TRANSPARENCY #19

Jesus said, "There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him in the last day."(Jn. 12:48)(N.I.V.) Jesus also said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall pass away."(Lk. 21:33)(K.J.V.) He said, "...He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life..."(Jn. 5:24)(K.J.V.) And He said, "...If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed."(Jn. 8:31)(K.J.V.)
Jesus' words did not disappear when He left the earth. He told His disciples He would send "...the Comforter..."(Jn. 16:7)(K.J.V.) And the Holy Spirit, He told them, "...will guide you into all truth..." "...whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak..."(Jn. 16:13)(K.J.V.)
Paul would later say, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..."(Col. 3:16)(K.J.V.) And James wrote, "...be ye doers of the word...'(Ja. 1:22)(K.J.V.) It is no wonder, after what Jesus had said about the Holy Spirit guiding them that Paul would later say, "...take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."(Eph. 6:17)(K.J.V.)
The Holy Spirit continued to convey the will of Jesus in words. And these words, if one truly knows Jesus, are more than just statements of doctrine or theology, or development of models for worship or church polity. These words go to the center of what kind of people Christians should be and how they should treat one another. Jesus' life depicted that and His words direct us to that way of life.
In these few writings I have done I have attempted to define the negative ways folks treat one another by pointing to the use of words by the Holy Spirit that teach such things. The confessional transparency of brothers, it seems, means very little to some. And the directives of the Holy Spirit prove that without a shadow of a doubt.
In this last writing on this subject I hope simply to summarize the negative ways the Holy Spirit says men treat one another.
Again, I give credit to Spiros Zodhiates for the definitions of the words. There are numerous other lexicographers who could have been referred to like Thayer, Arndt and Gingrich, etc. It would be hard to estimate how long it took to do this study. Zodhiates' Word Study is about 1500 pages long and I literally went through every letter of the Greek alphabet from alpha to omega selecting the negative ways one can treat another. I know it took weeks if not months to do this. If one person is converted from the error of negativism and looking down a self-righteous nose at others and mistreating transparent brothers the effort will have been worth it.
So in capsule form here are the ways some treat others' transparency.

"destroy" "consume" "wish evil against" "curse" "defraud" "hurt" "treat with indignity" "pretend" "extortion" "ungentle" "unmerciful" "not compassionate" "deceitful" "damage" "harm" "burdensome" "slander" "to hurt reputation or smite with reports or words" "verbal abuse against someone" "destroying one's good name" "contention" "false accuser" "perjurer" "to swear falsely" "throw out" "hostility" "enmity" "misuse" "accuse falsely" "love of strife" "rivalry" "avenger" "treat with scorn" "bursts of anger" "afflict" "trouble" "jealousy" "envy" "to judge" "fraud" "to go to law" "hinder" "wish anyone evil or ruin" "to speak against" "slander" "to speak evil of" "pronounce sentence against" "oppress harshly" "give judgment against" "injury" "malice" "prone to anger" "wrath as an outburst of a vengeful mind" "to hate" "active ill will" "reproach" "one depriving another of his property openly" "take advantage of someone" "defrauder for gain" "be a busybody" "shrewdness" "the employment of any means necessary to reach an end" "accuse falsely" "unjust" "proud" "highminded" "to make a secret agreement" "persecuter of others" "to act spitefully" "evil statements" "pain felt at the sight of excellence" "to overflow with talk" "and idle or triffling tattler" "to speak deceitfully" "lying or false witness" "a lie" "a secret slander" "whispering" "showing special favors...to the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit" "a person who is eager to gain even if such gain degrades his character" "refuses to lay aside...enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation"

In conclusion, the Greek word "ought" also speaks directly to the characters of above repute.
"...if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."(I Jn. 4:11)(K.J.V.)
"He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."(I Jn. 2:6)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard..."(Heb. 2:1)(K.J.V.)
"...ye ought rather to forgive him..."(II Cor. 2:7)(K.J.V.)
"We...ought to bear the infirmities of the weak..."(Ro. 15:1)(K.J.V.)
"...to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think...'(Ro. 12:3)(K.J.V.)
"...we ought to obey God rather than men."(Acts 5:29)(K.J.V.)
"...justice, mercy and faithfulness...You ought to have practiced..."(Mt. 23:23)(N.I.V.)
"...tattlers...and busy bodies...speaking things which they ought not..."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)
"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be."(Ja. 3:10)(K.J.V.)

TRANSPARENCY #18

One morning this week I was talking with a person I love dearly. We were talking about our shortcomings in life and that person made the comment: "I hope I am forgiven." That individual is a church goer, and has been for years, a true believer in Jesus Christ, and one who I know has repented of and confessed sins numerous times, and probably in her daily prayers continues to do so.
Her statement made me wonder what in the world causes such a person to doubt forgiveness. There might be a number of things of the world. It is a guarantee that the Lord never provoked such an idea in the head of one of His children who was so transparent. So what in the world would cause her to feel that way? I believe it is the fruit of negativism that is working in her life. I believe it is the persistent pressure of the negativists of this world. And I further believe she has been constantly bombarded with carping, captious, and cruel criticism for years.
The Holy Spirit knew that God's humble children would meet such discouragement so He gave us a long list of negative behaviors to expect from those who refuse to honor the confessional transparency of their brothers.

psi negative responses

pseudadelphos--"...false brothers..." "...denotes those who had become outwardly members of the Christian church, sharers in its fellowship of life and love, but in reality were not so inwardly."
"...because of (some men who were Christians in name only), false brethren(pseudadelphous) who had been secretly smuggled in(to the Christian brotherhood); they had slipped in to spy out our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus,..."(Gal. 2:4)(Amplified)
"Many times on journeys, (exposed to)...perils from those posing as believers(pseudadelphois)-but destitute of Christian knowledge and piety;"(II Cor. 11:26)(Amplified)

pseudomai--"...to speak falsely or deceitfully..." "...to defraud..." "...falsify..."
"Lie(pseudesthe) not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"(Col. 3:9)(K.J.V.)
"A trustworthy witness will not lie,(pseudetai) But a false witness utters lies."(pseude)(Prov. 14:5)(N.A.S.B.)

pseudomartus--"...a lying or false witness..."
"...the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witnesses(pseudomarturian) against Jesus, to put Him to death;..."(Mt. 26:59)(K.J.V.)

pseudomartureo--"...to bear false witness..."
"For many bare false witness(epseudomarturoun) against Him, but their witness agreed not together."(Mark 14:56)(K.J.V.)

pseudos--"...a lie..." "Lying in general..."
"Therefore, rejecting all falsity(pseudos) and done now with it, let every one express the truth with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one body and members one of another."(Eph. 4:25)(Amplified)
"...the devil..." "...he is a liar,(pseustes) and the father of it."(Jn. 8:44)(K.J.V.)

psithurismos--"...whispering...particularly of slander...hurtful gossip..."
"For I am fearful lest somehow or other I may come and find you not what I desire to find you...lest perhaps there may be factions(quarreling), jealousy, temper(wrath, intrigues, rivalry, divided loyalties), selfishness, whispering,(psithurismoi) gossip, arrogance,(self-assertion) and disorder among you."(II Cor. 12:20)(Amplified)

psithuristeas--"...a secret slanderer..."
"...God gave them over to a base and condemned mind...(They were) secret backbiters and gossipers,"(psithuristas)(Ro. 1:28-29)(Amplified)

TRANSPARENCY #17

Just two more blogs after this one and I will be finished with the negative ways men treat the true confessional transparency of sinful brothers. I want to thank those who have read and responded to my writings. You are encouraging and benevolent in your comments. I have no way of knowing how many are reading these because my counter quit at 1400. I am sure, as some have suggested, that I have been writing for a reason, perhaps personal. I don't know. I do know that I enjoy studying scripture and this is an avenue through which I can share some of my studies and I appreciate your comments. Some comments have come from out of the country, some have suggested I write a book, some just express gratitude for scriptural study. I do not, in my opinion, deserve any handclaps about my writing, and that is not false humility as some of the negativists might suggest....
I hope to study a few more words in the next two writings and in the last I hope to summarize all the negatives from Alpha to Omega in just a few words.
I have wondered as I have done this study if it were possible that a person can negatively endanger himself or herself spiritually by persisting in negative attitudes toward the true confessional transparency of others.
For years I studied the tenth chapter of Acts. Recently, due to personal circumstances, something unique to me, resulting from a study of this passage, has occurred to me. I think I missed some of the "necessary inferences" that have been there all the time.
Peter was an apostle. There is no doubt he was Spirit filled.(Acts 2) And there is no doubt he was inspired and his writings were inspired. (Jn. 14)(Jn. 16)(I &II Peter) There is something about Acts 10 that "infers" that even men with such spiritual power might need a little nudging and instruction to completely grasp the height and depth of God's love and His unlimited grace and mercy. Jesus had already given the great expanse of God's love.(Jn. 3:16) And after Peter got the whole picture he was later to write that God is "...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."(II Pet. 3:9)(N.I.V.) However the account in Acts 10 reveals that Peter at this point was not so convinced of that fact. So God presented him with a miraculous object lesson.(Acts 10:9-16) And Peter's theology was shaken and reformed. The lesson came through a divine messenger, a miraculous vision and a direct word from the Holy Spirit. The gospel and God's forgiveness is for all, so go preach to a Gentile. And when he did go he made a comment that should sober the negativist of any day. It was profound, striking and went to the heart of God's dealings with men. Peter said: "God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean."(Acts 10:28)(N.I.V.) And that is exactly what God had told him. "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."(Acts 10:11)(N.I.V.)
What a lesson! Peter listened to God. Hundreds of years earlier Jonah had gotten the same lesson. Go preach to the Ninevites he was told. He ran from the truth. Some believe he went as far as present day Spain trying to escape the fact that it was possible for those to repent that he thought were unworthy of repentance. God gave him an object lesson in the form of the belly of a big fish.
It is strange just how stubborn some can be about God's forgiveness and its total unlimited nature. And to what degree they will go to circumvent the fact of God's forgiveness to all sinners. After Jonah had preached and the Ninevites had repented, scripture says Jonah was "...displeased...exceedingly...and he was very angry..."(Jonah 4:1)(K.J.V.) He knew the truth about God. He said of God. "You are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and (when sinners turn to You and meet Your conditions;) You revoke the sentence of evil against them."(Jonah 4:2)(Amplified)
Those who know this account realize that Jonah was so distraught over these people being able to repent that he literally asked God to take his life. God simply asked him the question: "Do you do well to be angry?"(Jonah 4:9)(Amplified)
Is it possible that the nay-sayers of our day need object lessons like Peter and Jonah got. What is the problem with other people being forgiven. What is the problem with confessional transparency in other folks' lives. God offered mercy, kindness, forgiveness, revoking of a death sentence, purity and cleanliness. He still does to all men, even to blatant sinners. But there are still those who are "...displeased..." that some could possibly receive the forgiveness of God.
The Holy Spirit knew there were and would be those who would limit God's forgiveness to their own prejudiced form of religion. So he listed numerous possible human responses to their fellowmen.

phi negative responses
phaulos--"...evil deeds..." "...statements..."
"For every wrongdoer(phaula) hates (loathes, detests) the light and will not come out into the light, but shrinks from it, lest his works-his deeds, his activities, his conduct-be exposed and reproved."(Jn. 3:20)(Amplified)
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil (phalon) work."(Ja. 3:16)(K.J.V.)

phtheiro--"...to spoil...in a moral or spiritual sense..."
"Make room for us; no one we wronged, no one we ruined,(ephtheiramen) no one we exploited."(II Cor. 7:2)(Interlinear) "...we have defrauded no man."(K.J.V.)

phthoneo--"...to envy..."
"Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying(phthonountes) one another."(Gal. 5:26)(K.J.V.)

phthonos--"...pain felt and malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness..."
"...he knew that it was out of spite(phthonon) that they had brought Jesus before him."(Mt. 27:18)(N.E.B.)
"...they did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." "...being..." "...full of envy..."(phthonou)(Ro. 1:29-30)(K.J.V.)
"...the works of the flesh are..." "...envyings..."(phthonoi)(Gal. 5:19,21)(K.J.V.)
"...be done with every trace of wickedness(depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity(pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges(envy, jealousy)(phthonous) and slander and evil speaking of every kind."(I Pet. 2:1)(Amplified)

phuluareo--"...to overflow with talk..." "...chatter..." "...talk in an idle, trifling manner against someone..." "...talking...falsely.."
"So when I arrive, I will call attention to what he is doing, his boiling over and casting malicious reflections upon us with insinuating language.(phluaron) And not satisfied with that, he refuses to receive and welcome the (missionary) brethren himself, and also interferes with and forbids those who would welcome them, and tries to expel (excommunicate) them from the church."(II Jn. 1:10)(Amplified)

phluaros--"...to boil..." "...an idle or trifling tattler..."
"...they learn to be...tattlers(phluaroi) also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(K.J.V.)

phrenapates--"...deceiver..."
"...there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..."(phrenapatai)(Titus 1:10)(K.J.V.)

TRANSPARENCY #16

The gospel is God's simple plan to save mens' souls.(Ro. 1:16) It is the story of the loving heart of God expressed to a world full of sinners. The expression came by way of the sacrifice of God's only begotten Son. And it was real, not imagined, and culminated by that Son hanging from spikes on a cruel and crude piece of wood.
Resurrection morning came and not too far from that piece of wood Jesus came out of that rock-hewn tomb a triumphant Savior.(Ro. 1:4) He later ascended to heaven and there awaits His return to gather up His flock and return with them to Paradise.(Acts 1:11)(I Thess. 4:14,17) But before He left here, after His resurrection, He gave His apostles a simple way of salvation.(Mt. 28:18-20) And that way is extended to all men.(Jn. 3:16) And by that way men can become the children of God.(I Jn. 3:2)
Certainly He expects our behavior to be representative of those who are Sons of God. "...ye are the salt of the earth..."(Mt. 5:13)(K.J.V.) "...forgive men their trespasses..."(Mt. 6:14)(K.J.V.) "...when ye pray..."(Mt. 6:7)(K.J.V.) "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth...'(Mt. 6:19)(K.J.V.) "Judge not..."(Mt. 7:1)(K.J.V.) "...cast out the beam out of thine own eye..."(Mt. 7:5)(K.J.V.) "Enter ye in at the strait gate..."(Mt. 7:13)(K.J.V.) "Beware of false prophets..."(Mt. 7:15)(K.J.V.) Numerous passages could be cited pertaining to the expected morality and behavior of God's children, their growth, maturity, dedication, conviction and commitment.
But aren't we thankful God understands each one of us? He knows our weaknesses, our inconsistencies, our failures, our immaturity, our faithlessness. He knows our natures. And He conveys to us how He planned to handle that after we became His sons. "...He is faithful and just(true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins(dismiss our lawlessness) and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness--everything not in conformity to His will..."(I Jn. 1:8)(Amplified)
The one important fact about being transparent before God is that when done honestly we come to terms with the fact that we are all truly sinful and in need of that kind of treatment from God.
I am so thankful that Jesus gave us practical and real life lessons about sin, transparency and God's forgiveness. He told the story of the "...two sons..."(Lk. 15:11-32) as an illustration. He told the truth about Peter's denials.(Mt. 26:68-75) He recounted the facts about Paul's early failure.(Acts 7:58)(Acts 9:1-2) John's transparency about sin was noted.(I Jn. 1:8) David's murderous and adulterous life and his forgiveness were written for our reading.(Ps. 32:1-5)(Ps. 51:1-3) Numbers of other accounts of mens' weaknesses and God's willing forgiveness are recorded.
When I fall down on my knees I know there is more than an outside chance that I am forgiven. My transparency does not go unnoticed. David said "I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me and heard my cry." "He brought me up also out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings."(Ps. 40:1-2)(K.J.V.)
We have used the example of a man drowning in a lake. A passer-by stops and throws the man a rope. We compared the throwing of the rope and the reaching out by the man for the rope as the way of forgiveness. As all examples are this probably was a weak one. Sad not, however, that there are those in this world who are so calloused that they would hear the screams of the penitent sinner, the lost, have the rope and simply pass by the miserable person and look the other way.
The Holy Spirit knew there would be negative characters like that who treated their fellow man is such negative ways. So He filled the N.T. with possible negative responses to the transparency of others.

epsilon negative responses

hubrizo--"...to act spitefully toward someone..." "...treat shamefully...""...injure..." "...abuse..."
"...there was an attempt both on the part of the Gentiles and Jews together with their rulers, to insult and abuse and molest(hubrisai)(Paul and Barnabas) and to stone them,"(Acts 14:5)(Amplified)
"For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be made sport of and scoffed and jeered at and insulted(hubristhesetai) and spit upon;"(Lk. 18:32)(Amplified)
"...the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully(hubrisan) and put them to death."(Mt. 22:6)(Amplified)

hubristes--"...insolent persecutor of others who mistreats them for the pleasure which the affliction of the wrong brings him..."
"(They were)...slanderers, hateful to and hating G0d, full of insolence(hubristas)..."(Ro. 1:29-30)(Amplified)
"Though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and was shamefully and outrageously and aggresively insulting(hubristen)(to Him), nevertheless I obtained mercy because I had acted out of ignorance and unbelief."(I Tim. 1:13)(Amplified)
"...Christ Jesus, the Messiah, came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost."(I Tim. 1:15)(Amplified)

hupoballo--"...to introduce underhandedly..." "...to make a secret agreement..."
"So they(secretly) instigated(hupebalon)) and instructed men..."(Acts 6:11)(Amplified)

hupselophroneo--"...arrogant..." "...highminded..." "...proud..."
"Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty(snobbish, highminded,(hupsela phronountes) exclusive),..."(Ro. 12:16)(Amplified)
"As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others..."(hupselophronouein)(I Tim. 6:17)(Amplified)
"...do not become proud and conceited(hupselaphronei) but rather stand in awe and be reverently afraid."(Ro. 11:20)(Amplified)

TRANSPARENCY #15

One of the sweetest confessions from a sinful man is in Luke 18. The publican stood afar off and said, "...God, have mercy on me, a sinner."(Lk. 18:13)(N.I.V.) What a transparent person he was! It is almost a given that the proud man in the parable Jesus told, a Pharisee, was not impressed with the publican's openness and frankness about his sinfulness. For the Pharisee, you see, was too enamored with his own personal perfection to give this publican the time of day. He told God simply that he was thankful he was not like this publican.(Lk. 18:11) Notable that Jesus said that the transparent man was the one who "...went home justified before God..."(Lk. 18:14)(N.I.V.) And Jesus further said the Pharisee would eventually be humbled for his exalted idea of himself.(Lk. 18:14)
There are two words in the early Greek language, exomologeo and homologeo, which mean, according to Zodhiates, "...confess..." "...assent..." "...concede..." "...admit..." These words speak directly to and volumes about the openness and transparency of men.
Initially all men being saved confess Jesus as Lord and confess their sins. "...they were baptized in the Jordan by him, confessing(exomologoumenoi) their sins."(Mt. 3:6)(Amplified) "...if you confess(homologeses) with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth you confess(homologeitai) and are saved."(Ro. 10:9-10)(N.I.V.) "If anyone acknowledges(homologese) that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."(I Jn. 4:15)(N.I.V.)
Yet we are not perfect, so those who live within the realm of reality and outside the Pharisaic self-righteous state, become transparent, confess their sins and allow others the equal right to look to the throne of God and go to the altar of forgiveness.
God expects confession, not only initially at conversion, but subsequent to conversion. And He honors the confession of His Son's name initially and the confession of sins thereafter by His children. And confession is necessary for obvious reasons. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."(I Jn. 1:8)(N.I.V.) "If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar,...'(I Jn. 1:10)(N.I.V.) Yet He says: "If we confess(homologomen) our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)(N.I.V.)
We are even encouraged to be expectantly transparent with one another. "Confess(exomologeisthe) to one another therefore your faults--your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray(also) for one another, that you may be healed and restored--to a spiritual tone of mind and heart..."(Ja. 5:16)(Amplified)
Jesus taught us that our transparency will not go unnoticed. "Whoever then will acknowledge(homologesai) me before men, I will acknowledge(homologeso) him before My Father in heaven;..."(Mt. 10:32)(N.E.B.) "...he who conquers(is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of life; I will acknowledge him (as Mine), and confess(homologeso) his name openly before My Father and before His angels."(Rev. 3:5)(Amplified)
Ultimately the Bible teaches us that confessional transparency will occur even among the Pharisees of this world and those who self-righteously cast a disgusting glance at others' sincere transparency. "For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess(exomologesetai) to God--that is, acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise."(Ro. 14:11)(Amplified)
It would be far better to place our hope in Him now through confession. We all have that right. "So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess, and our acknowledgement(homologian) of it, for He who promised is reliable(sure) and faithful to His word."(Heb. 10:23)(Amplified)
That is about all I know the N.T. says about confession. Wouldn't it be wonderful if men were as reliable as God in honoring the transparency of the lost, the broken, the hopeless?
The Holy Spirit knew men would be negative about their brothers' transparency. So He gave us a long list of possible negative responses toward others' transparency.

sigma negative responses
skolios--"...bent..." "...warped..." "...unjust in contrast to gentle, tolerant..."
"...masters..." "...who are harsh..."(skoliois)(I Pet. 2:18)(N.I.V.)
"...masters..." "...who are surly-overbearing, unjust, and crooked."(Amplified)

stenazo--"grumble from impatience..." "...ill humor..."
"Don't grumble(stenazete) against each other, brothers,..."(Ja. 5:9)(N.I.V)

sukophanteo--"...to inform against..." "...accuse falsely..." "...to extort by false accusation..." "...calumniate..."
"Receive thy servant for good: let not the proud accuse me falsely."(sukophantesatosan)(Ps. 119:122)(Septuagint)
"He that oppresses(sukophantou) the poor, increases his own substance..."(Prov. 22:16)(Septuagint) (...will only come to poverty..."(Prov. 22:16)(N.A.S.B.)

sumbouleuo--"...to plot..."
"...they plotted together(sunebouleusanto) to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him."(Mt. 26:4)(N.A.S.B.)
"...from that day on they planned together(ebouleusanto) to kill Him."(Jn. 11:53)(N.A.S.B.)

sunomosia--"...to swear together..." "...conspiracy..."
"...the Jews banded together and took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty in this conspiracy..."(sunomosian)(Acts 23:13-14)(N.E.B.)

tau negative reponses
tameion--"...any place of privacy, a room, closet..." "...where one cannot be easily seen..."
"Whatever you have spoken in darkness shall be heard and listened to in the light, and what you have whispered in (people's) ears and behind closed doors,(tameiois) will be proclaimed upon the housetops."(Lk. 12:3)(Amplified)

TRANSPARENCY #14

My childhood and life have been spent hearing messages to support truth with truth. How many times have we heard scripture quoted to this effect:
"Study to show thyself approved..."(II Tim. 2:15)(K.J.V.) "...all scripture is given by the inspiration of God...that the man of God may be perfect..."(II Tim. 3:16-17)(K.J.V.) "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..."(II Pet. 1:3)(K.J.V.) Sermon after sermon were intricately pieced together by masters of the language, the method and the Book. No fact was left uncovered. The Great Bible Doctrines were skillfully attested to by great Bible scholars, rich and deep in Scriptural concepts, men of depth and immense knowledge. Thank God for men like that who were loving and caring.
But is it possible to be so filled with such acumen with respect to facts of the letter of the law and miss the Spirit of it? Jesus addressed the scholars of His day and chastised them for just that attitude. For He said they had forgotten the "...weightier matters..." such as equity, compassion, sincerity.(Mt. 23:23) So it has therefore been my experience that some of the most intelligent and well read have been the meanest people I have ever known. And they come straight out of the ranks of Biblical scholarship.
At the hands of such teachers broken folk are made to feel so unworthy, so lost, so sinful, so fallen, so guilty, so inadequate, so useless, so hopeless. Sad that in such circles "When I am broken..." "He lives to take away my sins..." "...runs to the weary, the worn, the weak..." "I know My Redeemer lives..."are impossible phrases and hidden from men by such harsh judgmentalism.
I have often wondered how a Bible genius can be so negative. How can one so intricately understand the plan without truly understanding the Man. How can a perfect church be preached while refusing the broken the right to be "called out" of brokenness? How can such great lessons be preached on forgiveness and the proclaimers be so unforgiving? How can confessional transparency hit them right between the eyes and they smugly turn away?
The Holy Spirit knew that spirit would exist among men. So He gave us an extensive list of behaviors such attitudes generate.

pi negative respones

panourgia--"...shrewdness..." "...cunning..." "...the employment of any means necessary to realize an end..."
"...the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."(panourgia)(I Cor. 3:19)(K.J.V.)
"We have renounced disgraceful ways--secret thoughts, desires and underhandedness, methods and arts that men hide through shame; we refuse to deal craftily(to practice trickery and cunning)(panourgia) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God; but we state the truth openly-clearly and candidly..."(I Cor. 4:2)(Amplified)

periergazomai--"...bustle about..." "...be a busybody..."
...we hear that some of your number are idling their time away, minding everybody's business but their own..."(periergazomenous))II Thess. 3:11)(N.E.B.)

periergos--"...people who scurry about..." "...meddling..." "...in other peoples' affairs..." ...overwrought with unnecessary care..." "...also a standard term for black arts or magic..."
"...they learn to be idle going around to the houses, not only and idle but also gossips and busybodies,(periergoi) speaking the things they ought not."(I Tim. 5:13)(Interlinear)
"A number who had practiced sorcery(perierga) brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly..."(Acts 19:19)(N.I.V.)

pleonektes--"...defrauder for gain..."
"...you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is...greedy..."(pleonektes)(I Cor. 5:11)(N.I.V.)
"...nor greedy ones(pleonektai)...the kingdom of God will inherit."(ICor.6:10)(Interlinear)
"...no...greedy person...(pleonektes) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."(Eph. 5:5)(N.I.V.)

pleonekteo--"...take advantage of someone..." "...defraud..."
"...we have exploited(epleonektesamen) no one."(II Cor. 7:2)(N.I.V.)
"For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated..." "That no man transgress, and overreach his brother and defraud(pleonektein) him in this matter or defraud his brother in business..."(I Thess. 4:3,6)(Amplified)

propetes--"...rash..." "...careless...""...headlong or out of control..."
"...in the last days..." "...people will be..." "...treacherous(betrayers), rash(propeteis) inflated with self-conceit..."(II Tim. 3:1,2,4)(Amplified)

prophasis--"...pretense..." "...outward show..." "...pretext put forth to cover one's real intent..."
"...we never resorted either to words of flattery or to any cloak to conceal greedy motives or pretexts(prophasei) for gain..."(I Thess. 2:5)(Amplified)

TRANSPARENCY #13

For every negative there is a positive and visa-versa. In language we call these negatives of positives and positives of negatives antonyms. Perhaps the antonyms of the negative ways we treat the transparency of our neighbors would be a rewarding study sometime. For every negative way we view one another there is a positive way we should view one another. And the Holy Spirit is just as thorough from the positive viewpoint as He is from the negative as he describes through inspiration the ways we should or should not treat one another.
lamda negative responses

lestes--"...one depriving another of his property openly..."
"And he, determined to acquit himself of reproach, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?" "Jesus taking him up replied, A certain man was going from Jerusalem down to Jericho and fell among robbers,(lestais) who stripped him of his clothes and belongings, and beat him, and went their way(unconcernedly)..."(Lk. 10:29-30)(Amplified)
"..."My house shall be called a house of prayer"; but you are making it a robbers'(leston) cave."(Mt. 21:13)(N.E.B.)
Zodhiates makes a sobering point on this word in his Word Study. There are two words for thieves or robbers in the early Greek, lestai and kleptai as seen in John 10:8. Zodhiates says that a kleptes is one who "...does his work in a secret manner so that he may not be discovered..." and lestes has as its characteristic violence. His very interesting comment about the penitent thief on the cross is that he "...may have been a person who turned insurgent for some presumed righteous cause, thus seeking by the wrath of man to work out what he presumes to be God's righteousness." What a blow to human relations that rationale would be!

loidoria--"...reproach..."
"...give the enemy no opportunity for slander."(loidorias)(I Tim. 5:14)(N.I.V.)
"Not rendering...abuse(loidorian) for abuse(loidorias)..."(I Pet. 3:9)(Interlinear)

me negative reponses

mache--"...fighting..." "..legal battles..."
"...avoid stupid and foolish controversies and genealogies and dissensions and wrangling..."(machas)(Titus 3:9)(Amplified)

miseo--"...to hate..." "...implying active ill will in words and conduct, a persecuting spirit..." "...equivalent to not loving..." "...to slight..."
"The one claiming in the light to be and the brother of him hating(mison) in the darkness is until now."(I Jn. 2:9)(Interlinear)
"But he who hates(detests, despises)(mison) his brother(in Christ) is in darkness and walking(living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."(I Jn. 2:11)(Amplified)
"Whosoever hateth(mison) his brother is a murderer:.."(I Jn. 3:15)(K.J.V.)
"If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates(mise) his brother, he is a liar."(I Jn. 4:20)(N.I.V.)

omicron negative responses

orge--"...wrath as the outburst of a vengeful mind..."
"I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger(orges) or quarreling or resentment or doubt(in their minds), lifting up holy hands."(I Thess. 2:8)(Amplified)

orgizo--"to...become...provoked..."
"...anyone who is angry(orgizomenos) with his brother will be subject to judgment..."(Mt. 5:22)(N.I.V.)

orgilos--"...prone to anger..."
"Do not associate with a man given to anger, or go with a hot-tempered(orgilo) man,..."(Prov. 22:24)(N.A.S.B.)

TRANSPARENCY #12

I have often wondered what would occur if we held ourselves to the same expectations the we do others. Do we ever cut ourselves any slack in our evaluations of ourselves? Do we give ourselves leeway for mistaken behavior and weaknesses? Do we excuse ourselves at times? Do we say of ourselves: "...everybody makes mistakes..." "...nobody is perfect..." "...all men have shortcomings..." and then view others in quite a different light.
If we viewed others like we view ourselves, then perhaps our negativism toward others would simply "...go away..."(Jn. 8:9) Perhaps we would be more willing to be more lenient of our transparent or maybe not so transparent brothers.
What would happen to us if God treated us as we treat our brothers? What if he withdrew His love, His care, His concern, His grace, His forgiveness everytime we made a mistake and did not meet His expectations?
Do I hear someone in the self-righteous corner shouting that there are scriptural standards to live by. If so, you need to know that they apply to you too. And you don't meet them perfectly.(Ro. 3:23)(I Jn. 1:8-10)
The Holy Spirit knew that there would be captious, carping, unforgiving and negative people in our lives. So He in His wisdom just gave us a whole list of the negative ways we could and would treat one another.
Among some of them are:

kappa negatives
kathairesis--"...demolition..." "...destruction..."
"...I boast rather freely about our power and authority, which the Lord gave for your upbuilding and not for demolishing you,..."(kathairesin)(II Cor. 10:8)(Amplified)

kakia--"...malice..."
"...away with all malice(kakian) and deceit, away with all pretence and jealousy and recrimination of every kind!..."(I Pet. 2:1)(N.E.B.)

kakos--"...evil done to anyone..." "...injury..." "...harm..."
"Never return evil(kakon) for evil(kakou) or insult for insult-scolding, tongue-lashing, berating; but on the contrary blessing-praying for their welfare, happiness and protection, and truly pitying and loving them. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing (from God)-obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection."(I Pet. 3:9)(Amplified)

katadikazo--"...condemn..." "...give judgment against..."
"Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not(katadikazete) and ye shall not be condemned:(katadikasthete) forgive and ye shall be forgiven:"(Lk. 6:37)(K.J.V.)

katadunasteuo--"...to tyrannize..." "...oppress harshly..."
"...you have insulted the poor man. Moreover, are not the rich your oppressors?(katadunasteuousin) Is it not they who drag you into court and pour contempt on the honoured name by which God has claimed you?"(Ja. 2:6)(N.E.B.)

katakrino--"...condemn...""...pronounce sentence against..." "...adjudge guilty..."
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning(katakrineis) yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."(Ro. 2:1)(N.I.V.)
"...It is God who justifies..." "Who is he who condemns?"(katakrinon)(Ro. 8:33-34)(N.I.V.)

katalaleo--"...to speak evil of..."
"Do not speak evil(katalaleite) against one another, brethren. He that speaks evil(katalalon) against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil(katalalei) against the law and judges the law..."(Ja. 4:11)(R.S.V.)

katalalia--"...slander..."
"...I fear lest perhaps having come not such as I wish I may find you and I may be found by you such as you do not wish; lest perhaps(there be) strife, jealousy, anger, factions, slander,(katalaliai) gossip, conceit, commotion;"(II Cor. 12:20)(Interlinear)

katalalos--"...to speak against..."
"Gave over them God to a disapproved mind to do the things not being proper..." "...backbiters..."(katalalous)(Ro. 1:28,30)(Interlinear)

kataraomai--"...wish anyone evil or ruin..."
"With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse(katarometha) men who were made in God's likeness!"(Ja. 3:9)(Amplified)

krima--"...to go to law..." "...lawsuit..."
"...there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law(krimata) one with another..."(I Cor. 6:7)(K.J.V.)

krino--"...to judge...""...express an opinion as to any person..."
"...you, sir, why do you pass judgement(krineis) on your brother? And you, sir, why do you hold your brother in contempt?..."(Ro. 14:10)"(N.E.B.)

kubeia--"...trickery..." "...fraud..."
"...(the prey of) the cunning(kubeia) and cleverness of unscrupulous men, (gamblers engaged) in every shifting form of trickery..."(Eph. 4:14)(Amplified)

koluo--"...cut off..." "...hinder..." "...prevent..." "...restrain..."
"So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops(koluei) those who want to do so and puts them out of the church."(III Jn. 10)(N.I.V.)

TRANSPARENCY #11

It has been said that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Yet there are glasshouse churches and glasshouse people who do throw stones.
Paul would say to such folks "...in posing as judge and passing sentence on another you condemn yourself, because you who judge are habitually practicing the very same things(that you censure and denounce)."(Ro. 2:1)(Amplified)
Jesus said to a bunch of glasshouse folks one time: "...Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone..."(Jn. 8:7)(Amplified)
Thank God that there are some churches and people who are loving, forgiving, accepting and demonstrative of a merciful Savior and Lord.
The Holy Spirit describes for us in detail the glasshouse folks.

Zeta negatives
zelos--"...envy..." "...jealousy..." "...anger..."
"Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the (open light of) day;..." "...not in...quarreling and jealousy."(zelo)(Ro. 13:13)(Amplified)
"...ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying(zelos), and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"(I Cor. 3:3)(K.J.V.)

zetesis--"...an exchange of words rather than a true search..."
"...if any one...does not assent to the sound and wholesome messages of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and the teaching which is in agreement with godliness--piety toward God--" "He is puffed up with pride and stupefied with conceit,(although he is) woefully ignorant. He has a morbid fondness for controversy(zeteseis) and disputes and strife about words, which result in (producing) envy and jealousy, quarrels and dissension, abuse and insults and slander, and base suspicions."(I Tim. 6:3-4)(Amplified)

theta negatives
thlipsis--"...trouble..." "...affliction..."
"...ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions..."(thlipsesin)(Heb. 10:33)(K.J.V.)

theatrizo--"...expose to public scorn..." "...make a public spectacle..."
"...a great struggle of suffering you endured, sometimes both to insults and to persecutions being made a public spectacle,..."(theatrizomenoi)(Heb. 10:32-33)(Interlinear)

thlibo--"...afflict..." "...compress..."
"It is surely just that God should balance the account by sending trouble to those who trouble(thlibousin) you..." "...and relief to you who are troubled..."(thlibomenois)(II Thess. 1:6-7)(N.E.B.)

thumos--"...bursts of anger..."
"...behavior that belongs to the lower nature..." "...fits of rage..."(thumoi)(Gal 5:19-20)(N.E.B.)
"...Get rid of all...anger..."(thumos)(Eph. 4:31)(N.I.V.)

TRANSPARENCY #10

The question is not have I sinned, but the question is wherein have I sinned. If it were possible that I not sin I would be different from all other men. And if I say I have not and do not sin, John tells me I am a sinner and I have deceived myself and the truth is not in me.(I Jn. 1:8) And if I say I do not sin I call God a liar because He said I do sin. Further I have missed the whole message of the gospel.(I Jn. 1:10)
The person who thinks he has no sin will see no need for transparency.(I Jn. 1:9) And because he majors in his own perfection he will likely belittle the transparency of others and denigrate their spiritual character and disparage their attempts to be open about their shortcomings. And of course that behavior towards others all amounts to sin. And is it at all possible that some folks act in negative ways towards others. The Holy Spirit says it is

Epsilon negatives
ekdikeo--"...avenge..."
"Beloved, never avenge(ekdikountes) yourselves, but leave the way open for (God's) wrath;..."(Ro. 12:19)(Amplified)

exoutheneo--"...despise..." "...treat with scorn..."
"...one man will have faith enough to eat all kinds of food, while a weaker man eats only vegetables." "The man who eats must not hold in contempt(exoutheneito) the man who does not, and he who does not eat must not pass judgement on the man who does; for God has accepted him."(Ro. 14:2-3)(N.E.B.)
"And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised(exouthenountas)) others:"(Lk. 18:9)(K.J.V.)

eritheia--"...strife..." "...rivalry..."
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition(eritheian) or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."(Phil. 2:3)(N.I.V.)
"...if you have bitter jealousy(envy)and contention(rivalry, selfish ambition)(eritheian) in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on it and thus be in defiance of and false to the Truth."(Ja. 3:14)(Amplified)

eris--"...contention..." "...wrangling..." "...love of strife..."
"Some, it is true(actually) preach Christ, the Messiah(for no better reason than) out of envy and rivalry(party spirit);(erin) but others are doing so out of a loyal spirit and goodwill."(Phil. 1:15)(Amplified)
"...God gave them over to a reprobate mind..." "Being filled with unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate(eridos) deceit, malignity; whisperers,"(Ro. 1:28-29)(K.J.V.)

epereazo--"...insult..." "...accuse falsely..." "...misuse..."
"...Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are abused, those who malign(epereazontes) your Christian conduct may be put to shame..."(I Pet. 3:16)(N.E.B.)

echthra--"...hatred..." "...hostility...""...enmity..."
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest..." "...hatred..." (echthrai)(Gal. 5:19-20)(K.J.V.)

ekballo--"...throw out..."
"Blessed--happy (with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition) and to be envied-are you when people despise(hate) you, and when they exclude and excommunicate you(as disreputable),(ekbalosin) and revile and denounce you, and defame and cast out and spurn your name as evil(wicked) on account of the Son of Man."(Lk. 6:22)(Amplified)
"All whom My Father has given(entrusted) to Me will come to Me; and him who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out-I will never, no never reject one of them who comes to Me."(ekbalo)(Jn. 6:37)(Amplified)

eulogia--"...commendation..." "...Rom. 16:18 refers to false teachers who for personal gain flatter people..."
"...such people are servants not of Christ our Lord but of their own appetites, and they seduce the minds of innocent people with smooth and specious words..."(eulogias)(Ro. 16:18)(N.E.B.)

epiorkos--"...perjurer..."
"...liars, perjurers(epiorkois) and whatever else is opposed to wholesome teaching and sound doctrine..."(I Tim. 1:10)(Amplified)

epiorkeo--"...to swear falsely..."
"...You shall not swear falsely..."(epiorkeseis)(Mt. 5:33)(Amplified)

TRANSPARENCY #9

Near the time of His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples that He would send the "...Counselor, the Holy Spirit..."(Jn. 14:25)(N.I.V.) And He told them of the Holy Spirit: "...He will guide you into all truth..."(Jn. 16:13)(N.I.V.) And He said of Him: "...He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you."(Jn. 16:14)(N.I.V.) After the resurrection of Jesus that happened. Therefore Paul was able to write: "...I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:..."(I Cor. 11:23)(N.I.V.) During a conversation with Festus Paul was also able to say: "...I..." "...speak forth the words of truth..."(Acts 26:25)(K.J.V.)Because of the Holy Spirit Peter could say to his readers that they should "...be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:..."(II Pet. 3:2)(K.J.V.)
In our study of the negative ways men treat one another we are reminded that the Holy Spirit is the author of these words. We must remind ourselves too that not all men are negative in the ways the Spirit conveys at all times. But we must also remind ourselves that we are dealing with divine truth and the words should not be ignored. They are real and they convey real meanings, sentiments, actions. And all men should be careful how they treat their fellowman.
Please let me continue to remind you that I am indebted to Spiros Zodhiates for the definitions of the Greek words used by the Holy Spirit.
Delta negatives
dusphemia--"...defame..."
"When we are slandered and defamed,(dusphemoumenoi) we (try to) answer softly and bring comfort. We have been made and are now the rubbish and filth of the world--the offscouring of all things, the scum of the earth."(I Cor. 4:13)(Amplified)

diabolos--"...false accuser..."
"...their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers(diabolous) but temperate and trustworthy in everything."(I Tim. 3:11)(N.I.V.)

dialogismos--"...contention..."
"I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger or quarreling or resentment or doubt (in their minds),(dialogismou) lifting up holy hands."(I Tim. 2:8)(Amplified)

diaseio--"...harass.." "...oppress..." "...extort..."
"...No bullying; no blackmail;..."(diaseisete)(Lk. 3:14)(N.E.B.)

TRANSPARENCY #8

Eight of the Ten Commandments are negative commands. Five out of those eight have reference to possible negative relationships with one's fellowman. Jesus said that the most excellent positive ,love of God and our fellowman, sums up the Law and the Prophets.(Mt. 22:40) So negatives exist when love is disregarded.
Agape towards our fellowman is an action of the will. Negatives towards our fellowman are also actions of the will. Their existance is no happenstance; they are products of our will.
The Holy Spirit's omniscience about all this is illustrated in the way attention is given by inspiration to the various negative responses one might have to his fellowman. And these various negatives are enumerated and explained in scripture.

Beta negatives:
blasphemos--"...rumor..." "...to be abusive..." "...destroying one's good name..."
"...in the last days..." "...people will be..." "...abusive(blasphemous, scoffers)..."(blasphemoi)(II Tim. 3:1,2)(Amplified)

blasphemia--"...verbal abuse against someone which denotes the very worst type of slander...""...wounding someone's reputation by evil reports..." "...with false witnesses..."
"But what comes out of the mouth has its origins in the heart; and that is what defiles a man. Wicked thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, slander--..."(blasphemiai)(Mt. 15:18-19)(N.E.B.)
"Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath(passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment(anger, animosity) and quarreling(brawling, clamor, contention) and slander(evilspeaking, abusive or blasphemous language)(blasphemia) be banished from you, with all malice, (spite, ill will or baseness of any kind)."(Eph. 4:31)(Amplified)
"But now put away and rid yourselves(completely) of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander and foulmouthed abuse(blasphemian) and shameful utterances from your lips!"(Col. 3:8)(Amplified)

blasphemeo--"...to blaspheme..." "...to hurt the reputation or smite with reports or words..." "...to slander..."
"...speak evil(blasphemein) of no man,...be no brawlers,...gentle...shewing all meekness unto all men."(Titus 3:2)(K.J.V.)

barus--"...burdensome..." "...heavy burdens..." "...burdensome precepts..."
"...they do not practice what they preach..." "They tie up heavy(barea) loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."(Mt. 23:3,4)
"...His commands are not burdensome..."(bareiai)(I Jn. 5:3)(N.I.V.)

TRANSPARENCY #7

On occasion I have heard some doubtful comments about the value of studying specific Koine Greek words. I am baffled and amazed at such thinking. This is especially true, I believe, when one realizes that any reliable translation of scripture is a product of the Koine Greek of the first century. And this language was utilized by the Holy Spirit to teach God's word hopefully to all men.

Studying Greek words gives us insight into the messages that God has sent us. So often we miss the particular messages because of comfort zones that have been developed over time to express some generalized religious philosophy with no distinct or particular direction for relationships among people. The scripture, if studied, will provide those directions...

It is God's will that agape be a characteristic of His people. And if one views Paul's description of agape in I Cor. 13, one must conclude that there are positives that accompany agape. And if there are positives produced by agape then there can be negatives produced by other principles in our lives. There is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit identified those negatives by inspiring men to write them down in understood language.

It is truly my desire that this study of the possible negative ways I can treat others will help me to eliminate those things from my life. And it is my hope that it will help others to do the same.

I would like to remind you again that I am using Spiros Zodhiates' Greek word study for the definition of these words.

Alpha Words Continued:

aischros--"refers to inappropriate conduct of the elder of the local church that he be not given to improper gain for selfish purposes..." "...such leaders can so easily take advantage of people..."

"...the bishop as an overseer...must not be grasping and greedy(aischrokerde) for filthy lucre(financial gain);"(Titus 1:7)(Amplified)



authades--"...one who is pleased with himself and despises others..." "...a person who obstinately maintains his own opinion or asserts his own rights but is reckless of the rights, feelings, and interests of others. He regulates his life with no respect for others.."

"...it is necessary (for) the overseer to be...not arrogant..."(authade)(Titus 1:7)(Interlinear) "...(They are) daring, self-willed,(authadeis), glorious beings they do not tremble (at),..."(II Pet. 2:10)(Interlinear)



aspondos--"...the absolutely irreconcilable person who, being at war, refuses to lay aside his enmity or to listen to terms of reconciliation" "implacable"

"...in the last days..." "People will be..." "without love, unforgiving,(aspondoi) slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good,..."(II Tim. 3:1,2,3)(NIV)



adikeo--"...to act unjustly..." "...to hurt..." "...damage..." "...harm..."

"But you do wrong(adikeite) and cheat, and this to your brothers."(I Cor. 6:8)(Interlinear) "But (instead it is you) yourselves who wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren(by so treating them)!"(Amplified)



aischrokerdes--"...a person who is eager to gain even if such gain degrades his moral character..."

"Deacons...(must be)...not fond of dishonest gain,..."(aischrokerdeis)(I Tim. 3:8)(Interlinear) "It is necessary (for) the overseer...to be...not fond of dishonest gain,"(aischrokerde)(Titus 1:7)(Interlinear)



adikos--"...fraudulent..." "...false..." "...deceitful..."

"The judges shall investigate thoroughly and if the witness is a false(adikos) witness and he has accused his brother falsely," "then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother..."(Deut. 19:18-19)(NASB)



aneleemon--"...unmerciful..." "...not compassionate..."

"...to do the things not being proper..." "...senseless, faithless, unaffectionate, merciless,"(aneleemonas)(Rom. 1:28,31)(Interlinear)

adikia--"...injustice..." "..what is wrong with man's relationship to man is also wrong in man's relationship to God." "God cannot treat anyone unjustly."
"Neither present the members of you(as) tools to unrighteousness..."(adikias)(Ro. 6:13)(Interlinear) "Now hear this...heads of the house of Jacob ....rulers of the house of Israel...who abhor justice...who twist everything that is straight...who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with violent injustice."(adikiais)(Micah 3:9,10)(NASB)
"In I Cor 13:6(adikia) could be taken as those material things that could be acquired through the employment of falsehood in defrauding others instead of telling the truth."(Zodhiates)
"Love..." "...does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness(adikia) but rejoices when right and truth prevail."(I Cor. 13:4,6)(Amplified)

Transparency #6

Before I started writing about I Cor. 13 in February of this year, I was attempting to write some things on the subject of transparency. My interest on the subject had been aroused by some recent statements such as "Let's be transparent..." or "We want to be transparent..." I had earlier actually heard some church leaders make some of the same suggestions.


As far as God is concerned all things are transparent. The writer of Hebrews told us "There is nothing in creation that can hide from Him; everything lies naked and exposed to the eyes of the One with whom we have to reckon."(Heb. 4:13)(NEB) Even so, it is obvious that God wants His people to be transparent with Him. So He said through John "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."(I Jn. 1:9)(NIV) True transparency before God begins on our knees, and maybe even our faces, as we acknowledge our sinfulness and plead for His forgiveness. He is true to His word. He forgives.


There is another way of transparency taught us in scripture that is not so often readily accepted so graciously. James tells Christians "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another..."(Ja. 5:16)(KJV) So often when this is done some kind of spiritual Hammer is brought heavily down on the transparent and Mt. 18:15-19; I Cor. 13; Mt. 7; Mt. 5:7; etc.,etc.,etc...go unheeded. "Love your neighbor as yourself..."(Mt. 22:39)(NIV) and "In everything do to others what you would have them do to you..."(Mt. 7:12)(NIV) to some, by the way they treat others, might as well be Aesop's Fables. Therefore the transparent often becomes victim to all sorts of negative behaviors and attitudes.


The wisdom of the Holy Spirit is seen in the way He elucidates("throws light on") the various possibilities of such negative approaches to others.


In preparation for this study I have attempted to get just as close to the writing of the early inspired disciples as I could. I used Spiros Zodhiates' Greek word study for the selection of the words which have some negative connotations and express negativity toward others in some degree or another. I went from alpha to omega in an attempt to select these words. And with each word I have attached Zodhiates definition and a passage that exemplifies its usage. Some of the words express attitudes that lead to negative behavior. Others are specifically a negative behavior that affects others.


If my brother comes to me with a problem, a sin, a confession , will I treat him in some of the negative ways described by the Holy Spirit or will I treat him with love and forgiveness?


ALPHA...


alazon--"a boaster"


"...people will be lovers of self and (utterly) self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate(greedy) desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters..."(alazones)(II Tim. 3:2)(Amplified)


analisko--"to take away" "destroy" "consume"


"But if you bite and devour one another(in partisan strife), be careful that you (and your whole fellowship) are not consumed(analothete) by one another."(Gal. 5:15)(Amplified)


anathematizo--"to curse"


"...more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath(anethematisan) not to eat or drink until they have killed him..."(Acts 23:21)(NIV)


ara--"wish evil against a person"


"...their mouth is full of bitter curses."(aras)(Ro. 3:14)(NEB)


apatao--"being deceived by the vain empty, idle words of others"


"Let no one deceive(apatato) you with empty words..."(Eph. 5:6)(NIV)


apostereo--"to deprive" "wrong" "defraud one another of what belongs to him"


"...do not defraud..."(apostereses)(Mk. 10:19)(Amplified)


"Do not refuse and deprive and defraud(apostereite) each other (of your due marital rights)..."(I Cor. 7:5)(Amplified)


atopos--"hurtful" "evil"


"...pray that we may be delivered from wicked(atopon) and evil men, for not everyone has faith."(II Thess. 3:2)(NIV)


allotrioepiskopos--"one who busies himself with what does not concern him"


"...let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or any sort of criminal; or as a mischief maker(a meddler)(allotriepiskopos) in the affairs of others--infringing on their rights."(I Pet. 4:15)(Amplified)


alazoneia--"an ostentacious quack" "showing off to fellow mortals" "vainglorious pursuit of honors"


"But as it is, you boast(falsely) in your presumption and your self-conceit.(alazoneiais) All such boasting is wrong."(Ja. 4:16)(Amplified)


aphilagathos--"a person who may have pity but does not necessarily do anything to relieve the suffering of another through self-denial"


"...without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,..."(aphilagathoi)(II Tim. 3:3)(NIV)


atimazo--"to dishonor" "treat with indignity"


"...you(in contrast) have insulted-humiliated, dishonored and shown contempt for(etimasate)-the poor. Is it not the rich who domineer over you? Is it not they who drag you into the law courts?"(Ja. 2:6)(Amplified)


anupokritos--"to pretend"


"Let love be unhypocritical(anupokritos) abhorring the evil, clinging to the good."(Ro. 12:9)(Interlinear)


harpax--"given to rapacity or extortion"


"...I wrote to you not to mix with if any brother he is being called a fornicator or a greedy man or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or a swindler(harpax) with such a man not to eat."(I Cor. 5:11)(Interlinear)


anemeros--"ungentle" "fierce"


"...unloving, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, savage(anemeroi), not lovers of good."(II Tim. 3:3)(Interlinear)


aischrokerdos--"eager of sordid gain" "dishonorable gain" "gaining popularity...showing special favors" "to the influential in order to gain personal advantage and profit"


"I warn and counsel the elders among you--the pastors and spiritual guides of the church--as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness(called to testify) of the sufferings of Christ..." "Tend the flock...not dishonorably motivated(aischrokerdos) by the advantages and profts(belonging to the office) but eagerly and cheerfully."(I Pet. 5:1-2)(Amplified)

THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY #19

"Love never fails..."(I Cor. 13:8)(NIV) This is an inspired fact. It is incontrovertible. "Love never fails..."
Humans relations will not falter under its influence. Church unity will not be disrupted under its influence. Dastardly deeds will disappear and cruel and judgmental actions will vanish. People will be more important than things. It "...never fails."
Its influence will be characterized by all that Paul said about it. It indeed is "...patient..." "...kind..." "...does not envy..." "...does not boast..." "...is not proud..." "...is not rude..." "...is not self-seeking..." "...is not easily angered..." "...keeps no records of wrongs..." "...does not delight in evil..." "...rejoices in the truth..." "...always protects..." "...always trusts..." "...always hopes..." "...always perseveres..."(NIV) When and if any of these principles are violated or ignored that is not love's fault for it "...never fails..."
Adam Clarke wrote of love: "...it is the means of preserving all other graces..." "...indeed, properly speaking it includes them all..." "...and all receive their perfection from it..." "Without it there never was true religion..." "...nor ever can be..."
So I end this study about agape as given to us by the Apostle Paul. I did not feel worthy to do it in the beginning and feel the same today. However, I will miss the study. It is almost as if I am saying good-bye to a true friend. But of course, I can't, for ultimately it will be the only thing remaining for us all. For "...the greatest of these is love..."(I Cor. 13:13)
To my friend who prompted this study I say, thanks Brother. I love you and I wish you the best in your service for the Master...

The Most Excellent Way #18

"Carrying His own cross, He went to The Place of the Skull..."

John 19:17

"...Love..." "...always perseveres..."(I Cor. 13:4,7)(NIV) "...all things endures..."(Interlinear) "...it endures everything (without weakening)."(Amplified) "...endureth all things..."(KJV) "...there is no limit to its...endurance..."(N.E.B.)

In Paul's descriptions of love in I Cor. 13 he records two words that can be translated endure. In verse four he uses the word makrothumei. This word refers to patience or endurance with respect to other people. The word he uses in verse 7 is hupomonei. It is a word, according to Zodhiates, that refers to various things, not people. Therefore sufferings and hardships, due to things will not quell love. Nothing can do that for agape, according to Paul, in "...all things endures..."(Interlinear) This word is used by John in Jesus' statement to the church at Ephesus in Rev. 2:3: "You have persevered and have endured(hupomonen) hardships for my name, and have not grown weary."(NIV)(Interlinear)

Matthew Henry described this attribute of love when he wrote: "...holds firm, though it may be shocked, or borne hard upon; sustains all manner of injury and ill usage, and bears up under it, such as curses, contumacies, slander, prison, exile, bonds, torments, and death itself for the sake of the injurious, and of others; and perseveres in this firmness." Adam Clarke said it "Bears up under all persecutions and maltreatment..."

Isaiah prophesied of Jesus that He would be "...oppressed..." "...afflicted..." "...led to slaughter..." "...cut off out of the land of the living..." "...despised..." "...forsaken..." "A man of sorrows..." "...acquainted with grief..." "...pierced through for our transgressions..." Isaiah added of Him: "...by His scourging we are healed..." "...the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him..."(Isa. 53:3-9)(NASB)

Scripture says of Him: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured(hupemeinen) the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."(Heb. 12:2)(NIV)(Interlinear)

And since we are no greater than the Master it says to us: "...let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance-unnecessary weight-and that sin which so readily(deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance(hupomones) and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,"(Heb. 12:1)(Amplified)(Interlinear)

After all the things Jesus endured on that lonely hill, He simply looked at them and said "Father forgive them..."(Lk. 23:34)(KJV) How can love best be described? And He tells us "...Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."(Jn. 13:34)(NIV) No wonder that His apostle would exhort the Corinthians: "...Love..."(I Cor. 13:4) is that which in "...all things endures..."(I Cor. 13:7)(Interlinear)

THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY #17

Temple Grounds

"...let him begin stoning her."

John 8:7

"...Love..." "...always hopes..."(I Cor. 13:6-7)(NIV) "...all things hopes..."(Interlinear)

Matthew Henry says of this description of love: "It will not presently conclude a case desperate, but wishes the amendment of the worst of men, and is very apt to hope for what it wishes."

So sad that some exclusive fellowships do not completely apply this principle of truth to its fellows. For that reason unity is not possible in some "bodies of Christ." For hope is not held out for all the saints of God.

Admittedly, there are some "mature" folk in the church who by reason of age and some spiritual attainments have perhaps reached higher levels of growth. If so though where is the hope held out for others described by Paul. Some of the more "complete" have somehow failed to even conceive of the purpose of their own conversion. Peter describes it in I Pet. 1:22..."Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, with all your hearts."(NIV)

And have such ones of high degree forgotten the mistakes they made through out their development into "exemplary" Christians. And is it even possible that they continue to make a few?(Ro. 3:23)(I Jn. 1:8-9)

Jesus scolded such folks during His ministry. What of a church that stands around the fallen with rocks or computers or telephones or stationary? The teaching of Jesus is still as applicable today as it was 2000 years ago to the upper crust of faith. And it goes something like this: If any of you is without sin then let him begin stoning, text messaging, e-mailing and writing about her.

How much more noble it would have been if those "...teachers..." and "...Pharisees..."(Jn. 8) had brought her to the "...Teacher..." and asked if there was still hope for her. Is there any way we can help her? And why they did not do that is so revealing of them.

The hope of agape love does not act like those elite of Jesus day. Certainly Jesus views the hearts of the penitent. His viewpoint of such folks is not so hopeless and calloused. The story of those who will not hold out the hope of love to their fellows is capsulized in Mt. 7:1-2.

Adam Clarke expressed it this way: "When there is no place left for believing good of a person, then love comes with its hope when it could not work by its faith, and begins immediately to make allowances and excuses, as far as a good conscience can permit; and further, anticipates the repentance of the transgressor, and his restoration to the good opinion of society and his place in the Church of God, from which he had fallen."

The problem with some fellowships is that their consciences are uneducated about The Most Excellent Way. For that Way would not make it more difficult for a "fallen" brother to find his way back to the church than it was when he was "...called a Christian first..."(Acts 11:26) What rejoicing occurred then. But now that he has fallen where is the love that "...always hopes..."? Sad note that when the repentance of a sinful brother has occurred great hesitancy occurs when the scripture says simply "...reaffirm your love for him..."(II Cor. 2:8)

The definition of hope is "desire plus expectation." Do we desire and expect the best for our brothers? If so love exists. If not love is absent.

THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY #16

"Everything is possible for him who believes."

Mark 9:23

I Cor. 13:7 tells us that love "...always trusts..."(NIV) "...believeth all things..."(KJV). Matthew Henry says of this characteristic of love given by Paul that "...it is apt to believe well of all..." "...to believe well when there may be some dark appearances..." "...it will...believe well...as far as it can with any reason..." "...it...will stretch its faith beyond appearances for the support of a kind opinion...".

It is obvious that love is not blind to evil and there are those who are blatantly uncaring and practice evil continually and persistently. But there are wrongs which are repented of daily and care and concern about them is continual.

If I Cor. 13 is taken in context I believe this is what Paul was speaking of. Paul was speaking to the church of Christ at Corinth and he was saying that brothers should love one another enough to believe well of one another despite their obvious faults. Unity can thrive in such an atmosphere. When the various parts of the church body look upon one another that way then there will be peace and real fellowship. A church where faults are emphasized and the worst is thought of others will not have unity and further will not thrive and will be nothing more than a mere social club and not the true body of Christ.

The Greek word for believe here is pisteuei. Antonyms mean "to doubt" "disbelieve".(Zodhiates) Diakrinomai is listed as an antonym of pisteuei. It means: "to make a distinction," "doubt." James, the brother of Christ, uses this word in James 2 in the context of showing favoritism. He shamed his readers, telling them: "...have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts..."(Ja. 2:4)(NIV) So often, in some circles, the latter part of James 2 is quoted. James 2:26 says "...faith without works is dead."(NIV) Sadly it is so true that there are those who never conceive of the fact that being free from discrimanation, favoritism, partiality, judging, blaspheming might possibly be a Christian work of love or a "...labor prompted by love..."(I Thess. 1:3)(NIV)

The church was begun out of a heart of love for all men.(Jn. 3:16) It is distinguished by its love.(Col. 1:4,5) The concept of brotherhood cannot be possible without love.(I Jn. 4:14-16)(I Jn. 4:7-8)(I Jn. 4:20)(I Jn. 4:21)(I Jn. 4:11-12)

Paul informs us that the church of God treats brethren with great respect by believing good about them.

How then do I treat my brethren. More importantly to me should be how does Christ treat them and me. When there just seems nothing more about my brother to believe in; when he has just about done it all; when his life seems to be an utter failure, when he is spiritually broken; when he has violated me and others so hastily, so uncaringly, so obviously selfishly how will I treat him. When it seems that there is nothing he can "do" to gain my favor what will I think of him? Will he have any worth, any value? When he is in the miry clay, the valley of the shadow what will I believe about him? Love teaches me a lovely lesson about a broken man. It "...believeth all things..."

Thank you Lord for not giving up on me. Thank you Lord for your grace, your mercy, your love. When I was unlovable you loved me. You gave me a second chance. Indeed you are a God of second chances. How wonderful you are and worthy to be praised. You had the right to destroy me. You didn't. You came down to me. You cared about me. You somehow saw some value in me even though I failed you in so many ways.

Now how will I treat my brother?

THEMOST EXCELLENT WAY #15C

PETER'S HOUSE IN CAPERNAUM

Paul said that love "...always protects...""...covers...". Zodhiates' comment on this is that love "...hides the faults of others..." and that the word for "protect" means "...to cover over in silence..."

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Isn't it wonderful that God loves us enough to cover our sins?(Ro. 4:7) The scripture says loads to those who advertise and put on exhibition the faults of others rather than to cover, protect, hide their shortcomings. And for such folks it must be a distasteful fact that in the context of love Jesus encourages us: "You...must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect..."(Mt. 5:48)(Amplified)

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That type of behavior just simply does not fit the agendas of some religionists. Love is primary according to Jesus. And if Jesus' admonition is taken seriously unity will prevail among Christians.

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Thousands of pages of manuscript have been written and published to promote disunity among brothers that would never have been written had Jesus' advise been taken. Recently I was handed an article by some well meaning person who I believe has a sincere interest in my spiritual condition. However, as I read the article it became obvious that the writer was intent on establishing himself right and others wrong on three distinct points. The conclusions seemed to be pointed and right. However, love that is primary, was never mentioned. The writer's intention, it seemed to me, was to scold what he called "liberal brethren." I wondered, as I read, if the author realized that the Christian faith and knowledge according to I Cor. 13:2 and I Cor. 13:13 will take a back seat to love. It is the greatest according to the apostle.

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Jesus said "...love...your neighbor as (you do) yourself."(Mt. 22:39)(Amplified) All men have deficiencies and faults both doctrinal and personal. If those faults are accentuated then unity cannot prevail. What if love came first?
Nobody is perfect in understanding. Comfort might be had in being more perfect than someone else but ultimately, of course, we all are in the same spiritual boat. Our righteousness comes from God. Anything else is as filthy rags.(Isa. 64:6) How does Jesus see us and how we should see one another is the key element of unity.

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One of the most beautiful examples of "to cover in silence" is seen in Jesus' dealings with Peter. Peter was handpicked by Jesus to be an apostle, left all to follow Jesus, was outstanding as a participant in the earthly ministry of Jesus, witnessed firsthand Jesus raising the dead, healing, feeding over 9000 people with a few fish and a little bread, watched Jesus calm a turbulent sea, saw Him cast out demons, was present and a spokesman at the transfiguration. Jesus, according to some, stayed at Peter's house in Capernaum. How many conversations did they have? How many prayers did they pray together? John said of Jesus: "...there are also many other things which Jesus did. If they should be all recorded one by one(in detail), I suppose that even the world itself could not contain(have room for) the books that would be written."(Jn. 21:25)(Amplified) No doubt Peter was privileged to see and experience many of the things John spoke of that were never written about.

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Yet during Jesus' darkest hour on earth Peter committed the unexpected. He cowardly denied Jesus and openly and emphatically stated his denials. Matthew recorded that he even "...began to curse and to swear..." while twice saying of Jesus "I do not know the man."(Mt. 26:74)(Interlinear) Then he "...wept bitterly..."(Mt. 26:75)

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What would Jesus do with such a man? What in the world would the other disciples do with such a man? But of course Jesus had already told them "...you will all fall away on account of me."(Mt. 26:31)(NIV) Even so, according to some present day religionists there had to be a distinction. Maybe we could accuse him of verbally denying Christ while we did not. There must be some reason for uncovering his sins. What about the inner circle? What would they think of him? How about the developing church? The presumption of Peter! All those things he bragged about! Didn't he say he would die before he would deny Christ? At Caeserea Philippi did he not try to tell Jesus outright that Jesus would not have to die? He even cut off Malchus' ear at the arrest! He had been so trustworthy, so dedicated, so dependable, so hardworking. Now look at him! What a blessing Peter's fate did not rest in the hands of such critics and faultfinders. Rather it rested in the hands of a loving God and a caring Savior.

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I recently heard a young preacher speak of the numbers of "fallen" preachers as if they no longer had any value in the Kingdom of God, nor would they ever have any value to it. What would Jesus do with such a fallen man especially one who went out and "wept bitterly."(Mt. 26:75) Tongue in cheek comments and ego building on the weaknesses of others is not the way agape love operates.

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The scriptural take on the weaknesses of others is: "Brothers, if a man is trapped in some sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself; you also may be tempted." "Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."(Gal. 6:1-2)(NIV)

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Quite to the contrary of the take of the young preacher on the "fallen" was a comment I read recently. The writer stated his sorrow at the number of men who were preachers, teachers, servants in ministries of all sorts who had been expelled from their duties and forgotten because of the malicious and calloused judgments of others.

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Wonder how Peter would have fared among some religious societies. Or for that matter how about Moses, David, Abraham, Jacob, Paul, etc.etc.etc....
Would Peter have preached the first gospel sermon for them.(Acts 2) Would I and II Peter have been accepted into the canon of scripture. Would the former cripple of Acts 3:1-9 have gone "walking" "jumping" "praising God". Under the guidance of some religionists none of this would have happened if Peter's ministry had been taken from him because of his weaknesses. Peter's success as a Christian worker and preacher was so useful that "...more and more men and women believed in the Lord..."(Acts 5:14) (NIV) And his effectiveness as a healer became so well known that people were bringing the sick into the streets "and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by."(Acts 5:15)(NIV)

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So what would Jesus do with such a man as Peter who was among those who "...will fall away..."(Mt. 26:31)(NIV)

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The decision was reached on resurrection morning. Women went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body. He was gone from the tomb. The angel of the Lord who was there made a very significant statement for Peter's benefit I believe. The message to the women was: "...go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him,..."(Mk. 16:7)(KJV) Briefly spoken Peter, Jesus has not given up on you.

Wonder what Peter thought when he got the message. Luke tell us "Peter...got up and ran to the tomb..."(Luke 24:12)(NIV)

Jesus appeared to his disciples on various occasions over a 40 day period before he ascended to heaven. The heading over John 21:15-25 in the NIV reads : "Jesus Reinstates Peter." Here is one man who let Jesus down that experienced how the love of Christ covers and protects. Jesus told Peter "Feed My lambs..."(Jn. 21:15) "...take care of my sheep..."(Jn. 21:16) "Follow me."(Jn. 21:19)(KJV)
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And He tells us "A new commandment I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another."(Jn. 13:34)(NIV)
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It occurs to me at least that our take on scripture is fuzzy and deluded if we believe that a fallen person, a sinful person, a weak person who has a desire to serve Jesus, who is sorry for his sins and repentant of those sins, who is qualified to serve Christ, who has left all to follow Him, no longer has any place to serve in His kingdom. It also occurs to me that those who think so need to pick up their Bibles and learn what scripture really does say about love and forgiveness and reconciliation and renewal. The love of God and the love of the church is called agape...We will ourselves to cover and protect others. Jesus did. His true children will do the same...