I found a short TV. clip that apparently was on one of the E.R. television programs. I remember when I was able to be an extra on one episode of this program. The question posed in this episode was simply, "I need someone who will look me in the eye and tell me how to find forgiveness." It is odd that a secular program would talk about God in such a way that it would lead people watching it to really think about eternity. This is important in the light of all of the tragedies that have come upon our nation in recent months. Do we ever really think about eternity? We spend our entire life getting rich and famous; but yet, do we fail to realize that when it is all said and done, that we have only one of two choices remaining; we can either go into eternity in God's foolishness, or into eternity in God's grace. It is your choice; the church isn't going to get you through eternity, and neither will your family. It all depends on your relationship with God, and in reality that's all that matters.
What is interesting is how many people in our country go to church; but the big question remains, how many actually believe, and actually have a relationship with God? We pride ourselves in living in a Christian country, and love to let other nations know that the Supreme Court in 1892 unanimously declared the United States of America a Christian nation; and a Bible believing nation, but are we really? With what we are doing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other places in the world, I don't think so. Maybe what we need to do is to stop declaring ourselves "christian," and start to be Christian. Notice the little "c" in christian. I think I'm going to keep it there, simply because this is the way we see Christianity in our country today. We have gone from true Christianity to pagan christianity in less than two hundred years, and it is about time we woke up.
If we actually lived and breathed true Christianity; and maintain that relationship with God through Jesus Christ, I think we would considered the question above as pretty stupid and foolish. The reason is because we would be living in such constant forgiveness throughout our lives; that we would never consider the question. We wouldn't be looking for any one to tells us how to find forgiveness; we would already be living it. We also wouldn't need Midrif-Meyer New Life Clinic, or any Psychological hospitals that are all around the country.
"Dost thou not see what they are doing In the cities of Judah, --- and The children gather wood, and The fathers kindle the fire, and The women knead dough, --- To make sacrificial cakes to the queen (goddess) of the heavens, And to pour out drink offerings to other gods, provoking me to anger! It is me they are provoking? Enquireth Yahweh, ---Is it not themselves unto the shame of their own faces?" (Jeremiah 7:17-18; Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)
So what is forgiveness. First of all, it is best to define what it isn't:
1) It isn't emotional. In other words, it isn't something that is led by emotions or the result of emotion. However, emotions may, and can be the result of forgiveness. In our country we seem to want to put the cart before the horse, and then we can't understand why we're not going any where.
2) It isn't a church thing. You repent, and ask God to forgive you on an individual basis. It is true that God may lead others to you; so you can seek repentance and forgiveness from God, but it is your decision to take that step. the church, and family members cannot take that step for you. Hence, it is an individual thing.
3) It isn't done by proxy. "Proxy, a person authorized to act for another. The authority to act for another. The written authorization for such action." (American Heritage Dictionary). No one on earth has this authorization; only Jesus Christ does, and he is in Heaven sitting at the right hand of God. "But he was silent, and answered nothing. Again the High-priest was questioning him, and saith unto him --- Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said --- I am; and ye shall see the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) Sitting on the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13, Ps. 61:1)( Mark 14:62 Rotherham's Emphasized Bible)
Gospel of John 14:9; "Jesus saith unto him --- I am the way and the truth, and the life: No one cometh unto the Father, but through me, If ye had been getting to know me, My father also had ye known: From henceforth are ye getting to know him, and have seen him." (Rotherham's Emphasized Bible). Jesus Christ is the stepping stone to God and eternity. No one on earth can bring you into the Kingdom, only Jesus Christ can. He is the lawyer in heaven, and is the only one that is authorized to be proxy, or to act for another.
So then what is forgiveness? Forgiveness --- "1. To excuse for a fault or offense. 2. To stop feeling anger for or resentment against. 3. to absolve from payment of." (The American Heritage Dictionary).
"But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (empty-head, senseless) shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire," ( Matthew 5:22 King James Bible - Rotherham's Emphasized Bible says at the last two words "fiery gehenna."). verse 23: "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought (anything against thee; verse 24: "Leave thee thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."
In other words, you must resolve the issue/s. This is very important, and in reality the essence of true, actual forgiveness. We like to say, "Nobodies Perfect," because we assume that the Bible says this because we all have sinful natures. We forget to realize that sin is a curse, and that Jesus Christ defeated sin when he shed his blood on the cross. If nobodies perfect, than why does Jesus Christ say; "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48 King James Bible). Jesus Christ couldn't say this if "nobodies perfect," or your not able to attain perfection because of your sinful nature.
What he is actually saying here is through an act of resolving issues by asking forgiveness, you will be able to break the curse of sin, and draw yourself closer to God and his will for your life. You don't do this by saying, "I forgive that person," or "God will forgive that person." You do this by physically going up to the person and acknowledge the problem that needs to be forgiven; and then you resolve the problem through that forgiveness. It is important to realize that Satan cannot be redeemed or forgiven for his past deeds simply because sin was found in him (Isaiah14). This isn't true of the individual person; especially a member of the Adamic race (white race). You must remember, the Bible is about one race, and one race only. The white race, "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him," (Genesis 5:1; King James Bible).
I also reference Genesis chapter 12, where God single's out Abram (Abraham) from the Adamic race (white man, blood in the face red) to become a white nation dedicated to serving and maintaining God's principles and laws. Out of this, Israel was born; and his seed line continues even in our generation. You must remember; all Israelites are Hebrew, but not all Hebrews are Israelites. This is an important factor. However, there is some Biblical proof that God wants to bring all Hebrews into his kingdom. I have to do more research on this concept; and to see if Jesus Christ actually means; that the "Lost Sheep," that he is talking about, are all the "Hebrews," or Adam's race. You must remember, Pharaoh and the Egyptians were white. Granted, there were also blacks living in Egypt; but the leadership and the civilization builders there were white. Remember, the first 12 of the 16 Pharaoh's were white. This doesn't make them Israelites.
"Be asking and it shall be given you, Be seeking and ye shall find, --- Be knocking, and it shall be opened unto you, For whosoever asketh receiveth, And he that seeketh findeth, --- And to him that knocketh shall it be opened." ( Matthew 7:7 Rotherham's Emphasized Bible).
As the above verse says; you must seek the kingdom, seek God; and essentially, seek eternity. Forgiveness is very easy to attain when one first seeks a one-on-one relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the only source for eternal life. This is where forgiveness can be found; and the only place which will differentiate between a Christian wannabe, and a true relationship with Jesus Christ. You must seek for yourself, and this is one thing that the church today has failed to teach her people. Christian's shouldn't be taught to go to church; but to be the church. All the physical church is; is nothing but a bunch of little church's getting together for healing, forgiveness, moral support, and to strengthen each individuals relationship with Jesus Christ. We must remember that Jesus Christ holds the keys to heaven and hell; and since there is a physical Israel in the world today (the white people), it is important to allow him to deal with each and every individual in light of the Old Testament, the Gospel, and the New Testament.
