By Joie
~ Charity ~
As I was reading in Peter last night, I was given this thought: that Charity is forgiveness. Now I have never thought this or heard it taught. But as I read, I could see this. So I did some studying on the matter. I was pretty well convinced of this when I looked in the Strong’s Concordance and saw that the word is not in the O.T.
One reason I want to post this message before I finish doing the series on the Day of the Lord, is because you will need to understand this to be able to understand the next series of messages I intend to try to do. That is when I can finish getting what God is showing me.
God said unless you forgive from the heart every trespass of man against you, He will not forgive you your sins. This is important. See it is an absolute requirement for you to have your own sins forgiven. You must forgive every sin against you. You must do this from the heart. This dear one, is CHARITY.
Under the O.T. Law, there was NO FORGIVENESS; NOT FROM GOD; NOT FROM MAN.
The Law required punishment for every sin. It many times required death.
Therefore, If one lived this law, their heart was STONE. = No love, no forgiveness. They could not have the love, the forgiveness. If they did, then they themselves would be BREAKING THE LAW; FOR THE LAW REQUIRED DEATH.
You could not forgive a person if they did a wrong - it had to be brought to the judge (the priests) and judged and then the person had to pay the penalty. If one did not do this, then they themselves were guilty of breaking the law. (Thank God for Grace).
In Jude 12 it tells of evil men feasting without fear with us in our feasts of CHARITY. Why did they have no fear to be there pretending to be saints? Because they knew our charity was love; = forgiveness; therefore they would not be punished.
In 11Peter 1:7- the last thing added to our growth was CHARITY -- which followed brotherly kindness. So see, brotherly kindness was close kin to CHARITY.
1Pet. 5:14--we are told to greet one another with a kiss of CHARITY. I believe this means fellowship of love and forgiveness. This is considered a spiritual ‘kiss�?or fellowship.
1Pet.4:8-- (Watch this one)--- He said ABOVE ALL THINGS -- now this is powerful --- ABOVE ALL THINGS-- have fervent CHARITY among yourselves: FOR Charity shall cover THE multitude of sins.
This is what first gave me the thought that charity is forgiveness -- see it said THIS covers the multitude of sins. If the sins one does against another are covered, this means they forgave it. If we forgive it, God forgives it. If we do not forgive it, God does not forgive it. The sin remains. Therefore, we revert back to the law.
In forgiving their sins against us, then God forgives our sins, and this is how it also covers our own sins. If we do not forgive, and then God does not forgive us, so all the sins remain uncovered. Then they must be judged and we will be punished later.
V9--He told us to use hospitality without grudging--- this means give love and forgiveness without holding back.
When the disciples desired to be greater than the others, this showed they did not have this charity yet. That is why Jesus rebuked them for this. If we love our neighbor as our self, then we do not desire to be greater than anyone else. This is unselfish love = charity. Jesus said in honor prefer others above yourself. This is charity.
God said not to revenge yourselves. Vengeance belongs to God. But God showed me that many times those of us who would never think of doing evil to one to get revenge, will be unknowingly trying to get revenge by the use of WORDS. We are told not to speak evil of anyone. We are told to gossip or backbite or carry tales. All of this is a form of seeking vengeance. We need to set a watch before our mouths that we might not sin with our mouth.
1Tim. 2:22 shows that charity gives peace.
Now look at 1Tim. 1:5--Now the END OF THE COMMANDMENT is CHARITY out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
v6--From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
v7--Desiring to be teachers of the LAW; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
v9--Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient etc.
Now see that this said they turned away from charity because they wanted law. So to me this proves that the thought which came to me is right -- that charity is forgiveness. The law is NOT of faith. See it said Charity is out of a pure heart and of unfeigned FAITH.
This connects Charity and faith together. (11Thes. 1:3)
Charity is connected with Peace; (1Tim. 2:22)
It is connected with love. (1Cor. 14 & 16)
All of these virtues were NOT UNDER THE LAW.
1Cor. 8:1 shows that Charity edifies one another. All of this is to build up Christian love and growth in ourselves and others. This was not under law.
I will close with this: Rom. 10:4--For Christ is the END OF THE LAW for righteousness to very one that believeth.
So when 1Tim. 1:5 said the END OF THE COMMANDMENT IS CHARITY -- this is saying Charity is the end of the law. If this be so, then it is true, Charity is Grace. Grace is forgiveness. Grace is LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.
If you do not forgive, then you are not in GRACE, YOU ARE UNDER LAW. It puts you back under law to not forgive every trespass against yourself.
Grace is forgiveness. Under the law there was no forgiveness, but a certain fearful looking for of fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
(Heb. 10:27).
v28--He that despised Moses�?law died without MERCY under two or three witnesses.
See, no mercy under law. Mercy is Grace-- forgiveness-- love-- it covers a multitude of sins. This is CHARITY.
Heb. 10:16--This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
v17--And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
This is the new Covenant = Grace = forgiveness and forgetting our sins. This means that if we have Charity, we must forgive and forget other’s sins against us.
See then, that Charity is the New Covenant. That is why the word is not even one time used in the O.T.
I hope I have made this clear: it is that until we ourselves come to love and forgive others as God loves and forgives us, then we do not have Charity; then we have not fully come into the New Covenant as we should.
So, then this is what we are striving for = to come into the New Covenant of Grace -- which is to love others-- as God loves us -- to forgive others, as God forgives us. If not, then God does not forgive us; even if He has already forgiven us, and we fail to forgive someone,
He will take it back from us and make us pay for our sins. The parable Jesus taught of the unjust steward showed this.
So we must all seek to forgive - then we are loving as God loved - this is the whole essence of love, Charity, of the New Covenant.
If we still hold something against someone, talk about them, run them down, any of these things, we are not in Charity or love or forgiveness or the Covenant of Grace. See where we must get to in order to have Grace?
This takes some more seeking of love and grace from God for our own selves. May God help us all, especially me, to come into the fullness of Grace = Charity.
Romans 3: 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Look at v 20, no flesh shall be justified by the deeds of the law.
v21--...righteousness of God without law....
v22-....righteousness of God which is by Faith.
.
27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
v27....makes it clear that there are two DIFFERENT SETS OF LAW. One is the works of the law of the O.T. - the law of commandments given to Moses.
BUT.... THERE IS ANOTHER LAW ---- A LAW OF FAITH.
v28-...man is justified without the deeds of the law .... so this would have to be speaking of the same law the Word always says man is not justified by = the law of commandments given to Moses.
Gal. 3: 11. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them.
Here Paul once again said man is not justified by the law; and the law is NOT of faith.
So when you put this with the above Scripture in Romans 3, it said there is another LAW .... A LAW OF FAITH.
Every word of God is LAW. But it is not the same as the law of commandments. This is what is not of faith.
Romans 8
1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Now once again we have here two different sets of laws: that of the law of sin and death = the law of commandments given to Moses; for this law demands death to the disobedient.
and another law = the law of life in Christ Jesus. Now this is that law of faith.
It is a 'LAW' of God that if one is in Christ Jesus by FAITH, then that one will have LIFE; NOT DEATH.
This LAW OF FAITH is the law God has written in our hearts and minds ----- NOT THAT LAW OF COMMANDMENTS.
The O.T. Law of commandments DEMANDED that any disobedience be PUNISHED. Many time this was by death.
Hebrews 10
1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins
(this law was not able to do the work of God to make us perfect and in His image.).....so there had to another one.
7. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9. Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Now this tells us that Jesus came and died for our sins one time and this did the job. He took away our sins FOR EVER. Look at v 11 - those O.T. sacrifices could not take away sins.
14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
(see no weekly sanctification here; one time did it. No weekly rest; it is everyday. no more sin).
15. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;......
He is saying the New Testament Covenant is the LAWS he wrote into our hearts. People be sensible, why in this world would God bring His Son here to die, because the Old Covenant with its sacrifices .......
COULD NOT TAKE AWAY SINS---- WHY WOULD HE BRING IN A NEW COVENANT BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS........THEN TURN AROUND AND WRITE THOSE OLD LAWS WHICH DEMANDED DEATH,,, INTO OUR HEARTS??
THINK ABOUT THIS. WHY? IF IT DID NOT DO THE JOB THEN, WHY WRITE THEM IN OUR HEARTS NOW, AFTER JESUS CAME, DIED, CLEANSED US FOREVER, AND GAVE US EVERLASTING SANCTIFICATION, THEN WRITE THE OLD LAW OF SIN AND DEATH INTO OUR HEARTS?????
No, No, no, a thousand time no! God did NOT do that thing. He wrote the new laws (N.T. law of love and faith, into our hearts) This law gives, yea DEMANDS CHARITY.
Charity is LOVE AND FORGIVENESS; SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE UNDER THE OLD LAW.
17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
This, THIS, is the covenant I will make with them........I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds... and will remember their sins no more.... for Jesus did away with them for ever...... by what LAW?
By the O.T. Law of commandments? No. by the law of FAITH; of LOVE. THE LAW OF LIFE IN CHIRST JESUS.
This then, is the LAWS HE WROTE INTO OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ---- THE ONES WHICH GIVES US LIFE---- SANTICIFICATION FOREVER --- GIVES US FAITH-----DOES AWAY WITH OUR SINS FOREVER-------THIS LAW OF FAITH IS WHAT GOD WROTE IN OUR HEARTS.....
NOW THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS OF MOSES WRITTEN ON STONE.
Heb. 10: 28. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Now, we all know that there was no mercy under that old law. It demanded death; punishment. I mean DEMANDED it.
There was no choice in the matter. One could NOT forgive and grant mercy. Even when parents had children who would rebel and not obey, the HAD TO BRING TO THE JUDGE, (THE PRIESTS) AND HAVE THEM CONDEMNED AND KILLED.
Stoned to death. Else THEY THEMSELVES WOULD BE GUILTY OF BREAKING THAT LAW AND WOULD HAVE TO BE KILLED.
You could not love; you could not forgive; you could not show mercy = grace.
Thus, it was IMPOSSIBLE to keep that law and love at the same time. It was impossible. It was impossible to forgive under that law. I mean impossible. No one, not the people, not the judge, not the priests could offer any mercy or forgiveness. It they did, then they themselves became guilty and would be punished.
(and you want to go back to that? what in this world for?)
So this very fact alone PROVES THIS STONE LAW COULD NOT BE THE LAW GOD WROTE INTO OUR HEARTS. For if it were, then by that same law we could NOT LOVE; WE COULD NOT FORGIVE; WE WOULD HAVE TO KILL ANY OFFENDER.
GO BACK READ THAT ABOVE VERSE........THOSE who broke that law, died WITHOUT MERCY. No mercy; = no love = no grace = no forgiveness.
Now did any of you ever think of this?
It was IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THAT LAW UNDER THAT LAW. Yes, strange as this sounds, you could not LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF---- for if that neighbour offended, then you were obligated by the law to turn him in (even if it were your own child)-- and have the evil put away by killing the offender.
You could not forgive any trespass, for if you did, then you yourself became a breaker of that law.
So why would God write THAT law into our hearts, ...... then demand us to forgive from the heart every trespass of man against us ......... else he would not forgive us.
The Law he wrote into our hearts demands us to forgive every sin against ourselves. It demands us to love and over look sins.
The only way Jesus himself could get out of stoning someone to death was to get around them, and find a way to get over into the New Covenant of grace and forgive that adulterous woman. If he had not had the wisdom to outdo those men with their own conciousness of sin, he would have HAD TO LET THEM STONE HER TO DEATH----- FOR THAT WAS WHAT THE LAW DEMANDED. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN BREAKING THE LAW HIMSELF UNLESS HE DID THAT.
But he found a way to get around it and give her forgivenss love, - possible only under Grace.
That is why the tried to accuse him of breaking the Sabbath --- he was getting around this weekly rest, which was not the Grace Rest, and he would do things they said broke the weekly Sabbath; for he was always getting around that law to give grace.
That is one reason they hated him so much. He knew that weekly Sabbath was not the rest of God. He knew love, charity, grace, forgivness is the true rest; one impossible under the Law of moses = commandments.
People, if that old law is in your hearts, you have a stony heart; you cannot love; you cannot forgive; you cannot have charity. For CHARITY is LOVE, FORGIVENESS; CHARITY COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS.
That old law could NEVER TAKE AWAY EVEN ONE SIN.
So those commandments are forgotten and left behind when ONE TURNS TO CHRIST. WHEN ONE IS FILLED WITH LOVE, CHARITY, FORGIVENSSS = THE NEW COVENANT = THE LAWS WRITTEN IN OUR HEARTS.
11Cor. 3: 13. And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14. But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
See v.16-- there is your answer --- when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail (or blindness of that old law) shall be taken away.
If and when you turn to Jesus, those old laws will be remembered no more. A new Law, a new covenant will be written in your heart.
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
First 
0 recommendations 
Return to Peace
