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E-mail from Phil Frankford, with the technical explanation of
"Without public confession, public sin is not forgiven", from a Biblical
perspective--3/20/2005:
Douglas -
Here is what is expected. Here is what the Bible
says is required as the first steps toward repentance.
KJV Luk 19:1-10 And
Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And,
behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which
was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus
who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was
to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the
place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste,
and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and
came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw
it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be
guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the
Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have
taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore
him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is
salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For
the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
CEV Luk 19:7-10 Everyone who saw this started grumbling,
"This man Zacchaeus is a sinner! And Jesus is going home to eat with him."
Later that day Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "I will give half of
my property to the poor. And I will now pay back four times as much to
everyone I have ever cheated." Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today you and your
family have been saved, because you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man
came to look for and to save people who are lost."
Let's see what was going on. Zacchaeus was a
known sinner. Christ acknowledge as much.
CEV Luk 19:7 Everyone who saw this started grumbling, "This
man Zacchaeus is a sinner! And Jesus is going home to eat with him.
CEV Luk 19:10 Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Today you and your family have been
saved, because you are a true son of Abraham. The Son of Man came to look
for and to save people who are lost."
What did Zacchaeus do to show repentance?
And1161 Zacchaeus2195 stood,2476 and said2036
unto4314 the3588 Lord;2962 Behold,2400 Lord,2962 the3588 half2255 of my3450
goods5224 I give1325 to the3588 poor;4434 and2532 if1487 I have taken any
thing from any man by false accusation,4811, 5100, 5100 I restore591 him
fourfold.5073
He was required to openly and publicly
confess what he did. Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord
1) I'll deal with my ill gotten gains.
2) I'll not keep what was never mine.
3) I will stop coveting.
4) I will stop DEFRAUDING people.
Please take careful note to what he really said.
Please look at "false accusation,4811"
G4811
συκοφαντέω sukophanteō
soo-kof-an-teh'-o
From a compound of G4810 and a derivative of G5316; to be
a fig informer (reporter of the law forbidding the
exportation of figs from Greece), "sycopant", that is, (generally and by
extension) to defraud (exact unlawfully, extort): -
accuse falsely, take by false accusation.
Remember what David wrote in Psalm 32 -
Psa 32:1-11 (A special psalm by David.) Our God,
you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away. You bless them by
saying, "You told me your sins, without trying to hide them, and
now I forgive you." Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt
limp, and I groaned all day long. Night and day your hand weighed heavily
on me, and my strength was gone as in the summer heat. So I
confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, "I'll tell the LORD each
one of my sins." Then you forgave me and took away my
guilt. We worship you, Lord, and we should always pray whenever we find out
that we have sinned. Then we won't be swept away by a raging flood. You are
my hiding place! You protect me from trouble, and you put songs in my heart
because you have saved me. You said to me, "I will point out the road that
you should follow. I will be your teacher and watch over you. Don't be
stupid like horses and mules that must be led with ropes to make them
obey." All kinds of troubles will strike the wicked, but your kindness
shields those who trust you, LORD. And so your good people should celebrate
and shout.
It is very clear that when the
abuse is public and the sin is to a community. the confession must be public and
before the community with no tricks or deceit.
Psa 32:2 Blessed835
is the man120
unto whom the LORD3068
imputeth2803 not3808
iniquity,5771 and
in whose spirit7307
there
is no369
guile.7423
Psa 32:5 I acknowledged3045
my sin2403 unto
thee, and mine iniquity5771
have I not3808
hid.3680 I said,559
I will confess3034
my transgressions5921, 6588
unto the LORD;3068
and thou859
forgavest5375 the
iniquity5771 of my
sin.2403 Selah.5542
guile - H7423
רמיּה
remîyâh rem-ee-yaw'
From H7411; remissness, treachery: - deceit (-ful, -fully),
false, guile, idle, slack, slothful.
hide - H3680
כּסה
kâsâh kaw-saw' A primitive root; properly to plump, that
is, fill up hollows; by implication to cover (for clothing
or secrecy): - clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide,
overwhelm. Compare H3780.
confess - H3034 ידה
yâdâh yaw-daw' A primitive root; used only as denominative from H3027;
literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand; physically
to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or
worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing
the hands): - cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful,
-s, -sgiving).
Without public confession, public sin is not forgiven.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh1448 to God,2316 and2532 he
will draw nigh1448 to you.5213 Cleanse2511 your hands,5495
ye sinners;268 and2532 purify48 your hearts,2588 ye double minded.1374
Jam 5:16-20 Confess1843 your
faults3900 one to another,240 and2532 pray2172 one for
another,240, 5228 that3704 ye may be healed.2390 The effectual fervent1754
prayer1162 of a righteous man1342 availeth2480 much.4183 Elijah2243 was2258
a man444 subject to like passions3663 as we2254 are, and2532 he prayed
earnestly4336, 4335 that it might not3361 rain:1026 and2532 it rained1026
not3756 on1909 the3588 earth1093 by the space of three5140 years1763 and2532
six1803 months.3376 And2532 he prayed4336 again,3825 and2532 the3588
heaven3772 gave1325 rain,5205 and2532 the3588 earth1093 brought forth985
her848 fruit.2590 Brethren,80 if1437 any5100 of1722 you5213 do err4105
from575 the3588 truth,225 and2532 one5100 convert1994 him;846 Let him
know,1097 that3754 he which converteth1994 the sinner268 from1537 the
error4106 of his846 way3598 shall save4982 a soul5590 from1537 death,2288
and2532 shall hide2572 a multitude4128 of sins.266
Jam 5:16 If you have sinned, you should tell each
other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed.
The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot.
This is one of the real reasons that our churches are so SICK.
Before the alcaholic can overcome their problem,
the must admit that they have a problem.
Without confession, relationships can not begin
to be restored.
We must address these problems for what they
really are and say no more. We have to be real to ourselves, accountable, and
approachable before this mental illness will ever leave the churches. Until
this level of confession happens, we will never see healing and restoration.
Be blessed,
Phil Frankford
Also visit
http://www.cultabuse.com
The Missing
Dimension:
www.missingdimension.com
Last Updated:
Sunday, March 20, 2005
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