Results 1 - 7 of 7
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | stjohn | 204879 | ||
Colin: The problem with that interpretation is that IT doesn't square with what the rest of the Bible teaches about who has the power to forgive sin. If you don't like what Gill had to say,... Matthew Henry has this to say on John 20:23 --"Christ directed the apostles to declare the only method by which sin would be forgiven. This power did not exist at all in the apostles as a power to give judgment, but only as a power to declare the character of those whom God would accept or reject in the day of judgment." John Darby's synopsis --"The evangelist is far from exhausting all that there was to relate of that which Jesus did. The object of that which he has related is linked with the communication of eternal life in Christ; first, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and, second, that in believing we have life through His name. To this the Gospel is consecrated." The Geneva study Bible Note: "The publishing of the forgiveness of sins by faith in Christ, and the setting forth and proclaiming the wrath of God in retaining the sins of the unbelievers, is the sum of the preaching of the gospel." Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, have this to say-- 23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, etc,--In any literal and authoritative sense this power was never exercised by one of the apostles, and plainly was never understood by themselves as possessed by them or conveyed to them. (See on Mt 16:19). The power to intrude upon the relation between men and God cannot have been given by Christ to His ministers in any but a ministerial or declarative sense--as the authorized interpreters of His word, while in the actings of His ministers, the real nature of the power committed to them is seen in the exercise of church discipline." J Vernon McGee, very simply puts it as,--" What will remit sin (verse 23)? The gospel. The gospel must be preached before sin can be remitted." John Wesley's notes read, --"Verse 23. Whose soever sins ye remit - (According to the tenor of the Gospel, that is, supposing them to repent and believe) they are remitted, and whose soever sins ye retain (supposing them to remain impenitent) they are retained. So far is plain. But here arises a difficulty. Are not the sins of one who truly repents, and unfeignedly believes in Christ, remitted, without sacerdotal absolution? And are not the sins of one who does not repent or believe, retained even with it? What then does this commission imply? Can it imply any more than, 1. A power of declaring with authority the Christian terms of pardon; whose sins are remitted and whose retained? As in our daily form of absolution; and 2. A power of inflicting and remitting ecclesiastical censures? That is, of excluding from, and re-admitting into, a Christian congregation." The answer to his rhetorical questions are of course, (and what others have written) giving us a consensus that the apostles were never given such authority as some expositors would irresponsibly give them, by the way. Only God Himself can forgive sin, it's as simple as that. King David understood this very well, when the prophet Nathan spoke to him about his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, and what amounted to murder, though not directly by his hand, of, Uriah the Hittite. David, the man after God's heart, as well Nathan the Prophet, understood, that it was God, that he sinned against, and that God, was the one who could forgive that sin. 2 Sam 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. Shalom John |
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2 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | flinkywood | 204886 | ||
John, I admire Matthew Henry. J. Vernon McGee is also marvelous. I also consult JFB in my bible study. These are giants; but from reading scripture it is increasingly apparent to me that although forgiveness does happen initially in a categorical and declarative sense (succinctly expressed by McGee and GSB), sin remains within us (Rom 6:12; 7:15-18); therefore, one must examine his conscience daily for those offenses he commits out of pride, anger, lust, greed, fear; confront them (1 Cor 11:28) and confess them (1 John 1:9). To the point: If we don’t obey this faith to which we’re called (Rom 1:5; 16:26), we may forfeit our salvation (Heb 6:4-6; John 5:16-17). There are too many “if’s” in scripture to convince me our salvation is categorically guaranteed. My overall sense, and why I responded to Tamara in this thread, is that Jesus appears to have instituted a structure (John 20:23) to help the faithful obey the faith to which they’re called. Colin |
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3 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | stjohn | 204889 | ||
... | ||||||
4 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | flinkywood | 204891 | ||
John, your reply was agreeable until the 2nd paragraph. Judge yourself. | ||||||
5 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | stjohn | 204893 | ||
I do. If you took my comments as judgmental, I apologize, to you, and any who may have thought so. If you feel as though you are being judged, it's not me, I'm not qualified. | ||||||
6 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | flinkywood | 204894 | ||
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (1Co 10:12 NASB) |
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7 | Retain or forgive sins? | John 20:22 | stjohn | 204898 | ||
Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So He told them this parable, saying," What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:1:7 This is the way God feels about His sheep, I'm so grateful I'm just a stupid sheep. And He said, "A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men." So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;" Luke 15:11:23 This is the way our Father in Heaven sees one of His sheep who has fallen into the pigpen, and came to his senses, and returned to Him in repentance. I believe a sheep, is always a sheep, and will always return home. Believe me I know! |
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