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)