Just Because We Can’t See It Doesn’t Mean It’s Not There

Sin is real. The evidence of sin is all around us — both in the natural and moral realms. According to God’s word, as a consequence of Adam’s sin, the earth itself was condemned (Gen. 3:17–19).

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now (Rom. 8:20–22).

The manifestation of sin in the moral realm may be denied, but the reality of sin is everywhere — “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:1–5; also read Rom. 1:18–32).

Consider sin to be like an undiagnosed disease. It may be that we are not aware that we are suffering, but eventually — as a consequence of it not being diagnosed and addressed — we begin to show signs of suffering. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. How many of us have watched friends and loved ones die because they were not aware they were suffering from something like cancer — and then when it was finally detected, it was too late? Again, sin is like that, except that we’re not talking about losing our bodies, but losing the undying part of ourselves, our souls, forever (2 Thess. 1:6–10;  Luke 12:4–7).

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . . Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Rom. 3:23; 5:12). “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecc. 7:20).

So what are we to do? What can we do?

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:23–26).

The power of God in saving souls is not simply in His overlooking that we have sinned against Him. If He did this, He would be unjust:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:21–26).

Here’s the thing — God’s nature is compared to light (1 John 1:5;  John 1:4–9; 8:12;  Heb. 12:28–29). And the point the word of God makes is that there’s no darkness in Him at all! So how can He justify sinners? “My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. This is how we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments. One who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:1–4).

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Rom. 5:6–9).

The apostle Paul was commanded not to wait but to “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (Acts 22:16). “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:3–5; cp. John 3:3–7; Php. 3:8–11).

Just because we can’t see sin, doesn’t mean it’s not there. It will manifest itself (1 Tim. 5:24). But once there, only obedience to God’s command of faith and baptism (Rom. 4—6) can remove it completely and eternally! God be praised for His love!

"Is It Lawful?"

The question, “Is it lawful?” is asked nine times in the New Testament (Matthew 12:10; 19:3; 22:17;  Mark 3:4; 12:14;  Luke 6:9; 14:3; 20:22;  Acts 22:25). The question is essentially seeking authorization for doing—or not doing—a certain thing: whether it is about healing on the Sabbath, divorcing one’s spouse for any reason at all, or scourging a Roman citizen.

The question, “Is it lawful?” seems to be asked a lot less than it should be, especially when it comes to worshiping God. For example, when Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded (Leviticus 10:1–11), they were consumed by fire which came out from the Lord. They did not stop to think about what they were doing because they didn’t care, and they were therefore severely punished.

In asking, “What’s wrong with _____?” we’re really asking the wrong question because we are basically coming at establishing authority backward—we’re already doing what we’re weakly questioning. It’s the same as asserting that since the Bible does not forbid a practice that it is somehow divinely-acceptable. But again, consider Nadab and Abihu.

When we ask “Is it lawful?” or “What makes this right?” we are seeking authority first and foremost rather than as an afterthought.

Another important phrase we find used throughout the New Testament by Jesus Himself and His holy apostles is: “It is written.”

This phrase is found 64 times —Matthew 2:5; 4:4, 6–7, 10; 11:10; 21:13; 26:24,31;  Mark 1:2; 7:6; 9:13; 14:21, 27;  Luke 2:23; 3:4; 4:4, 8, 10; 7:27; 19:46; 24:46;  John 6:31, 45; 8:17; 12:14;  Acts 1:20; 7:42; 13:33; 15:15; 23:5;  Romans 1:17; 2:24; 3:4,10; 4:17; 8:36; 9:13, 33; 10:15; 11:8, 26; 12:19; 14:11; 15:3,9,21;  1 Corinthians 1:19, 31; 2:9; 3:19; 6:16; 9:9; 10:7; 14:21; 15:45; 2 Corinthians 8:15; 9:9;  Galatians 3:10, 13; 4:22, 27; Hebrews 10:7;  1 Peter 1:16.

Seeing this lengthy list of scripture references underscores the importance of this phrase because it manifests an attitude of reverence toward God’s word as the source of our authority for doing what we do and how we do it. As Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear … Take heed how you hear” (Mark 4:24;  Luke 8:18).

In the words of King David—“Oh how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. … Great peace have those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble” (Psalm 119:97, 165).

In all worship and holy conduct we need to possess this attitude toward the word of God because His word brings life (John 6:68;  1 John 5:11–13). “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak” (John 12:48–50).

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

“Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:11–13).

Knowing how important the word of God is in distinguishing between what is acceptable and what is not, we read of our adversary’s interest in removing or distorting the word: “The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them” (Mark 4:14–15;  Galatians 1:7).

“Put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:21–22).

“That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:3–4).

Before we offer worship to God, let us be sure that it is lawful (Romans 12:1–2).

Pursuing Christ’s Holiness

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8–10).

The apostle Paul urged his readers to: “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Because “the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). The Lord Jesus Christ fulfills every single one of these characteristics fully—the pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. And the apostolic charge, the divine charge, is that we strive to become like Him: “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:15–16).

Notice that righteous men are not our standard: Paul didn’t urge the Corinthians to imitate him, per se, but to imitate him as he imitated Jesus Christ. Jesus is our standard—“For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11–16).

Growth is essential to life: if we’re not growing, then we’re dying. But spiritual growth that will reach into eternity is not growth for the sake of growth, rather it is growth based upon the word of Christ (Romans 10:17; 14:23;  Colossians 1:4–6;  2 Thessalonians 2:13–14). Again, Christ being our only standard.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1–3).

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8–12).

So how do we go about this pursuit of Christ’s holiness? Is it even possible? “With man it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27;  Acts 17:27;  Hebrews 11:6).

Our pursuit begins with a desire to know of Him (Luke 9:23–27; Romans 10:17;  2 Peter 3:18). We go to the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When was the last time we read through the gospels?

Jesus is not just another historical figure. Jesus is God with us (Matthew 1:23;  John 1:1–5, 14–18). As He said to His apostles, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

In closing, notice how many passages show us that Jesus wants us to follow Him—Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21;  Mark 1:17; 2:14; 8:34; 10:21;  Luke 5:27; 9:23, 59; 18:22;  John 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36; 21:19, 22. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). He has revealed Himself to us so that we can, through Him, live eternally (John 3:16;  Philippians 3:20–21).

The Enormity of What God Has Done

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

It is very humbling to meditate upon the enormity of what God has done for all of us by approaching mankind as that which He created — “Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5). As the psalmist so beautifully asks: “What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (v. 4). And what God has done for mankind is so unique that there’s only way the story can be told: in the light of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-5 / 2 Timothy 1:8-10).

“For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16). “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. … We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:9-10, 19). Without God’s love, there would be no love at all.

The purpose, though, for our humility in light of the gospel and what God has done for us through His Son on the cross is not simply to make us feel bad (though we, at times, should). God’s love is designed to elevate us — “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as

you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).

This “elevation” is not just to make us feel better about ourselves — although that might happen as a result of the relief which comes from our realization and acceptance that our sins have been completely forgiven in Christ — but to also help us be better in every station of life: whether at home (as parents and children), work (whether as an employee or employer), school, or even when we’re alone and no one but God knows what we’re up to. In Christ we find a fresh start, a new beginning, and an ultimate hope of heaven where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4 / Isaiah 25:8).

With a new year beginning today, we generally like to view things as “new.” The calendar has indeed changed, but really just from one day to another. So how can we see a change within ourselves? The real benefit today is that we, as Jesus’ followers, are coming together as His body to worship Him and to remind ourselves of His indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15) as we participate in the Lord’s Supper — “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Furthermore, we come together to pray to and worship in spirit and truth the God of the universe, and to encourage one another by stirring up love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25). In other words, we look up and we look around in our time together in worship and spiritual refreshment; if you will, our time together is a kind of spiritual huddle — where we plan and then go out into the world to put into play God’s wonderful words of salvation.

Our adversary, the devil, wants us to miss out — and the more we miss worship and Bible studies, the weaker we become spiritually. As Paul said to the Corinthians about their abuses of the Lord’s Supper, “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That at is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep [i.e., died spiritually]” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

God’s salvation is offered freely (Isaiah 55:1-7 / John 6:27). Take full advantage of this opportunity before it’s eternally too late (­2 Peter 3:8-13).

Be the Right Kind of Christian

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21–23).

Jesus is not seeking followers for the sake of numbers—His interest is in seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus seeks followers who will diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:46–50).

Hypocrisy is a real problem; and it’s a problem that every single one of us has participated in at one time or another: no one is exempt from “playing the part.” But we know better, and therefore, we should strive to be better (Luke 13:24).

James reminds us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22–25).

But it’s not just about being busy doing things, it’s about doing the right things in the right way—“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be sharers with them, for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:6–10 LEB).

God’s word equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17). In other words, God’s word provides for us the authority for doing what pleases Him, just as His Son pleased Him: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

This principle of discerning what pleases God and being zealous doers of His revealed will (Titus 2:14) is not only discovered in the New Testament; we find examples of this mindset in the Old Testament as well. For example, Moses taught Israel: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

Pray for the right kind of desire, the very mindset of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:3–5). But don’t limit your effort to praying alone; read God’s word for yourself (2 Timothy 2:15) so that you can be the right kind of Christian who knows God’s will for himself, and does it.

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you (1 Peter 1:22–25).

“The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17).

Growth Requires Effort

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

(1 Corinthians 3:5–7)

Growth, whether individual or congregational, comes with effort. It doesn’t come accidentally, but purposefully. Ultimately, God gives the increase, but we must work at planting and watering—every part doing its share (Eph. 4:15–16 NKJV).

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

So, what can we do to help in the effort of growth? First of all, we must decide that growth is not optional but vital—and the word “vital” is important because it means living, active, energetic.
“… Harmful to Christians is the assumption that anything worthwhile can be acquired at once. We assume that if something can be done at all, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Our attention spans have been conditioned by thirty-second commercials. Our sense of reality has been flattened by thirty-page abridgements” (Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, pp. 11–12, 1980).

A primary contribution to growth (individually and congregationally) is time, which requires patience and therefore dependence upon the Lord—“Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7–8).

Waiting doesn’t mean we’re sitting and doing nothing at all but waiting—it means we’re working the ground, sowing the seed, and watering until the Lord gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:5–7).

I believe the most important contributing factor to growth is prayer. Paul requested prayers—“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints: and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:18–19 NKJV).

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Col. 4:2–4 NKJV).

But prayer should not be the only thing we do in the effort of growing personally and as a group. We need to study, since we are Jesus’ disciples (students), God’s word to know what it is that we need to ask for (1 John 5:14–15) and to discern what is pleasing to God (Eph. 5:10). Not just study about God’s word, from commentaries or other study helps, but actually read His word (Rom. 10:8–10).

We can’t teach what we don’t know (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:14–17; Psalm 1:1–2; Prov. 15:28). It’s not about simply knowing things (1 Cor. 8:1), but knowing things so that we can do those things which please our God and Father (Heb. 12:28–29).

So, if we focus ourselves with prayer and study, the natural growth will come to us personally and, therefore, we will begin seeing that truly “the fields are white for harvest” ( John 4:34–38).

Christianity is not a sprint; and it should not be a start/stop life of service. We need to see our obedience of faith as a long walk in heaven’s direction. Remember: time, patience, and dependence.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1–2 NASB).

Seeking Forgiveness, We Must Forgive

The principle is easy for us to understand: What goes around, comes around. Paul said it this way: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8).

The thing is, we all want God’s forgiveness. Maybe more than that—we expect His forgiveness. It’s us after all. But God makes it clear in His Word that if we do not show mercy—if we do not forgive, doing so from the heart—then we will not be shown mercy, and we will not be forgiven (Luke 6:37; James 2:12–13; Matthew 18:35).

God is impartial (Romans 2:6, 11; James 2:1). And we are to be like Him (Matthew 5:48). It’s not that we cannot comprehend this characteristic, or that we don’t appreciate this characteristic; it’s that we struggle with it because it truly is a divine trait. “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:17–19; also see 2 Peter 1:3–4).

“Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:4–6).

If we call ourselves Christians—followers of Jesus, Christ-likes, if you will—then we must challenge ourselves to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Genuine, lasting, beneficial growth doesn’t come easily, and hardly ever comes quickly.

For example, after the Lord taught about how to deal with a brother who has sinned against us (Matthew 18:15–20) the apostle Peter then asked, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)

From this point, Jesus taught a parable about an unforgiving servant who owed the king a mind-blowing amount of money which would be impossible to repay (10,000 talents comes to 200,000 years’ worth of work). The king compassionately forgave him the debt! (Matthew 18:27) The servant’s reaction? He sought someone who owed him a significant debt—obviously nowhere near the amount he was forgiven by the king (about 3 months’ worth of work)—and had his fellow-servant jailed.

What the forgiven servant did was then reported to the king; and the king’s full anger came down upon him: “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (vv. 32–33). Jesus concluded as plainly as could be stated: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (v. 35).

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3).

Forgiveness is an essential aspect of this. Again, if we want to be forgiven by God, then we must forgive from the heart our brother’s and sister’s sins against us. This isn’t set up as an option—it is a commandment, and God’s commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:2–3).

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:14–15).