Is forgiveness the heart of Christianity?

[arunangelo]

Christianity has to do with redemption and redemption has to do with forgiveness. The whole redemption history revolves around God’s forgiveness. It consists of God redeeming us from sin, by compensating for our sins (we committed against Him) by His sacrifice. Furthermore, it consists of healing, where God gives us His sacrificial body and blood as real food (John 6:55), so that we may eat it, and be healed (John 6:33). It also consists of union with God (John 6:56) by us receiving His flesh and blood and by us being part of His body, His Church. Forgiveness also has to do with, returning home, to God’s home and to accepting God’s Fatherhood over us (Luke 15: 11-32). By His sacrificial act Jesus brings us into the household of God. Forgiveness, therefore, is an act of compassion, mercy and true love. God offers us forgiveness, which we receive through baptism. It is up to us to accept it or refuse it. We can accept it by making His forgiveness our way of life. If we reject it we are rejecting God’s forgiveness. This leads to eternal death.

The scriptures are very clear about forgiveness and mercy. In James 2:13 we are told that mercy is above law. In Matt. 6:14-15 we are told that we would not be forgiven if we do not forgive others. In the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 6:12) we ask God to forgive us the way we forgive others. In Luke 17:4 Jesus tells us that we must forgive others repeatedly. In Luke 6:27-36 Jesus tells us to love our enemy, pray for them, do good for them, if someone takes our coat, give them our shirt as well, offer the other cheek if someone slaps us on one, lend and do not expect it back and be merciful like our heavenly Father. In Romans 12: 17-21 Paul tells us to not pay evil with evil, never take revenge, feed our enemy, not allow evil to defeat us and to over come evil with good. He further tells us in 1Cor. 6:7 that a legal dispute is a sign of our complete failure; and that it is better to be wronged or robbed than to wrong others or rob them.

 

[Windozer]

Is forgiveness the heart of Christianity?

I suspose you could think of it that way, although I have never thought of it in those terms.

The reference to Matt. 6:14-15 where we are told that we would not be forgiven if we do not forgive others. Needs to be understood as that is the way it was under the old covenent. Jesus had not yet went to the cross, so the new covenent had not yet come into effect when he spoke those words.

Once a Christian realizes what actually took place at the cross, and can rest in that for awhile. It then becomes that we want to forgive because Christ has released us from that bondage, by first forgiving us once for all.

HEB 10:10 NIV.
And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Heb 10:10 KJV.
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 

[wavy]

In James 2:13 we are told that mercy is above law.

Could you explain how this is implied? I do not see this at all. Also:

Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

The reference to Matt. 6:14-15 where we are told that we would not be forgiven if we do not forgive others. Needs to be understood as that is the way it was under the old covenent. Jesus had not yet went to the cross, so the new covenent had not yet come into effect when he spoke those words.

This is not in scripture.

Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.


Matthew 7:24
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

 

[Windozer]

This is not in scripture.

How is it that you can claim in another post that you do not know it all, yet make such a statement as you have here.

11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritanceâ€â€now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."[e] 21In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16"This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds." 17Then he adds:
"Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more."[c] 18And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Tell me what do you call that? The word of Satan :roll:

 

[wavy]

No, I'm saying now that I believe you have taken those scriptures out of context. You are applying them where they do not belong (to Messiah's words). They have nothing to do with eachother.

Is Matthew 22:37-40 "old covenant"?

 

[Windozer]

16In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

Wavy the scripture above clearly says that a will or covenant can not be put in place with out blood.

This scripture clearly states that the first covenant was not put into effect without blood, and tells you why.

Wavy...Jesus put the second covenant into effect with his blood. And his blood was not yet spilled when he spoke the words recorded in the first four books of the new testament.

And if you don't like that take it up with the one who inspired that scripture.

 

[Imagican]

Actually LOVE, would be the 'heart of Christianity'. Through this love, God has offered His forgiveness.

To back up this claim, what did Christ offer when asked of the MOST important commandment?

 

[wavy]

Wavy the scripture above clearly says that a will or covenant can not be put in place with out blood.

This scripture clearly states that the first covenant was not put into effect without blood, and tells you why.

Wavy...Jesus put the second covenant into effect with his blood. And his blood was not yet spilled when he spoke the words recorded in the first four books of the new testament.

And if you don't like that take it up with the one who inspired that scripture.

I understand what those scriptures say. I'm not disagreeing with you about what they say. But they must be applied properly. You are compromising literally thousands of statements and truths in the bible by saying what you are saying...

 

[Windozer]

Wavy the scripture above clearly says that a will or covenant can not be put in place with out blood.

This scripture clearly states that the first covenant was not put into effect without blood, and tells you why.

Wavy...Jesus put the second covenant into effect with his blood. And his blood was not yet spilled when he spoke the words recorded in the first four books of the new testament.

And if you don't like that take it up with the one who inspired that scripture.

I understand what those scriptures say. I'm not disagreeing with you about what they say. But they must be applied properly. You are compromising literally thousands of statements and truths in the bible by saying what you are saying...

And you are the authority on application??? Eric's Views discredit scripture :roll: Take a step back and have a look at yourself? What in the world do you think you are accomplishing here? Man am I ever losing respect for you fast. Know it all.

Good grief if it were possible to obey the law it would be possible to obtain equality with God. seeing that Jesus being the only one who was able to live a sinless life. And He being in very nature God, did not consider that something to be grasped. Philippians 2:6 Yet Eric who is not in the very nature God can grasp it.

Now where is the barf bucket? I think I am going to need it.

 

[Catlover]

Christianity has to do with redemption and redemption has to do with forgiveness. The whole redemption history revolves around God’s forgiveness. It consists of God redeeming us from sin, by compensating for our sins (we committed against Him) by His sacrifice. Furthermore, it consists of healing, where God gives us His sacrificial body and blood as real food (John 6:55), so that we may eat it, and be healed (John 6:33). It also consists of union with God (John 6:56) by us receiving His flesh and blood and by us being part of His body, His Church. Forgiveness also has to do with, returning home, to God’s home and to accepting God’s Fatherhood over us (Luke 15: 11-32). By His sacrificial act Jesus brings us into the household of God. Forgiveness, therefore, is an act of compassion, mercy and true love. God offers us forgiveness, which we receive through baptism. It is up to us to accept it or refuse it. We can accept it by making His forgiveness our way of life. If we reject it we are rejecting God’s forgiveness. This leads to eternal death.

The scriptures are very clear about forgiveness and mercy. In James 2:13 we are told that mercy is above law. In Matt. 6:14-15 we are told that we would not be forgiven if we do not forgive others. In the Lord’s Prayer (Luke 6:12) we ask God to forgive us the way we forgive others. In Luke 17:4 Jesus tells us that we must forgive others repeatedly. In Luke 6:27-36 Jesus tells us to love our enemy, pray for them, do good for them, if someone takes our coat, give them our shirt as well, offer the other cheek if someone slaps us on one, lend and do not expect it back and be merciful like our heavenly Father. In Romans 12: 17-21 Paul tells us to not pay evil with evil, never take revenge, feed our enemy, not allow evil to defeat us and to over come evil with good. He further tells us in 1Cor. 6:7 that a legal dispute is a sign of our complete failure; and that it is better to be wronged or robbed than to wrong others or rob them.

From studying my Bible I believe it's more of loving our enemies as well. I suppose forgiving our enemies has part of loving our enemies. :puppydogeyes: It's extremely hard for me, but I have to find the passage which advocates this.

 

[mutzrein]

To me, faith is the heart of Christianity. As scripture says, "without faith it is impossible to please God."

BTW when someone asks me if I am a Christian, I'm inclined to ask what they mean by the word. It helps to get the premise right first rather than have someone place you in a box that you don't belong.

Regards