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)
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)
1 comment:
Why are these things not considered, in the church, as sins. Those thoughts, words and actions that rot the very nature of a person from the inside out? The things that James talks about in the third chapter. It's hard to choose particular verse, but maybe nine would best discribe the God's view on the negative, boasting, and gossiping tongue. Yes, we do all sin anf fall short of God's glory, but when we use our own pious words to tear down someone, it is to build ourselves up. Only God will judge this.
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