Points are shared, today, on truly being drawn to Christ, accepting or giving forgiveness, and sharing divine love as operations performed by divinity. The decision to seek GOD through Christ is a starting point for new relationship with divinity. A person may make a formal, public declaration as a one-time event where they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, devices such as baptism, confession, enrolling as a church member, and reciting the sinners prayer, are finite human acts expressing acceptance, acknowledgment and willingness to change. Only through operations of the imparted, indwelling Spirit are believers spiritually altered, and endowed to express the unchanging features of new life in Jesus such as commitment, faith, gratitude, holiness, longsuffering, obedience to divine will, sacred knowledge, and steadfastness. A believer’s eternal life only becomes fruitful, productive, and clearly visible to themselves and others by their continuing on a daily basis to abide upon the earth as a vessel for the Spirit of Christ, who is in heaven. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using “SkyWalker7” as ID (Level 3 with 1,221 points, a member since July 23, 2012) posted the following:
Must I forgive my enemies, before becoming a christian?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6: 27-38, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Going to Church Before Baptism? (05/05/2015); As GOD Loves Us? (01/03/2014); Looking Ahead (01/04/2014); Loving the Enemy? (05/10/2013); Struggling? (05/11/2013); The Love of GOD (03/03/2013); Our Need for a Son (03/04/2013)
“SkyWalker7”, there are many important teachings of Christian belief that must be in place to correctly understand a proper response, here. Only by first becoming a Christian will many correctly come to know and perform forgiveness. Even so, consider the following:
(1.) Both accepting and giving forgiveness are accomplished within created beings and living creatures only through operations performed by the Spirit of GOD. Included are confession, devotion, faithfulness, obedience, piety, and repentance. Until baptism by Deity is bestowed upon a person (i.e., death of ones inborn spirit, rebirth from divine DNA, so to speak), only copies and counterfeits for the many expressions of divine love may appear. As finite emotional, intellectual and mental presentations, human forgiveness is unstable (we say, comes and goes, wanes and waxes), only endures for a limited time, and may be tainted by such hidden elements as pride, self-justification, and self-promotion.
(2.) A person must experience a clear awareness of their need for change across the full spectrum of their own life experience, including meanings, origins, possibilities, practices, fixed and moving principles, prosperity, purpose, truth, and lasting value.
(3.) Sin has not been created by GOD, and is neither a material nor spirit substance within Creation. Yet, sin has direction, effect and presence. Sin opposes the continued existence of divine law, the Law Giver, and all that depends upon sacred law for order and stability. Sin may dominate awareness, and self-will in the living. However, apart from operations by divinity, sin can not be recognized as abnormal, contrary to ones true nature, external, foreign and unrelated to life.
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Those who become born-again, must develop, learn and become mature again. The believer is to become more and more at ease displaying the active presence of a divine nature. Each believer begins life as a new spiritual creation from GOD. Therefore they will be nourished, supported and trained (we say, disciplined) in ways that foster their most complete and correct growth in Spirit (we say, sanctification). All experience a journey to accomplish multiple permanent changes that will be finished at the appearing of Jesus to harvest believers from the earth. As they are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, believers will be made immortal and incorruptible.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith and spiritual maturity.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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