Bible Studies

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 People in positions of governmental and familial authority have a divinely ordained function of administrating justice. This calls for an investigation regarding reports of PRESENT and ONGOING criminality, and or sin of the people under their authority.

This is not the same thing as listening to gossip concerning people with whom they have no authority or responsibility.

The veracity of the information being passed along may determine a case for slander or libel, but it is the speaker’s motive that determines rather or not the sin of gossip is in view.

The sin of gossip takes at least two participants; one speaker, and at least one listener.

Gossip is in view when the conversation is not for the purpose of edifying and or correcting the person(s) being spoken about in the conversations.

Talking behind someone’s back is not for the edification or correction of the one(s) involved. They aren’t even aware (yet) that the conversation is taking place.

Gossip also involves sharing negative information with third parties who have no need or reason to hear of it. If what is being said behind one’s back would not be said if they were present, there’s a better than not probability that it is gossip that is in view.

The quickest way to shut a gossiper down is to say, “I really didn’t need to know that.”

The haunting fear of public exposure, and the fear of the consequences for having done something morally and or legally wrong, can be among the consequences of sin. Many confessors speak of experiencing a great burden being lifted when they confess and get it off their chest.

Unaddressed, haunting fears of exposure and consequences have been used by Satan to motivate some persons to go as far as committing homicide or suicide to avoid facing public exposure and or criminal prosecution.

Much to the displeasure of many who have suffered great loss, physical and emotional trauma as a victim, or as a family member of a victim of crime, persons on death row awaiting execution can still have the assurance of 1John 1: 9 forgiveness; experience the Phil. 4: 7 peace that surpasses all understanding; and can look forward to a home in Heaven (1).

Humanly speaking, after spending thirty years in a law enforcement career, seeing first-hand the loss, pain, and suffering that victims of crime, or the friends or families of such victims, have to endure, I understand why they feel the way they do when it comes to the sentencing of responsible persons.

This is a normal, natural response.

But, as advancing disciples, we are not called to do what comes “natural” to us. We are called to do what is required of us ( e.g., forgiveness) with the enabling (2), supernatural power, that God provides.

What becomes of an individuals convicted of a criminal offense is a matter between them and the state. What becomes of an individual who sins is a matter between them and God.

Q. How can God forgive those who commit the most horrific sins?

A. Because divine atonement has already paid the sin debt in full (3) for the entire human race, with one exception. That one exception is the sin of disbelief (4). This one exception was not an oversight, but of divine design.

Religious teachings of Man categorize sins as being venial or mortal, but the Word of God (5) teaches that the one who breaks just one law of God, stands as guilty as the one who has broken them all! Sin is sin, and the divine solution (6) for ALL sin is the same.

Everyone can be born-again, receive divine forgiveness, eternal life, experience the comfort of eternal security and the peace that passes all understanding. For God not to forgive a sin that was already atoned for, would be to disregard the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ performed on the cross.

At the same time, divine forgiveness does not eliminate the earthly consequences (e.g., incarceration/capital punishment) for the crimes that people commit. The “saved” man on the cross next to our Lord conceded that he got what he deserved for the crime(s) he committed (7). Being born-again did not get him down from the cross, or from the pain of having his legs broken to hasten his execution (8).

He did, however, leave this world with blessed assurance from the highest Authority (9). God cannot be true to His own Word and require ANY further punishment for a sin debt that has already been paid in full. In the eyes of God we are all in the James 2: 10 boat that is going down, and in equal need of God’s forgiveness and salvation.

End of Part 6 

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(1) John 14: 2 (2) John 15: 5 (3) 1John 2: 2 (4) John 3: 18/John 8: 24 (5) James 2: 10 (6) 1John 1: 9/John 8:11 (7) Luke 23: 41 (8) John 19: 32 (9) Luke 23: 43

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