:10–13). It was through Arphaxad that Eber came. Scholars believe that the descendants of Shem’s son Lud became known as the Lydians of Asia Minor. And Aram is identified by Bible scholars with the area northeast of the Promised Land, known today as Syria (cf. 2 Kings 16:6). The sons of Aram are listed in Genesis 10:23. Of Aram’s sons, Uz is later referred to in the book of Job (Job 1:1).
Noah’s firstborn son, Japheth is listed as the father of Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras (Genesis 10:2). Their descendants became the people who lived to the north and west of Israel and, after Babel, spoke what today are classified as Indo-European languages.
In blessing his son Japheth, Noah said, “May God extend Japheth’s territory; / may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, / and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth” (Genesis 9:27). There are two schools of thought regarding what this prophecy about Japheth means.
Some scholars are of the opinion that the enlargement of Japheth’s territory refers to a great numerical increase of his descendants. The comment “may Japheth live in the tents of Shem” means that Japheth will share in the blessings of Shem. According to this view, there was to be a time when God worked primarily with Shem (the people of Israel), but later Japheth would be brought into connection with the faith of Israel to share Israel’s blessings. A similar prophecy is evident in the Abrahamic Covenant, when God promises to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed (Genesis 12:3). The fulfillment is found in Christ and in the gospel coming to the Gentiles at the inception of the church (Acts 15:7; Romans 15:16; Galatians 2:2). Other scholars are of the opinion that the extension of Japheth’s territory refers to territorial enlargement, and living “in the tents of Shem” is the conquest of the Semites’ territory by Japhethites. According to this view, the fulfillment was the Greek and Roman conquests of Israel.
The choice of loving God alone and keeping His Commandment of love is the sure path to walking in the blessing, and not the curse. As born-again Christians, God has assured that the only thing we can walk in is the “blessing,” when we obey the imaginations of our redeemed heart, provoked by the Holy Ghost.
Born-Again Christians Have “No Evil” Imaginations of the Heart; Be Free to Love Others As the Spirit of God Leads
Gee Saints, I wish we more fully understood and accepted by faith who we are in Jesus Christ, and the nature of God we possess. Per the Everlasting Covenant, while Mankind is subject to having evil imaginations in the heart from their youth, as long as the earth remains, our hearts as born-again Christians have been completely changed forever! (Gen. 8:21 & II Cor. 5:17)
We are the sons of God, not born of human blood or will, but by the Will of God. (John 1:12-13) We are born-again by the incorruptible (indestructible) Seed of the Word of God. (I Pet.1:23) Only God’s nature dwells within us, and there are no evil imaginations in our hearts. Neither is there any sin in our hearts. Moreover, from our hearts, we are incapable of conceiving or producing evil from it. (I John 3:9)
I know that sounds radicle. But, it’s the truth about the Grace of God. As underserving as we are of any of God’s goodness, in His great and infinite Love, Mercy and Grace, God saw fit, through Jesus, to make His Holy habitation in us. To plant His Seed (His nature) in our hearts so that we might be a reflection of His image and likeness, and abundantly bear the fruit of His Spirit in the earth. (I John 3:15) This was always God’s plan for us before the foundation of the world. (Titus 1:2)
The Apostle John wrote, “God is love.” (I John 4:8) Therefore, God our Father has planted within the heart of every born-again Christian, what? “God’s Love.” Remember, there is no evil in God. There is no darkness in God. In us is only God’s Love, and the Light of His love. Try these Scriptures on and understand the in-dwelling God in you.
The thrice-holy God (Is. 6:3) has no pleasure in wickedness and evil does not dwell with Him (Ps. 5:4), God does not tempt any man with evil (James 1:13), and loves righteousness and hates wickedness (Ps. 45:7). God does not cause evil. And, there is absolutely no darkness in God. (I John 1:5)
You see in your born-again heart:
*The Godhead abides (God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost)
*You have no pleasure in wickedness,
*Evil does not dwell within you,
*Your heart is not tempted with evil,
*Your heart loves righteousness and hates wickedness,
*Your heart does not cause evil, and
*There is absolutely no darkness in you!
Will you please, by the faith of Jesus Christ and His finished works on the cross, accept what He has done for you: Receive it, Seize it, and Own it! Your heart has been made perfect; holy as God is holy! Thus, God has said “be ye holy for I am holy.” (I Pet.1:16)
The Love of God has been shed throughout your heart by the Holy Ghost and the only motives, words, and deeds that can come from your heart is God’s Love. (Rom. 5:5) Lastly, your heart has been vaulted shut by the Holy Ghost until the Day Christ returns to rapture His glorious Church. (Eph. 4:30) Sin cannot penetrate your heart. Your redemption is certain! Rejoice I say, rejoice forevermore! (Php.4:4)
You can test all of this out for yourself. (Rom. 12:2) Examine your heart, and see that God has removed all evil from your heart, not one trace of evil exists there. Only God, His Word, Love, Mercy, Grace, Wisdom, Power, Longsuffering, Joy, Righteousness, Peace, Temperance, and all of the other attributes of God are in you now! So be free to be, all that God has made you to be! As long as the earth remains, and in eternity, this is how your heart has been made to worship God.
As born-again Christians, we are tempted to sin by attacks of the enemy, with thoughts of evil imaginations that come to the human brain, and not from within in the heart where God abides. This is why the Bible says we are to cast down every evil imagination that exalts “itself” above the knowledge of God, and make it obey the Word of God, and the Spirit of God within us. (II Cor.10:4-6)
From our born-again hearts, we earnestly pray and work to see all people in the world set free from the dominion of Satan. For, those who have not yet received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord remain trapped in their sins, with evil imaginations from their youth inherited from the old-man nature of Adam. Satan still owns their hearts and can use them as he sees fit. But, the wicked one has no power or authority over our hearts, and sin has no dominion over us. (Rom. 6:14) Contrary-wise, in the name of Jesus Christ, we have authority over Satan and all the works of darkness! (I John 4:4)
God made our hearts “Love” so that our faith in Him would work in great manifestations of supernatural power, favor, and blessings. (Gal. 5:4) As we love one another, we walk in the good works of God planned for us before the world began. (Eph. 2:10) In fact, let’s look at this Verse.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are born-again Christians, created as new species in Christ, to do the works of Christ. Did you see that? We are to do the “works” of Jesus Christ. Jesus, told His disciples that anyone who believed in Him would do the “same works,” and “greater works” than those he demonstrated on earth, because He was going away to take His seat at the right-hand throne of God. (John 14:12) Since we are called to walk in the same works Jesus did, then we are compelled by the Holy Ghost to, as a first work, forgive the sins of our brothers and sisters, and all others.
If we are doing the works of Jesus Christ, then we understand there is no moving forward with doing God’s work and living life on earth in the blessing, without “first” walking blindly backwards to cover the sins of people who have committed sins against us and others.
Right now, I pray to God the Father to help us “remember” the first works of Jesus on the cross to unite the world in God. For your Holy Son Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Jesus could not move forward with completing the plan of Salvation for the world, (die on the cross, descend into the lower parts of the earth, take from Satan possession of the keys to hell and death, lead captivity captive to up to heaven, and take His seat at the right hand throne of God the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords.) without first shedding His blood for the sins of the world, for all times. As such, neither can we move forward in Christ without “unconditionally” forgiving the sins of others, with this rich inheritance of forgiveness we have received. (Eph.1:7)
This I say with sadness Saints. In Christian Circles, there are many born-again Christians who refuse to “first” walk blindly backwards, and cover and forgive the sins, or perceived sins, of others. We have Church denominations, Churches, Church Clergy and Members who hold alts and offences against one another. Rather than choosing to obey the Spirit of God and love, instead, they chose to listen to the spirit of the anti-Christ (which is in the Church today) and practice hatred, anger, and ambivalence toward each other. (I John 4:2-4)
We have racism, political differences, cultural and economic differences, and theological differences that have divided us. Seemingly few Christians these days are willing to lay down their self-righteous swords and pick up a garment, like Shem and Japheth did for Noah, and walk blindly backwards and cover the faults of others. Yet, all claim to know the Lord.
Allow me please to lament for a few more minutes. I really get Holy Ghost fired-up when I see and hear how born-again Christians decide to handle fractured relationships with fellow Christians and Non-Christians. They often say things like:
“I have moved on with my life,”
“I have turned the page,”
“I have forgiven and forgotten the person(s) who have done me wrong,” and
“I am keeping it real and are moving forward.”
Most often, these self-affirmations are no more than “lip service” from a fleshy carnal mind (brain), and are not the words and actions that are from the “imagination of love from the heart of God within them.” When I hear this last self-affirmation; that I’m “moving forward,” I always say to myself, who are you moving forward with? It’s not with Jesus. The Bible says “let us not love in word, but in “deed” and “truth.” (I John 3:18) The truth is we are our brother’s keeper, and we “owe” him the debt of love! (Rom.13:8)
When sinned against, God is looking for our “faith in the power of forgiveness and acts of kindness.” Love is best tried and proven in us when we have been wounded, misunderstood, abandoned, taken advantage of, lied on, cheated, and persecuted. This is when God expects for us to walk in the Anointed footsteps of Jesus blindly backwards to rescue others in sin, saying and doing faithful things like:
“I’m fighting the good fight of faith for this broken relationship.” “I’m continuing to cover my brother or sister with the blood of Jesus until the offence is resolved in our favor.” “I’m praying for the Holy Ghost to bring us back together and lead us into the Promised Land of truth, peace, and happiness!” “No matter what the problem is, or who is at fault, I’m holding on to the Love of God that brings us into unity.”
Saints, I can understand how sometimes in Christianity we can get confused about “making progress” in Christ. As Christians we are a forward looking, reaching, onward and upward moving people. But you see there is no moving forward in Christ, if we are unwilling to walk blindly backwards to rescue others from sin. Always remember this: “We forgive and forget sin, but we are never to forget to love the people who have sinned against us and others, for they are precious in God’s sight.” Oh yes, especially your enemies are loved deeply by God! (Matt. 5:44)
The Apostle Paul wrote at Philippians 3:13-14 the following:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Also at II Corinthians 5:17, Paul wrote:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Notice Paul, said to the Saints at Philippi, the “one thing” that he did. He practiced forgetting the “things” that were behind him, and reached for the “things” that were before him. In forgetting those things behind, Paul was referring to his past sinful ways of thinking, speaking, and doing, that came about because of his old-sinful nature inherited from Adam. Yes, the old evil imaginations from his youth that were in his heart. For they had all past away.
Now, in Christ, Paul explained that he, and all who believe in Jesus Christ, are new creations and all things have become new. The evil imaginations of the heart possessed as a sinner man no longer exist. By divine calling, to walk forward with Christ, Paul had to be willing to first walk blindly backwards to such places as Rome, (his place of citizenship) and he preached unashamedly the gospel of Christ. (Rom.1:16-17) He did so for about 30-years, even among those who had contempt for his message and persecuted him. (Acts 28:1-31)
On the Sabbath days, Paul was also found reasoning in the synagogue, and persuading the Jews and Greeks that Christ is Lord though many of the Jews hated him, conspired against him, and sought to kill him. (Acts 13: 42-51) The Love of God in Paul kept on reaching backwards calling on the Jew and Gentile to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. This is the Nature of God; this is how the God-head bodily in Christians works; to receive imaginations from a heart filled-full of God and good, prompted by the Holy Ghost to do the works of God from the foundations of the world.
Works that offer unconditional forgiveness of sins to all people, and lift them up with the hope of the cross. Taking people by the hand and walking with them forward in Christ’s Love. My dear Saints, I declare to you, that there is no moving forward in Christ, unless you are willing to first go and reconcile with your brother and bring unity and harmony into the Body of Christ. There is no such thing as offering forgiveness to a Christian for sins committed, while also breaking fellowship with them, without sincere attempts at reconciliation in hopes of restoration.
To do so is to neglect and abandon the true nature of the born-again Christian, born of the incorruptible seed of God. See I Peter 1:22-23. We should forever remind ourselves of both of these Verses from the New International Version Bible.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Did you see what the Apostle Peter commanded? We are to obey the “truth.” That is, we are born of God and have been made the Love of God. Thus, we are to have “sincere love for one another.” Peter says we are to “love one another deeply from the heart.” Are we seeing this kind of love-fest throughout the Body of Christ, and with one another? Are we imagining from our born-again hearts God-good, prompted by the Holy Ghost towards those who have sinned within the Church, and to those who remain outside its walls?
Bring these questions to your own door-post and welcome mat and ask are you, “loving everyone with the sincere Love of God, the deep Love of God in your heart?” Are there fellow Christians, and people of the world, that you have determined to be unworthy of your time? Folks that you have written off and judged them persona-non-grata? If so, mortify those feelings for they are from the spirit of the anti-Christ. It’s those feelings and doings that hinder the blessings of God from flowing out of your heart, and into manifestation.
Instead, in the sincerity of your heart, for those who have offended you, hate you, mistreat you, and persecute you; see (imagine) what good and pleasant things God wants you to do by the Holy Ghost “for them.” Starting with forgiveness! See them as God sees them holy, blameless, and useful unto His Purpose; and with as much as lies within you, live peaceably with them. (Rom. 12:18)
I remind you once again, “forgive and forget all sin, but never forget to love those who have sinned against you, for they are precious in God’s sight!” We are duty-bound by the New Covenant to provoke everyone in the Body of Christ to come together into the sweet fellowship of the Love of Christ and good works. (Heb.10: 24) What good work can be found in saying words of forgiveness, without corresponding actions? In the story of Noah, what blessing could come on Shem and Japheth, if they had decided to just remain outside of their father’s tent and say from afar, “Oh father, I forgive you for your drunkenness and nudity?”
Oh Saints, how I wish that the Body of Christ, corporately and individually, would seek to understand everything from God’s perspective and not our own. If we could just permit all people to live under God’s “Mercy and Grace!” For Jesus Christ said that God our Father “makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends the rain on the just and unjust. (Matt. 5:45)
As I close, see the following Scriptures that witness that moving forward in Christ “always” calls for those who love Him, to first walk blindly backwards to forgive sin, and not to forsake the person who committed it.
Mark 11:22-26
And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
I John 5:16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Spiritual
Spiritual maturation in Christ begins and blossoms when we understand that our hearts are full of God, and only the imaginations of good works ordained by God from the foundations of the world, prompted by the Holy Ghost. These goods works have been placed in our hearts, so that Christ’s life might shine brightly through us, and all men might behold our good works and glorify God our Father in Heaven. To blindly cover and forgive the sins of fellow Christians and Non-Christians with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and to do acts of kindness for them from the imagination of our hearts, blesses the recipient and causes an abundance of God’s favor and rich blessings of prosperity and health to flow into your life and the lives of others. Blessed to be a blessing, is our inheritance. (Gen. 12:1-3)
Jesus Christ is the propitiation for all of the sins of Mankind, beginning with Adam. God did not impute our trespasses against us. But, He placed all sin on Jesus. (II Cor. 5:19) As Jesus bore our sins on the cross, God only saw us as forgiven of all sins, holy, faultless, blameless, and above reproach. As the recipients of this great Love and Grace, we must be clothed in the same mindset and disposition toward the sins of fellow Christians, as well as Non-Christians; committed against us and others. The empowerment to move forward in supernatural blessings is found in the forgiveness of one another. If our brother sins against us, we must go and seek sincere reconciliation with him. In Matthew 18:21-22, is record of the Master’s Commandment on how often we are to forgive. It reads:
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
We often quote these Verses, and know them well. But, we should never leave off our practice of them, without understanding the Promise of blessing attached in Verses 19-20, immediately above the aforementioned Verses. Jesus said:
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Two or three witnesses that agree on earth, brings Jesus Christ in their midst, and together in unity and love, the witnesses can ask any thing “from the imagination of their hearts,” and God will do it for them. Isn’t that Promise alone worth forgiving any sin of your brother? Love united brings forth miracles and the Promises of our New Covenant with God into manifestation. The sin of the brother was intended by Satan to steal, kill, and destroy, but we have the opportunity to spoil his intent to divide us, and exploit it for our good through true forgiveness!
We simply cannot move forward in Christ, without remembering to make every effort, from the sincerity of our hearts, to forgive and bring our brother and neighbor with us who have committed sins against us, and others! Thank God for His Word, the measure in which you hear, it shall be measured back to you. As the long as the earth remains there shall be seed-time and harvest, it will not cease. Sow blind forgiveness and reap the supernatural favors of God with your brother.
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