If a person claims to love God’s Son, they will keep His commandments

Dear Editor,

 

Last week I read an article about an accused thief who allegedly stole a very large sum of money from an elderly disabled gentleman. As an added sideline, the confessed perpetrator also claimed to represent the Kingdom of Christ as a minister of the Gospel. Consequently, I have a few statements to make about the tragic situation.

 

The Church needs to do a much better job of governing itself so the secular courts do not have to. If the Church honestly and rigorously judged itself, then the world would not have to judge us. (1Corinthians 11:31). To Christ's shame, it's bad enough when preachers beg for money, but when they literally rob the helpless, then that's far beyond what the True Church can or should allow (Ephesians 4:28). Don't they know that no thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God? (1Corinthians 6:10)

 

For example, St. Paul said this about a chronic problem in the Corinthian Church, "I have heard terrible things about some of you. In fact, you are behaving worse than unbelievers... 2You are proud, when you ought to feel bad enough to chase away anyone who acts like this. 3-4I am with you only in my thoughts. But in the name of our Lord Jesus, I have already judged this individual, as though I were with you in person. So, when you meet together and the power of the Lord Jesus is with you, I will be there too. 5You must then hand that offender over to Satan. Their body will be destroyed, but their spirit will be saved when the Lord Jesus returns." 1 Corinthians 5:1-5

 

Regarding the issue of forgiveness, God only forgives us when we genuinely repent of our sins, "Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you." Acts 8:22

 

Real repentance means that the crime is not committed again (such as similar indictments recorded in Kansas and Rolla). Since God only forgives after a sinner truly repents, Christ taught that we can only forgive others after the offender asks for our pardon and refuses to repeat the sin, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and 'IF HE REPENTS,' forgive him." Luke 17:3 

 

Forgiving someone who repeatedly commits the very same sin merely grants them a license to continue their evil lifestyle. Thus, by forgiving a wicked person who never forsakes their sinful behavior, we become enablers, facilitators, and accomplices to their crime... as if OUR HANDS reached into the old man's safe and pulled out bundles of money.

 

In summary... if any person claims to love God's Son, then they will automatically keep his commandments (John 14:15). But for the pretenders in the Church who falsify their devotion to Christ by continuing to sin, Heaven's curse quickly rests on them because Jesus is coming soon (1Corinthians 16:22). God help the self-deluded who think they are condoned in the crucible of divine wrath (Galatians 6:3).

 

Edwin Woolsey

Willow Springs, Missouri