Who is Apollos

Who is Apollos? This good man is mentioned only ten times in the Bible, twice in Acts (18:24; 19:1), eight times in 1st Corinthians (1:12; 3:4, 5, 6 & 22; 4:6; 16:12), and once in Titus 3:13. Little is known about Apollos directly, but Paul writes as if he was influential in the church and an important friend of his. It has even been suggested that Apollos was the mysterious author of Hebrews. It’s probably as good a choice as any, but it’s far from certain.

The greatest compliment paid to Apollos is that he was “competent in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). His knowledge positioned him to expect the coming Redeemer and to be prepared for his reign as King.

Apollos knew of Christ and had been so instructed. Yet, his knowledge was incomplete, although his fervor burned brightly. He only knew of the baptism of John (vs. 25), which by now was decades out of date, having been superseded by the baptism of Christ. Paul encountered a group of men nearby who likewise were unaware of Christian baptism (Acts 19:1 – 7). It could be that these had been taught by Apollos or that Apollos had been associated with the same community. But, it was necessary that the 12 men of Acts 19 were newly taught and baptized appropriately.

As for Apollos, he was also corrected by Priscilla and Aquila. The text does not say he was “re-baptized,” but given Paul’s requirement in Acts 19, it is all but certain that he was.

The inclusion of Apollos in Holy Writ offers an example to be emulated. There may surely be more, but I see three key attributes that should mark the life of every Christian.

Apollos desired to know truth.

Our subject is described as “competent in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24). Translations use words like well-versed, able, or even mighty. To describe his command of the Bible as he possessed it. I find it difficult to think of many complements greater than this. To reach such a point in life, he must have spent considerable time in the study of the law and the prophets.

Today, we enjoy tools not even imagined by the people of the first century. The Scriptures are available easily and in our native tongue. Our ever-present cell phone easily holds the entirety of the Bible in multiple translations. Home computers allow near-instant searching of the Bible for entire phrases, not just a single word. Would it not be grand to be described as someone mighty in the Scriptures?

Apollos was passionate for Christ.

This good man was obviously educated as he came from Alexandria, a center of Mediterranean civilization, learning, and scholarship in North Africa. He is also described in Acts as being “eloquent.”  This word may refer to his speaking abilities or to his deep knowledge. Given that his knowledge is described as competence, it likely refers to an ability to preach and teach.

The key is that Apollos used his talents to teach God’s word. Every Christian is endowed with different talents. These gifts are given by God for His own glory. No Talent is too small or insignificant for God’s work. May we take what we have and devote it to God’s glory.

Apollos was prepared to change.

Few people like change – I don’t. But change is a greater part of life than stasis. Our world is dynamic, as are we. We are not the same people we were just a few years ago. Apollos was knowledgeable of the Scriptures, but he was not teaching the whole truth. There is nothing to suggest a deliberate attempt to twist the Scriptures. Rather, there were some things he did not know. When Priscilla and Aquila recognized his shortcomings, “they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). These two were not scholars. They were hard-working tentmakers. Apollos was not arrogant or haughty., he accepted their correction. This great, humble man was willing to change. Later, he became a pillar of the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:5, 6).

May we always be willing to make changes as we grow and learn more and more of God’s word. Without growth and change, there is only a slow withering and death.

I am thankful that God included Apollos in the Scriptures, aren’t you?

Quick Answers

quick answers

I’m going to disappoint you. Despite the title, there are no quick answers here. In fact, you cannot survey even the smallest subject with quick answers – not even the subject of “quick answers.”

Just now, the top story at cnn.com was six paragraphs, three of which were one sentence in length. At competitor foxnews.com the top story was longer but still a brief 11 paragraphs. The median length of a television news story with video is a scant 41 seconds according to a report from the Pew Research Center.

We scan, we skim, we don’t study. We’re just not very interested in depth.

Brevity can be good. Who needs to spend a half hour thinking about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce other than Swift and Kelce themselves? But some topics demand greater attention.

Quick Answers and the Spiritual Life

Americans have entrusted their spiritual knowledge, and by extension, their eternal life, to their preachers. We might ask, “Does the Bible say I shouldn’t do this?” We hope the preacher will give us an answer not exceeding a couple of sentences. We have little interest in his reasoning, just his final conclusion. That’s a dangerous approach. It’s not that the preacher deliberately wants to hurt you, but what if he is wrong? What if his reasoning is flawed?

Never trust a preacher with your spiritual life.

Jesus declared that we can “know” the truth (John 8:32). To know anything requires investigation. An investigation requires a search for facts, an analysis of the source, and a final determination of truth. It’s not always easy.

Preacher’s Study Blog Can Help

We began our work here many years ago. The goal then, and now, was to offer serious Bible study. Despite our work, we still would be embarrassed to know that you trusted us for quick answers. We hope you will delve into our articles, reach your own conclusions, and engage with us through the comments. Your thoughts are always important to us.

Some articles will encourage you while others will challenge long-held beliefs.I think we are successful when we do either. We have never accepted money and we never will. But we would appreciate if you would pass on our articles. It would mean a lot!

Today’s Israel

The monstrous attacks by Hamas have thrust Today’s Israel into the news. Unspeakable brutalities against Israeli women and children fill the news reports. There is neither excuse nor justification for these terrible crimes targeting civilians, especially women and children.

Some popular news commentators, trying to rally support for Israel, are suggesting that today’s Israel is the same Israel of biblical times.  Is it? Christians may support Israel because it is our staunchest ally in the region. They see Israel as one of the most stable democracies in the world. In short, the Israelis are our friends. Supporting Israel because they are supposedly “God’s chosen people” is an error.

Today’s Israel is not the Israel of the Bible.

Origins – Biblical Israel

The Lord promised Abraham that his offspring would be a great nation. He also promised them possession of the land where nomadic Abraham traveled (Genesis 12:1-3, 7). Two generations later, God changed Abraham’s grandson Jacob’s name to Israel. He would have 12 sons who would become the basis for the Biblical nation of Israel.

Almost 500 years later, Jacobs’s 12 sons would grow to over two million people. By then, they had become slaves in Egypt. They prayed to God for deliverance; he heard their prayer and remembered his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 2:23-25). When Pharaoh refused to release the slaves, the Lord brought a series of plagues upon the land. Eventually, Pharaoh could withstand God no longer and released the Hebrews (future Israelites).

The Hebrews traveled eastward to Mount Sinai where God formed them into a nation. Because of their lack of faith, they then wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. Finally, God brought them into the land of Canaan and settled them there. Although the Israelites were in and out of captivity in their new homeland, they maintained a presence in the land until the year 70 A.D., when the Romans utterly destroyed them.

Origins – Today’s Israel

for almost 1900 years, the Jews had no homeland. In the late 1800s, Jews began to move back to Israel from their dispersion into Europe. In 1896, the development of Zionism began, which is the call for a formal nation of Israel in the original land. After World War I, the League of Nations granted Great Britain a mandate to govern Palestine. Under that mandate, Jews began to return to the British-controlled region. In 1948, as the British mandate was ending, a representative of the Jewish population in Palestine declared the establishment of the State of Israel. The United Nations had given the Jews about 55% of the land of Palestine, despite the fact that previously, the Jews only owned about 6% of the land.

Armed conflict began immediately. Since that time, multiple attempts at peace have largely failed. Today’s conflict in Israel is but the latest in a long line of wars and conflict.

Governance

God governed biblical Israel as its king (One Samuel 8:7). Later, earthly kings ruled over Israel. The ancient nation reached its zenith under King Solomon. The spiritual life of the nation was under the direction of Levitical priests. All Israelite priests were from the tribe of Levi without exception.

10 of the 12 tribes entered Assyrian captivity. Babylon took the remaining two tribes into slavery. Even after their release from captivity, Israel was little more than a vassal state to the superior kingdoms of the region. In 63 BC the Romans conquered the region. The Jews had a puppet king until A.D. 70 when conflict with Rome exploded into war. Jerusalem and the Temple were completely destroyed.

From A.D. 70 until 1949 the Jews had no land to call their own.

Today’s Israel vs. Biblical Israel: Key Differences

Ancient Israel was a theocracy. Today’s Israel is a democracy. Put differently, one was ostensibly ruled by God, while the modern-day nation is ruled by its people.

Ancient Israel was served by a large cohort of Levitical priests. Today’s Israel has no Levitical priests. Divinely specified sacrifices were daily offered in the Temple. There is no Temple today.

Ancient Israel was God’s chosen people (Leviticus 26:11, 12). Today’s Israel is not. Today, God’s chosen people are Christians regardless of their ancestry (1 Peter 2:9, 10).

Has God Broken His Promises to Today’s Israel?

By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” (Romans 3:4)

We forget that God’s promises were conditional. For example, in the passage above from Leviticus 26, notice verse three: “if you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them then…” This is a classic if/then statement. The covenant required both God and the people to comply with the terms of the covenant. Once one party broke the terms, the other party was freed from the covenant.

God was no longer obligated to continue to bless them because Israel had broken the covenant. Remember, this was the nation that crucified his Son. They rejected their final prophet. They rejected the one who came to save them. Consider these verses:

For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you. (Joshua 23:12, 13

But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.” (Joshua 23:15, 16)

There are two important points in this last passage. Notice that Joshua says God fulfilled all of his promises to Israel. He made them a nation. He gave them the land. God provided the heritage through which one would come to bless all nations. God did what he said he was going to do.

Just like the previous passages (Leviticus 26, Joshua 23:12, 13), there is an if/then clause. If they transgressed against God, they would “perish quickly from off the good land.” Ancient Israel violated every command God gave them. As a result, Israel lost their place as God’s chosen people. Today, God’s chosen people are his church (Isaiah 53:1 – 12; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 9:12 – 14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Revelation 5:9).

We may choose to support today’s Israel for diplomatic, military, or political reasons. But we must not support Israel because they are God’s chosen people. To do so ignores clear biblical teaching.

Are You Dumb?

My Friend Allen Webster has a great article in a recent edition of House to House Heart to Heart. Entitled, “You Gotta Be Dumb to Believe the Bible. Right?” it’s an answer to the people who make fun of our faith. As a new school year begins, many young Christians will face an all-out assault by militant atheists, agnostics, and skeptics. This article, including quotes from Shakespeare to President Washington and General MacArthur, will demonstrate that the greatest minds of modern history believed in God and in his word.

Some doubt God’s existence since He is not perceptible to our sensory system. According to this reasoning, we would also have to repudiate the human conscience, as well as molecular adhesion and gravity. Just because I have never seen Katmandu doesn’t mean it’s not at the base of Everest.

Allen Webster, House to House Heart to Heart,Vol. 28, Number 8

Are you dumb? No! A criminalist who refuses to collect evidence outside the yellow crime scene tape is foolish. Likewise, the scientist who refuses to consider evidence outside the scope of science is foolish. Does science know everything? It does not and never will. An entire sphere of reality exists beyond the natural world, but then, that’s another article.

Make sure you share this with your college student after you’ve read it for yourself.

The Church Consumer

I recently had a spat with my pharmacy. When they could not fill my prescription, I went somewhere else. When I upgrade my cell phone, I go to the store dressed for battle. I want to come away with the best possible deal. The church consumer is also looking for a deal. He needs to make sure he’s looking for the right thing.

The church consumer will, likewise, shop for what they perceive to be the best possible deal in churches. They may look for entertainment, friendship, or self-validation. People don’t want to change. They reject repentance. They are not looking for sanctification. Their desire for holiness is missing. Such shallow church consumerism is a colossal waste of time.

The church consumer should immediately jettison his foolish ideas about shopping for a church as he might shop for a new car. There is only one quality that a person should look for in a church. Seek and search for a church committed to the absolute truth of God’s word.

The Truth

Solomon said, “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding” (Proverbs 22:23). In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke two brief parables about the value of finding the most important things. He told of a man who came across treasure and immediately went and bought the field. A second man found a pearl of exquisite beauty and great price. He sold everything he had to buy it (Matthew 13:44, 45).

The only things a church consumer should look for are the things that last an eternity. Entertainment brings joy for a few minutes. Self-validation brings about no change in the life of a sinner. These pursuits are not worthy of your time. Search for that which has true value.

Church leaders and preachers are responsible for doing their best to communicate God’s word to the listeners. The preacher should sharpen his skills of delivery and interpretation to deliver the pure truth in a way that his hearers can understand. Remember, the sermon is not a TED talk or standup comedy. The preacher does not take the stage to entertain but to encourage, evangelize, and inform.

Come for Worship, Not for Entertainment

The last time I attended a musical performance, the people on the stage did not invite me to sing with them. I am the object of the choreography and singing. I am entertained. Not so in the worship of the church. We do not come to worship for entertainment. We come to praise the God of creation and express our thanksgiving to him for all his blessings.

Let our worship be God-focused, not the other way around.

Let’s purge the idea of being a church consumer from our minds. Seek truth.

The Forgotten Sin

I get it. Nobody likes to talk about sin, but sometimes we need to. The turmoil of the 21st century has obscured our view of sin with the result that there is now The Forgotten Sin.

Some sins seem to reach out and grab us by the collar. The in-your-face wickedness makes us angry. But, in our rush to combat the assault of these wicked thoughts and ideas, we have created an unbiblical hierarchy of sins. We spend all of our time talking about the “bad sins” but fail to address the “lesser sins.”

Some years ago, a public health professional told me that the extraordinary emphasis on HIV-AIDS was hiding the serious nature of older sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea. In her words, we have lost control of syphilis and gonorrhea and will never get it under control again. I wonder if we’re in the same situation with sexual sin.

We know sin separates us from God. But, what sin? Aren’t some sins worse? In Proverbs 6:16-19, Solomon says “hands that shed innocent blood” are an abomination to God. In that very same list, he says that “haughty eyes and a lying tongue” are also abominations to the Lord and are things that the Lord hates. But surely lying isn’t as bad as murder, is it?

Any sinful behavior, no matter how trivial it appears to us, is deadly serious to God.

In our rush to oppose homosexuality, transgenderism, and abortion, we have forgotten “routine” fornication and adultery. In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul begins his list of sins with sexual immorality; it’s right there in the same list with idolatry, sorcery, drunkenness, and orgies. Paul says that people who do these things “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

What exactly is “sexual immorality?” The underlying word, porneia, is a very broad word in Greek. It speaks to any illicit sexual activity. Sexual intimacies not ordained by God are sinful. This word includes fornication, adultery, and homosexuality. Yet today, our world assumes that people in a dating relationship are, in fact, having sex. Culture’s greatest concern is whether the sex is consensual and whether the couple has used protection against disease or unwanted pregnancies. There is no concern for the sinfulness of such a relationship. The forgotten sin is sexual immorality.

Let me be clear: sex outside of a God-approved marriage is sinful. Hebrews 13:4 says it is the “marriage bed” that is undefiled. Paul calls us to “abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Those words should speak to you, Christian. Let your life be a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). Your Lord loves you more than you can ever imagine. He wants what is best for you. If we hear his words and abide in his teachings, our life now will be much better. Our lives in eternity will be indescribable.

The world is awash in every imaginable sexual sin. Let the Christian remain pure and holy before his maker.

Are People Good?

Are people good? Are they inherently virtuous? Why does it seem that some people are good and honorable while others are dishonorable and even evil? As expected, there is a Bible answer.

Beginnings

Humanity began in Eden. The Bible tells us that as part of God’s creation week, he created the human species. Most importantly, they were created in his divine image. They were image-bearers of the creator (Genesis 1:27). He told them to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:26-31). It is evident that they obeyed this command, for in Genesis 4, two sons have been born to the first couple. A third son is born at the end of the chapter. By the end of Genesis 5, 10 generations from Adam and Eve are recorded.

On the 6th day of creation, as God prepared to rest from his work, he looked upon the totality of his creation. He declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). According to the biblical record, only two humans were alive when God declared the goodness of his creation. There is no evidence of any evil in the world, and there was certainly no sin. This is critical. Mankind was very good when created. Inasmuch as there was no evil in the world, we may conclude that the original couple was pure, sinless, and thus very good.

Unfortunately, something very bad was about to happen in the very good world.

Disaster Strikes

We do not know how long this sinless state continued in Eden, but by the time Adam was 130 years old, sin had entered the world with catastrophic consequences (Genesis 5:3).

A choice was given. Adam and Eve could obey God, or they could disobey. Their choice? Disobedience. God had placed two unique trees in the Garden of Eden: the tree of life of which man could freely eat, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was this last tree that mankind was forbidden even to touch. The presence of those two trees provided a choice for Adam and Eve.

All was well in the garden until Satan entered in the form of a serpent (Genesis 3:1). He immediately questioned God’s authority and even called God a liar. He tempted Eve to eat from the forbidden tree. She surrendered to the temptation, as did her husband, Adam (Genesis 3:6). We must emphasize that neither Adam nor Eve was compelled to eat the forbidden fruit. It was their choice. Because they chose to disobey, they suffered the consequences of their action.

Much of this chapter focuses on the consequences of their sin. Adam must now work harder, Eve will suffer pain in childbearing, the serpent is cursed to crawl upon the ground and eat dust, and Satan will be crushed by one who is yet unborn (Genesis 3:15). But the greatest consequence is not revealed until the end of the chapter. God banished man from the presence of the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24). On that dark day in the long-ago, man’s spirit died when he was separated from God, and the process of physical death began as well. Because man could no longer eat from the tree of life, his body began to age and break down, leading to physical death.

The horrible aftermath of the sin in Eden is seen in Genesis 4. The very next generation, the son of Adam and Eve, Cain, worships improperly, then rises up against his brother Abel and kills him. Even more deadly violence is recorded in verses 23 and 24. The horrific picture of murderous rage is painted in the boldest of colors immediately after the sin in Eden.

What happened?

There was only one way to sin in the Garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve found it. All the joys and pleasures of a perfect world lay before them. But they threw it all away by succumbing to temptation.

Here is the problem for the modern world: Sin was once contained at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But once touched and consumed, sin was set loose in humanity. The very name of the tree explains its dangerous contagion. It opened their eyes and gave them knowledge of sin, thus making them guilty and subject to punishment (Genesis 3:7). The first parents would then spread the influence of sin to their children, who would spread it to their children, and so forth. Sin spreads when we are influenced to choose wrongly.

Sin is not in our DNA. We are not sinful because some ancient ancestor sinned (Ezekiel 18:20). We are sinful because of our choices. Now the upshot of this argument is that people are inherently good. We become evil when we surrender to evil influence.

The real man, the authentic man, is made in the image of God and is, therefore, very good. When we sully the image of God that we each bear, we become evil. Our goal, achieved through Jesus Christ alone, is to find and reclaim the holiness that once defined God’s creation.

Authenticity calls for a return to the original condition seen in Eden. It is not defined by what our corrupted hearts and minds tell us it is. The dark ruler of this world wants you to find pseudo authenticity in anything but the image of God.

We are like a people swimming in a putrid river of sewage. Our world and our culture are corrupt. Sin is everywhere. We are influenced to sin through others, the media, and especially social media. Like those swimming in the festering river, we must not grow weary and must press to reach the other side. To stop swimming means certain death. To surrender to evil temptation means certain death.

Do not give up but continue to search for the inherently good spirit God has placed in each of us. Yet, none of us are strong enough to reach the other side of that river without God’s help. God’s grace empowers us to reach the other side of the river and to return to the authenticity of an image-bearer of God

Yes, people are good.

The Most Dangerous Words of a Christian

I Think

Mankind is expected to think. God gave us the ability to observe, examine, analyze, and reason. Our mind is an amazing tool that can be trained and can even examine and heal itself when injured.  The human mind has allowed us to make stunning discoveries both on and off the planet. We continue to plumb the depths of the sea and soar into the Universe. Sometimes our minds get us into trouble but mostly our ability to think and reason has served humanity well. But when it comes to divine truth, the most dangerous words of a Christian are “I think.”

Our thinking and reasoning have produced innumerable denominations and have deepened the division with Christendom. In the meantime, we are losing the battle for men’s souls. Something is clearly wrong. It’s past time to stop spouting what we think and instead cling to what we can know from the Lord.

I Can Know Truth

“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:32

You would agree, I think, that truth is unchanging.  Truth does not shift because of changing beliefs or differing perspectives. 2 apples plus 2 more apples equal 4 apples in Daphne, Alabama, and in the Cocos Islands (opposite side of the earth). It’s still four apples if I am a Democrat or a Republican. Truth doesn’t change. The writer of Hebrews says Jesus is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8) which is not surprising given that God is truth (John 3:33) and truth doesn’t change.

While it is important to know truth in everyday life, the balance in your bank accounts, the medicines the doctor prescribes, etc. It is critical to know the truth about God and his plan to save mankind as he revealed it.

I Must Respect the Truth

Here’s the rub. When speaking of Biblical matters, we often say what we think instead of what God says.

“I know there is nothing about mechanical instruments of music in the New Testament church, but I think it’s ok because it uplifts me.” In this case, we have elevated our thinking above that of what the Bible says. The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel was called to rebuke the prophets of Israel for speaking what they thought instead of what God had said.

They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.”

Ezekiel 13:2

These prophets spoke falsely but still expected the Lord to accept their corruption of truth. A few verses later he explains that they have been speaking from their own heart and not from God’s message (Ezekiel 13:17). In verse 8, the Lord declared “I am against you!”

The Most Dangerous Words of a Christian: Toward A Solution

Those who believe that Jesus is the son of God all affirm their reverence for and adherence to the Bible. It is God’s word delivered through the power of the Holy Spirit and confirmed with supernatural acts (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21). That being the case, we can all agree on the following:

  1. I will stop telling people what I think and instead declare what the Bible says.
  2. I will derive all teaching and doctrine from the Bible. I will not add to nor take from it.
  3. I will reject any teaching or doctrine not found in the Bible.
  4. I commit to a thorough study of the Scriptures to understand and to apply it.
  5. When we speak, we will speak only as the oracles of God, never of mankind.

It’s time to hear again the voice of God as revealed in his “once for all” delivered word (Jude 3). No smooth-talking, well-dressed, well-coiffed, preacher will be tolerated who does not honor the truthfulness and completeness of Scripture.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a hard trait for anyone to master. It is most difficult when we try to forgive ourselves. Those who live in Christ must learn to forgive. Hear the words of Jesus:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14, 15)

Jesus says that if I do not forgive others who have offended me, I will not be forgiven of my trespasses. A parallel verse is in James 2:13, “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Personally, I crave both forgiveness and mercy. I need copious amounts of both; I suspect you do too.

If anyone in the Bible had a reason to hold a grudge, it would have been Jesus. The purest one ever born had come to earth for one reason: “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). But despite his sole purpose of helping humanity, Jesus became the target of their wrath. He was arrested, maltreated, and crucified on an old rugged cross. Yet, as he hung on that cross, he uttered this immortal statement, “father forgive them (Luke 23:34).” As the ultimate example of a holy life, Jesus teaches us to forgive.

Christians don’t always live up to the master’s example. Christians can be just as petty and unforgiving as non-Christians. But our failure to exemplify Christ does not lessen the imperative of forgiveness.

Those outside of Christ are often amazed when they see acts of true forgiveness. For example, Georgia Congressman John Lewis’ public forgiveness of Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Or the beautiful image of Botham Jean’s brother embracing and forgiving convicted murderer Amber Guyger as she was being sentenced for the murder of his brother. True forgiveness is so rare in our world that it always turns heads when it happens.

Forgiveness and Hypocrisy

People occasionally blur the line between forgiveness and hypocrisy. They see or hear of a Christian doing something sinful. They immediately cry, “hypocrisy!” But what they overlook is that the Christian is struggling to overcome sin. Along the way, he stumbles. But God has forgiven him. 1 John 1:5-10 is enlightening. We know first the necessity of “walking in the light.” Second, even while walking in the light, the Christian needs forgiveness. And three, forgiveness is forthcoming from a loving God.

There is no hypocrisy. There is only a real struggle to overcome sin in daily life.

This is not to say that hypocrisy never occurs; it does. And sometimes, Christians deliberately act contrary to God’s holiness. In that case, they are hypocrites. But to assert that every stumble or error is an act of hypocrisy is just wrong. Certainly, you and I would not want to be judged that way.

Hiding behind Hypocrisy

Occasionally a person will use the perceived hypocrisy of someone else to justify their own misdeeds. Maybe they’re not really trying to justify themselves as much is there trying to raise their stature among other people. They point out the weaknesses in failings and other people and then conclude that their sin is no worse than the others. It is true that any sin separates a person from God. But it is also true that another person’s sin has no bearing on your standing before God. Another person’s sin does not justify you. We will be judged individually (Romans 14:12).

Hiding behind hypocrisy evidences an unwillingness to confront one’s own sins. It also suggests a desperation to be seen as righteous but without a penitent heart. If you are outside God’s kingdom and judging it by its citizens, you are missing the most important part. We are not and will not claim perfection. We rely on God’s promise of forgiveness as we strive to know Him and pattern our lives after Him each day.

In the beginning, we said forgiveness was a hard trait to master. It’s also a hard act to understand. No matter the depth or depravity of your sin, you can be cleansed and stand righteous before the Lord. After a laundry list of common sins, Paul said: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Come now for the healing and forgiveness found only in Jesus!

Sin

Of all the words that have fallen out of favor, sin is in the top spot.  No one wants to think about sin, especially the idea that they have sinned. Still, sin is real. It is part of the Bible and is prominent in the Gospel story of Jesus.

The origin of sin

Genesis 3 is the first account of sin in the Bible. The first couple, Adam and Eve, were given a very simple choice. They had to decide if they would eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil or if they would avoid it as God commanded. Eve ate the fruit of the tree and gave it to her husband, Adam, who was with her (Genesis 3:6). At that moment, sin entered the world.

God warned them that if they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they would surely die (Genesis 2:17). Even though Adam lived well over 900 years, he died. More importantly, Adam and Eve died spiritually. That is, they separated themselves from God through their sin. It is accurate to say that sin began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

What is sin?

Most basically, sin is disobedience to God. In Romans 3:23, Paul says sin is to “fall short of the glory of God.”  The ancient word, which we translate as sin, actually means to fail to meet a goal or to miss the mark. We might say that Christians aim to glorify God and become holy like He is holy. When we fail to do that, we miss the mark. Or, put another way, we sin.

While sin is certainly a mistake, it’s probably best if we don’t think of it that way. For most, sin is a deliberate act of disobedience. It may be that we choose to commit some sinful action. But often, sin is a failure to do what we know to be good (James 4:17). Like Adam and Eve before us, we are warned of the consequences of sin. Paul says the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23; Proverbs 10: 16). Death always follows sin.

Who is guilty?

But who is guilty of sin? Is it God’s fault for giving us a choice while knowing we would often choose wrongly? Is it Satan’s fault for wielding such evil influence? These are incredibly important questions because the person guilty of sin faces eternal consequences. Those consequences include a forever separation from the presence of God. It means the person will spend an eternity in a devil’s hell.

Perhaps it is simplistic, but the person guilty of sin is the person who actually sins. In other words, I am not guilty of sin because my father, or any other ancestor, was a sinner. I sin, and you sin; therefore, we are each individually guilty of our own sins. The inspired prophet Ezekiel reports God’s own words: “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The entirety of Ezekiel 18 makes plain that sin and its consequences are not inherited. A person must sin before he is guilty and before facing the consequences.

The harsh reality is that every one of us sins. Referring again to Romans 3:23, we see that all have sinned. John says in 1 John 1:8 that “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We choose to sin and are, therefore, appropriately guilty of sin and must suffer the consequences of sin unless someone intervenes for us.

What can I do about my sin?

You cannot fix your sin. If that statement is true, and it is, you are in a horrible predicament. God must require payment for sin else God would not be just. Before the foundations of the world were laid, Jesus was selected as the payment for our sins. Jesus was chosen to be a propitiation for our sins (Romans 3:25), that is, one who receives the penalty of sin in place of someone else, a substitute, if you will. The propitiation of Jesus demonstrates that God is both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:21 – 26).

Your sin is removed because of the blood of Jesus. Redemption is found in Christ (Romans 3:24). Eternal life is in Jesus (Romans 6:23). In Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). How do we come into Christ? We do so in obedience to his commands. Baptism, so often downplayed, is the essential moment when we enter Christ. (Romans 6:3). It is only the beginning, however. We grow and are being sanctified by and through His words.

Satan does not give up. He still pursues us and sometimes we fall. We still sin. However, John reminds us that the blood of Jesus keeps cleansing us while we walk in the light.

Sin is real. The consequences of sin are real. But so is deliverance and salvation in Jesus Christ. Let us thank God for the blessing of eternal life. Sin has no hold over the Christian. Jesus has broken those bonds. That’s the greatest news anyone could hear.