Stone Cold Truths about Mercy, Judgment, and Forgiveness [podcast]

Also, the fornicator in 1 Corinthians 5 was turned over to Satan out of God’s mercy and justice, in order to get him to repent. And he did. Then what happened? Read 2 Corinthians 2. Paul told the body of Christ to make sure they “forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. … confirm your love toward him” (2 Corinthians 2:7-8). Wow. Don’t stone believers who have been restored, but rather shower them with love, confirming our love to them in Christ as those who also are utterly dependent on His mercy:

“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 2 Corinthians 2:7-11 

One of Satan’s “devices” is self-righteousness that stops forgiveness and showing mercy. The context of this notable verse we all know, v. 11, is that their own sin and Satan have many self-righteous counterfeits trapped.

Of this text, William MacDonald writes:

“2:11 Just as there is danger for an assembly if it does not take disciplinary action when called for, so there is a danger of not exercising forgiveness when true repentance has taken place. Satan is always ready to step into a situation such as this with his cunning devices. In the first case, he will wreck the testimony of an assembly through tolerated sin, and in the second, he will overwhelm the repentant person with overmuch sorrow, if the assembly does not restore him. If Satan can’t destroy by immorality, he will try by the unmeasured sorrow following repentance.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

As a wise godly woman once told me …. “Think about it this way, when they’re slandering you, that means they’re giving someone else a break.” I never forgot that…. and that was well over 30 years ago!

Dennis Doud writes:

“There is a simple solution to unforgiveness. If I look at it correctly there is only one who has the right/cause to be unforgiving, and that is Jesus. We ALL have sinned whether we like to admit it or not. Too, what makes me better than others? Another thing to consider, is it not so that unforgiveness is being prideful? Of course, it is! I must forgive, it is my duty/obligation to do so. Besides, unforgiveness will destroy you from the inside out!”

“What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15

“And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” Acts 10:15

Peter looked upon the Gentiles as “unclean” and yet God corrected him (Acts 10-11).

When God forgives someone, we must also – or we will not be forgiven, which means that all our sins are on our record and against us – until we repent and show mercy as God has shown to us, the wickedest of men! Read Matthew 18:21-35; Mark 11:25-26. Want to spend eternity in hell? Just refuse to forgive one person. Prove this wrong! You can’t! Memorize, meditate upon, and live out Ephesians 4:32 now.

Dare we count unclean that which God has cleansed? Dare we call David unclean for his sin when the LORD forgave, cleansed, justified Him? Dare we call the fornicator of 1 Corinthians 5 unclean after he was forgiven and restored?! See 2 Corinthians 2.

Beloved of God, if after being saved, you have ever once lied, stolen, coveted, lusted in your heart, refused to forgive, etc., you were choosing to be “unclean” – defiled in the eyes of a holy God. Yet, when you turned your heart back to the LORD, confessing your sin, He freely forgave you. Right? Right! See 1 John 1:9. In light of this, how shall we presently and forward, assess those in Christ’s family who have sinned? Shall we celebrate their return, their restoration as did the father of the prodigal son and as Paul did with the forgiven and restored previous fornicator? (Read 1 Corinthians 5 and 2 Corinthians 2.)

“Freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8

Let us live biblically!

“Do not err, my beloved brethren.” James 1:16 

George Falcone writes:

“The gifts of God are irrevocable. NO ONE can take them away. I think of the many big name pastors that have fallen. Doesn’t mean the teaching wasn’t anointed. To write someone off as if they aren’t good enough for the Kingdom. I’d beware of beating your chest thanking God you’re not like that sinner over there!!”

Jesus told Peter that his preaching, the revelation he had was given by the Father…. then in the next words, Jesus tells him “Get thee behind me Satan” (Matthew 16). The latter does nothing to negate the former, eg: Judas in Matthew 10.

A Dangerous Place to Be

Many good “Christians” or church-attending folk somehow think that because they have a mere “form of godliness” that God will never judge their sins. They self-righteously surmise that they are safe.

If you think ANY person is getting away with ANYthing, think again. Ecclesiastes 8:11 comes to mind, which states: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

Of this, Bible commentator Adam Clarke writes:

“Because God does not immediately punish every delinquency, men think he disregards evil acts; and therefore they are emboldened to sin on. So this longsuffering of God, which leadeth to repentance, is abused so as to lead to further crimes! When men sin against the remedy of their salvation, how can they escape perdition?”

YOU keep your heart, guard it, till it, fill it with the Word, etc.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

It’s your personal responsibility to keep your heart perfect before the LORD (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Matthew 5:6, etc.). Praying Psalm 51 one is a great place to camp. Oh yes JESUS! Do Your purifying work in us, Your people. We, …. I, love You dear LORD Jesus!

Prayer is inseparably connected with knowing God (John 17:3).

Here’s clear proof that there’s nothing new about people claiming to be right with God or doing His will, while they work evil and vainly believe they are judgment proof.

“9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. 

10  They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 

11  The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.” Micah 3:9-11