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Gospel Amnesia from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

When Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, they came to a Samaritan village that did not welcome them. The "Sons of Thunder" brothers, James and John, remembered the prophet Elijah calling down fire from heaven and wanted to do likewise:

(Luke 9:54–56 NKJV)  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.

James and John were some of the first disciples to follow Jesus. They had been with Him since the beginning. Now years later, they were headed to Jerusalem, where Jesus would be arrested and crucified. Yet here, the brothers had a case of Gospel Amnesia. They momentarily forgot that Jesus hadn't come to destroy lives but to save them. Jesus corrected His apostle's attitude and simply went to another village. 

James and John had heard Jesus teach the people so many times. They were there when He said:

(Luke 6:27–28 NKJV)  "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you."

(Matthew 5:7 NKJV)  "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy."

As we sometimes do, the brothers had forgotten to be Christians, "Christ-like." We can know what is right but do what is wrong, and that's never right. At Refreshing Hope, we have been ripped off more by dealing with people in the church than strangers off Craigslist. 

Today, I grow concerned if I see a cross or fish on a business card. The worst crook we have dealt with had a scripture on his estimates. He talked about Jesus, took us for about $1,500, and said they would return the following day, but he didn't. They wouldn't return our calls, and we had to hire someone else to come and fix their work. 

We could have taken them to court, but that would also be Gospel Amnesia. There are two choices when someone has wronged you: forgive them or don't. We can choose to make that person pay or forgive them and absorb the cost. In this case, we decided to forgive their debt and never call them again. 

The Apostle Paul corrected the Corinthian church for using the law against each other. Now there are life-altering cases that have to be settled in court, but if it's a simple dispute that can be forgiven, we should always choose to show mercy. The Lord can restore what was lost and show you mercy in return. 

(1 Corinthians 6:7–8 NKJV)  Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!

Many try and use the Apostle Paul's teachings on grace as a license to sin. A form of greasy grace, but this is not what he taught. Paul made it clear that our actions cannot be separated from our faith. He spoke of people being deceived and unrighteous people who believed they weren't. 

(Galatians 6:7 NKJV)  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

(1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NKJV)  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul is speaking of continual sinful lifestyles and not a one-time slip-up, though every sinful lifestyle begins with the first time. A tree is known by the fruit it bears, and that takes a while to grow. Smoking one cigarette doesn't make you a smoker, but smoking for ten years certainly does. 

(1 Corinthians 6:11 NKJV)  And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

As with James and John above, we sometimes need to be reminded we are Christians and should behave like it. Treating others like you would like to be treated will take you a long way in the Kingdom of God. The Sons of Thunder would not have wanted someone to call fire down on them. So they shouldn't have been in such a hurry to burn up someone else.  

Jesus told a parable about a servant that owed a king a zillion dollars, or 10,000 talents. A talent was the highest currency unit, and 10,000 was the highest Greek numeral. When he couldn't pay the money back, the king forgave his debt. 

Then that man found another servant who owed him 100 denarii, a vastly smaller amount. When he couldn't pay the debt, the one who was forgiven the zillion dollars began choking him and had him thrown into a debtor's prison until he could pay. The king who forgave him learned of this and became furious:

(Matthew 18:32–34 NKJV)  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

Then Jesus said something shocking:

(Matthew 18:35 NKJV)  "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

You can pray this with me if you like: 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I forgive others as You have forgiven me. Please help me be honest and open in my dealings with Your people. I love You, and thank You today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!