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Originally Posted by Barnpreacher  Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Larson Quote: |
Sovereign God is always in control and man is still responsible for his actions.
| This is not disputed. What I'm wondering is if we should take this verse as approval to tell those who wrong us "don't be concerned about what you did, because it was part of God's plan". | I see what you're saying. I missed you the first time around. I'm trying to juggle four or five things at once.
I don't believe we should ever excuse sin. If we do that then the salt has lost its savor. We should always reprove, rebuke and exhort.
I think in Genesis the brothers of Joseph were actually repentant for what they did. That's why Joseph handled the situation the way he did. However, very often in our lives the world will wrong us, and we can and should let them know that they are sinning against God even though we know God will work it together for our good.
The difference between the brothers of Joseph and the world is that the world will never show godly sorrow for what they have done. That is why the Word of God teaches us to learn how to suffer rightly even when we are suffering for things we haven't done. See I Peter for example. |
Barney, our first and formost approach should not be to reprove, rebuke and exhort and wait for repentance. To say the brothers were repentant is mere specualtion, hence the Holy Spirit saw fit to leave that out. Repentance is never the cause to give forgivenenss. Now to take a phrase from you, This is how the world forgives. Skin for skin, you hurt me, so you need to feel the pain you casued me, tell you harshly, then if you repent according to my satisfaction, then I will show forgiveness. If my repentance against God is what brings forgiveness, then I am most miserable. True forgiveness, Spirit wrought forgiveness is to do EXACTLY what Joseph did and in fact what Esau did. Remember how nervous Jacob was when he knew he had to meet Esau? Jacob had stolen Esau’s blessing and his birthright. And Esau hated him for it. He hated his brother so much, that he once even said he was going to kill him. After all these years of being apart, Jacob was coming home. And Esau was coming to meet him... with FOUR HUNDRED of his strongest men!
1Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, (A)Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids.
2He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.
3But he himself passed on ahead of them and (B)bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and (C)fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Jacob did not show repetance to Esau prior. But repented afterwards from the grace shown to him. This is the Power of Grace over Law. The other tidbit I want you to notice is who was there who saw this? Look at verse 7:
7Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward
Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down.
His son Joseph. Joseph witness first hand what it means to forgive those who least deserve it. I am sure the brothers knew what their dad did against their uncle. And they knew Esau was ticked off and thought this was their doom. This is another example of providence in Joseph's life and taught him true forgiveness when he was in the same boat.
Until brother's and sister's in Christ understand this, they will NEvER understand grace,; unmerited favor.
"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life"
Look at what we are, Helpless, sinners, enemies. And what does Christ do? He dies for us without waiting for us to repent. Ah, but when the Spirit brings this home, we are broken and repentant.
Also, we read in I Peter 3:18, "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."
Joseph knew this revelation. He had the Spirit of Christ. His is written in the book of Life!!!! And the whole irony is that he had forgiveness shown to His dad, from the one whom God did not chose, and that is Esau. How shameful we should feel that a reprobate shows more love than an elect...