Trauma Wounds
Anyone who has experienced traumatic acts of violence know how far-reaching the effects can be. It is my experience that the victim of trauma doesn't have full comprehension of the damage from the trauma themselves. Trauma in early childhood, in fact, can even be repressed because of the minds defense mechanisms:
"In a study published 5 months ago, sociologist Linda Williams of the University of New Hampshire tracked down 129 women who, as children, had been taken to emergency rooms in the late 1970's for abuse related injuries. Nearly two decades later, 20 of them said they could not remember their hospitalization. Williams determined that the children who had been the most severely abused---and abused at the youngest age--were the most likely to have forgotten the experience...." (TIME magazine, April 17, 1995)
Repression of memories is presently a hot-bed of controversy now, even though it's an established fact (as the study above showed). This is because some scandalous incidences have served to cast doubt on the defense mechanism of memory suppression. Some adults come forward after therapy, reporting that their therapist has suggested or implanted certain memories which they never truly had. I've noticed this seems especially the case, for instance, when methods like hypnosis is used. Purposely altering the state of the mind in such a way, and then fishing for abuse during such a suggestible state of mind seems suspect to me, in my opinion. I've noticed these adults have also complained that they were made to feel as though they needed to dig up something in order to satisfy the therapist. They also describe a dependent relationship upon the therapist. It's too bad that these therapists seem so anxious to find abuse, that they are tempted to use short-cut or questionable methods on vulnerable people.Because of all of this, there have been a peaked interest in how exactly one can tell what is the truth and what is not. For instance, this one:
"Elizabeth Loftus, a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, has shown just how easy it is to create a false memory. In a study published this summer, Loftus asked older siblings or other relatives of 24 people to make up a story about a younger person being lost at the mall between the ages of 4 and 6. While 18 of the participants insisted that the incident never happened, 6 of them not only believed the story but also developed their own memories of the fictitious event."(TIME magazine, April 17, 1995)
The consensus thus far by many professionals is that the very mechanisms of memory are not fully developed and concrete until after the age of 6. Some pedophiles have admitted that they count on this weakness with their younger victims. Perhaps they also count on their young victims not being believed by adults because of their victims questionable status as viable witnesses.
Most concede that the more sensory input a memory contained, the stronger the impression. Yet, at the same time, the strength of these impressions seem to overload minds to the point that they must repress at least parts of the memory. In the experiment above, younger children seem very impressionable to having their memories tampered with by those who are older than themselves. This is something to take into account. However, I must point out that these studies aren't exact in their scientific method. No one would dare suggest that we take some young children, traumatize them to the point that they are overloaded and repress the memory, and then see how concrete and unsuggestable they are later when they are recalling the memory (when they do). Yet, that is the experiment abusers do upon young children every day in our country . Getting lost in the mall isn't exactly the same as traumatic events or abuse. It just doesn't compare.
It is comforting to know that while the world tries to solve these puzzles as best they can, we as Christians have a power available in us which goes beyond time. God is timeless, and exists beyond time. God is Love, and is not represented by a crafty abuser. There are countless testimonies of the many creative ways God goes beyond time, healing memories of trauma and abuse. Even when the original wound is completely unknown, these healings can occur during dreams and visions, while receiving prayer for healing, and through interaction with a Christian community who live the love and wisdom of God, from God.
Vengeance
Time, The Unrepentant, and Vengence
If you read the Psalms of David, you will sometimes read of his protests to God that he is innocent, and yet suffers at the hands of evil men. He cries out to God about the wicked going unpunished, and asks Him why he has not been vindicated yet (Psalms 94:1-11). Many times, David asks God to punish the wicked; asks for justice, and expresses faith that someday it will happen .Sometimes David is clearly depressed and discouraged. However, he also expressed faith that God would make all right.
Over and over again, it seems clear that David equated part of the vengeance given by God with a change in the power-base. Near the end of his life, he reflects this as he praises God: ""The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be God, the rock of my salvation, the God who executes vengeance for me, And brings down peoples under me," (2 Sam 22:47-48). It is enough, however, to be exalted in front of our enemies. This is what happens when we reap the benefits of righteousness. In Psalm 23, for instance, David first speaks of walking in the valley of the shadow of death (23:4), and then immediately thereafter he praises God for exalting him by preparing a banquet for him in front of his enemies:
"Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows." (Psa 23:5)
But being guided through the valley of death (vs. 4), and being blessed in front of his enemies, comes AFTER being guided "in the paths of righteousness" (vs. 5) There is a definite progression there! We have learned no righteousness, if we take occasion to exact our own cruel vengeance upon our enemies in the works of our flesh.
Justice is something we as humans desire. We would like for things to be fair. When sin causes horrible loss to ourselves or to those we love, our natural tendency is to want justice. We are made in the image of God, and so it can be assumed that our emotional mechanisms bear a resemblance to God's. It is a fact that we become angry when hurt, just as God does.
"So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel." (Num 25:3)
It is well-substantiated in scripture that the sin mentioned above-the sin of idolatry---always caused God to become extremely angry. He often compared this sin to adultery and disloyalty, and said He was jealous. In this case, he had loved Israel and had just rescued them from slavery and other gods, only to have them be unfaithful! So, He was very angry. What does God do when He is angry? When there is no repentance during the time He allots to do such things, He pours out His wrath.
God's day of Vengeance
God's day of vengeance is directly correlated with His year of redemption in Isaiah 63:4: ""For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come." Again a similar correlation is seen in part of Jesus' mission statement in Isaiah 61:2: " To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn," Certainly, the two acts of God -mercy, rescue, and victory for His servants and judgment upon the wicked, come side by side, simultaneously, throughout Scripture. It is no accident that His prophets often announced the two different promises (retribution for sins and deliverance) for the two different groups of people (wicked and righteous) at the same time.
However, if you are waiting for the wicked to get everything they deserve on this earth, you have a long wait. You heard me right! This is because for God to pour out his FULL wrath on the wicked, He would have to catch a few innocent bystanders too. At least, if He poured it out upon the earth now. Jesus announced His ministry in Luke 4:18-21. He listed everything that was prophesied in Isaiah 61:1-2, except "the day of vengeance of our God." It is obvious from Scripture that although Jesus proclaimed the "favorable year" (our redemption and forgiveness through His death), but "the day of vengeance" is waiting for His return. In the mean time, we humans are tested by the temporal-We don't know what we are "storing up for ourselves," if we remain unrepentant (Romans 2:5-10). This tempts many people to assume that God "does not see" and will not recompense. Therefore, they foolishly go on with their sinful ways. (Psalm 94:3-9) Likewise, it may tempt some of us to look at the wicked and be jealous of their 'freedom' (Proverbs 24:19-20), because we don't yet see the day of vengeance. But there will be a day of full vengeance upon the wicked.
God is displeased when He sees there is no justice in the land, and He is moved into taking action Himself. In handing out justice, He will pour out his wrath upon the wicked, but for those who turn away from sin there is a Redeemer (Jesus) who blesses (Isa 59:15-21) We, as humans in a great deal of pain and with a sense of justice, may think He is TOO slow, and wish there were more immediate action. However, we are cautioned to not retaliate or take are own vengeance. We are likely to be tempted to do this if it looks like justice (or our sense of it) is not being served, and if we do not trust God will repay.
It is common of course, for those who are bitter (who have not forgiven), to be so lost in darkness that they are taking their hatred out on anyone they can. This is how new 'enemies' against the innocent are made. Whether we are in a position to retaliate or not, a sure-fire way to become as wicked in our hearts as those who sinned against us is to harbor unforgiveness. We will soon be taking out our rage and bitterness against the innocent. At the root of every abuser is a root of unforgiveness, along with a wound they may or may not acknowledge! They become the 'wicked', just like the rapist in the following story.
When It Becomes Too Much
"The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, But a broken spirit who can bear?" (Prov 18:14)
I know someone who had endured a great deal of pain and sorrow in her life. I'll call her Karen. A victim of abuse, Karen had forgiven every one of her oppressors, yet had not had time to process her pain and anger, and heal. At times, she still suffered severe depression, nightmares, flashbacks, and other symptoms of what is now commonly labeled post-traumatic disorder. Only a few times over the years would she appeal for some sort of pastoral help for her difficulties. They would almost immediately preach to her about forgiveness, clearly implying that the only reason she still suffered was because she had not forgiven. They would put her on the defensiveness in this way without knowledge of the full story. As soon as she assured them that she had forgiven, they would either hold to their first judgment of her or dismiss her in some way---telling her to continue praying and reading her bible. They had no idea how much courage it took for her to talk in the first place.
Karen had become engaged to a charming young man at the age of seventeen. The engagement had full approval of everyone. This young man seemed extremely spiritual, generous, kind and sweet to all. He was immature, and so the lady anticipated a long engagement. The young lady and her fiancee agreed to no premarital sex. They were engaged for ten months, when one morning he let himself into her trailer and he raped her. She was a virgin before the rape. She thought of reporting him immediately, but was afraid her father would kill him. She thought of telling her Christian friends, many of whom she herself had witnessed to, but didn't want their young faith to be shattered by what this 'Christian' had done. Finally, she decided upon her youth pastor. He was the most available to her of all the elders of the church.
After an entire day of weeping, Karen drove her car to where her fiancee was working that night. He appeared distraught. The first words out of her mouth were, "I forgive you." She had already decided to do that. She was concerned for him, she told him, and convinced him to go with her to the youth pastor and his wife. There, the youth pastor asked the fiancee if the charge was true, and he sheepishly admitted he had raped Karen . Suddenly, the youth pastor's wife began to probe the Karen with questions, as if she were guilty of the rape. They treated the incident as though it were merely a lustful act, and shamed her. Not once did either of them ever ask her if she was okay. For the next ten years, certain that she would be blamed, Karen never told anyone about the rapes except her husband.
The young man raped Karen again, but this time she was too terrified to fight back. She was in an almost perpetual state of shock thereafter. Meanwhile, the rapist had signed up for the Air Force. He told a few people, but asked them not to tell Karen. While he was waiting to enter basic training, he victimized her as many times as he could (Karen doesn't remember how many times, but thinks it was only a few). The rapist also spread rumors that she was consenting to sex, and the youth pastor immediately shunned her. He told Karen that he didn't want her to come to the Jesus Festival camping trip with the rest of the youth. The rapist camped with the youth group, though. Karen camped somewhere else at the festival, trying to find some place safe from the rapist. (The rapist did take the effort to seek her out during the camping trip, and the youth pastor told him where she was) The situation continued to deteriorate for Karen. Within a short span of time, it seemed every one of the over 1,000 members of her Spirit-filled, Charismatic church, seemed to believe she was having sexual relationships with every young man she was seen with.
Fortunately, God had already intervened, and gave another young man, Tom, a word of knowledge about the rape. As soon as the word of knowledge about the crimes was acknowledged by the victim, Tom initiated a firm confrontation with the rapist in the presence of Karen. The rapist admitted he was raping Karen, more than once. It was too late, though, because his plot of escape was completed. He entered basic training in military service, unannounced and unexpectedly. Reportedly, he had renounced his Christian faith by words sometime before he left. Karen became suicidal, and Tom kept her from committing suicide for an entire week.
Shortly after that, realizing how young of a Christian the youth pastor was, Karen called the youth pastor and told him she forgave him. He didn't seem to understand what he needed forgiveness for, though. Karen decided not to discuss it any further with him. Dismayed, she asked Tom what he could do. He attempted to try to arrange a meeting with the senior pastor, whom she trusted implicitly. However, Karen begged Tom not to tell anyone what the proposed meeting was about. She was too ashamed. Tom came up against a stone wall with the elders, who insisted that all difficulties of the youth were supposed to be resolved by the 'youth pastor'. Reportedly, they told him that it did not matter what the request was about. They trusted the youth pastor, and the senior pastor had turned all church matters over to them. Karen didn't have the strength to try any more, and didn't feel young any more, either. Two years later that church 'boycotted' Karen's wedding to another Christian man-again because of rumors.
Stories like these sound shocking, but stories like them are all too common. This young woman became married and moved far away from the place where this occurred. Still, her trauma followed her. Knowing that Jesus said, "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44), Karen prayed for the rapist for several years. In fact, the rapist wrote her once and thanked her for her prayers. He said he was a Christian again, thanks to her. However, Karen did not want him to write or call her again, pretending as though nothing had ever happened. This behavior was similar to how he acted before, and it angered and frightened her. So, she called him to confront him completely for the first time.
Karen's confrontation with him was unsuccessful. He said he forgot everything past her first 'no', and insisted that nothing was rape. Karen then called his mother, whom she had felt close to, and reported what happened when they were younger. She asked his mother to never again give out her address or phone number to him. His mother believed her at first, but later changed her mind after speaking to her son. She decided her son wasn't capable of real violence, and that the young lady must have seduced him, as her son said. Not knowing how many other victims he might have raped by now, Karen now regretted that he was once again calling himself a 'Christian'.
Finally, Karen was forced to tell her father. This was because the rapist began to pay friendly visits to her father, who had liked him and trusted him. It was clearly dangerous for this to continue, because the rapist might be able to show up at HER door, one day. When Karen told her father what happened, he wept over it. Seeing her father weep, broke her again. The pain of the rapists acts had finally spread to everyone she loved. Because of the stress, Karen felt on the edge of a mental breakdown and becoming suicidal again. She decided to do another Bible study on forgiveness. Before she started, however, the Lord's voice spoke to her: "Don't do a Bible study on forgiveness. Do one on vengeance." She did a thorough one, and what she discovered astounded her. She discovered how David cried out for vengeance in the book of Psalms. She discovered the New Testament promises of vengeance for betrayal in relationships. If God promised vengeance for that, how much more would He answer her? And why hadn't He, yet? All of the suppressed anger began to pour forth to God. One day in church, the Lord clearly spoke to again to her: "I heard the cries of Abel's blood on the ground, and I took vengeance. Don't you think that I can hear your cries?" She was astonished that He cared so much!
Upon hearing God's words in her spirit, this Christian woman discovered she did not trust God to take vengeance. No doubt, the very poor examples of apathy and cruelty from those who were took on the name of Christ reinforced this distrust. With almost no decent examples in the physical realm from those who were supposed to represent His care, Karen decided to have faith that God cared enough to take action. She decided that even if it had to wait until after this life, God would somehow make all 'fair'. As He ministered to her directly regarding her anger, she discovered a way out of depression, suicidal or murderous thoughts, and other post-traumatic stress symptoms.
"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb 10:26-31)
Heb 10:26: "Sin willfully" is similar to the rebellion against God that is described in the O.T. as sinning "with a high hand" or "presumptuously" (Num. 15:30, 31; defiantly, lit. with a high hand). This sin is a sin of premeditation, committed only by those who have had the advantage of great light. In the rejecting of Christ's sacrifice, they discover that there is no other acceptable sacrifice for sin.*
It was a travesty how often the young woman was 'put on trial', rather than the rapist. This was no different than the ignorance and indifference of the world. The rapist had admitted his crime earlier upon his first confrontation, and I suppose that this was taken as repentance. Obviously, it was not. True repentance involves more than weak admissions to horrible crimes. It certainly does not include capitalizing on grace in order to commit more premeditated crimes against the vulnerable.
Healing
Excessive Sorrow
Even if we have forgiven, we still have to contend with the sorrow, or wounds, that our 'brother' has inflicted on us. Just as in Karen's experience, to assume or teach that forgiveness means instant healing is a travesty. It makes a way for healing, but it does not mean healing. It was the false assumption that forgiveness equals instance healing which gave people an easy way to judge her. From my experience, I have found that many people don't have faith that people can recover from experiences such as Karen's. They seem to think that it is somehow completely different than God healing something 'simple' like of cancer or paralysis.
One of Karen's testimonies is after several nights of another bout of post-traumatic, which has been triggered directly by her ex-fiancee's letter, and the unsuccessful confrontation she had with him over the phone (it was a success, though, that she confronted him). She began to have the horrific flashbacks. She began to pace the floor, praying and weeping continuously, and did not sleep for quite a long time. Her husband asked her if she wanted to be committed to a hospital, so she could have medication. She refused. "Medication won't deliver me. God will. Medication would just stop it for awhile, but then it would just start up again." She was not endangering herself or others, and her husband did not know what to do with her.
Karen was faced with forgiving her rapist now for his words over the phone. She found she couldn't. She told God she wanted to, but she couldn't. She needed His help. She prayed one night, begging God to help her. Suddenly, His presence filled her room, and something like a heavy weight lifted off of her. All the bitterness, rage and all sorrow left. She also had a vision. Then God instructed her, "If you tell people of this, never take credit for forgiving. You must always tell them I helped you" Later, her three year old child spoke of a vision in which she saw Jesus. "The wolves were coming every night to attack you, Mommy. I was so scared. Then Jesus came into my room, and told me He would chase away the wolves…He said you were too sick to chase away the wolves yourself, so He would do it. Then He left my room and chased the wolves away. Then you were all better."
The Sycamore Tree
Karen notices today that whenever someone tries to imply she is bitter because of a bitter experience, they also imply she can't be healed.. Sometimes, they might treat her with distrust and disrespect, as though she might snap or become abusive, or something. These same people, having never heard her story before, thought of her in very high regard beforehand. The only difference is telling something to a people who are quick to judge and our prone to putting people in boxes. The 'box' labeled, 'rape victim' has certain automatic assumptions for them. She has noticed the only bad reactions she has experienced are from the judgmental and the unbelieving---The modern day Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees are too busy finding a way to judge in their minds, and the Sadducees just don't have faith for sycamore trees.
Luke 17:1-4 is a highly shortened version of Matt. 18:1-22:
"And He said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."" (Luke 17:1-4)
Luke skips the parable of the unforgiving servant, but transcribes another part of that conversation:
"And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you." (Luke 17:5-6)
He then continues with a different parable which says we are to do as God commands us, and are not to think of it as a big deal (Luke 17:7-11)
In other translations, this tree is transcribed as the sycamore tree; it is part of the mulberry tree family. The fruit of the tree does not grow on the branches, but on sprigs protruding directly from the stems in clusters like grapes. It is "like" small figs in shape and size, insipid and woody in taste. The word "insipid" implies bitter tasting. The slump of the branches of that tree in that region looked like the "weeping" willow in our culture.
The word used in the KJV translation for sycamore tree is "baw-kaw", and is translated that way 4 times, twice in 2 Samuel 5:23-24, and twice in the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 14:14-15. The Hebrew word appears one other time in Psalm 84:6, where it is transliterated Baka. In Strongs Hebrew section #1057, it says that this is the same word as #1056, also "baw-kaw". This word is translated "weeping" and reference is made to a literal valley in Israel, probably the one in Psalm 84. It also refers to the root word #1058 which is most often translated, "weep"
"How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; In whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring, The early rain also covers it with blessings." (Psa 84:5-6)
In this scripture, "Baca" refers to the balsam tree, which flourished only in arid ground. Thus, the "Valley of Baca" pictures a dry valley on the route to Jerusalem that was marvelously converted into a place of springs. The idea, of course, is that the man who loves to spend time in the presence of God is one for whom adverse circumstances are an opportunity for finding God's faithfulness afresh (cf. 1:3; Jer. 17:7, 8).
My own view is that the mulberry tree represented sorrow, perhaps even a bitter sorrow, and Jesus used it for an example for a reason. With a little bit of faith, a Sycamore tree can be uprooted and tossed into the sea. Excessive sorrow can be healed. Just don't ask a Pharisee to pray over you, because they don't understand grace (they are too busy judging). And don't ask a Sadducee, because they don't believe in the resurrection.
Forgiveness, the Christian Community, and Healing
Fortunately, Karen was eligible for God's healing and deliverance from spiritual wounds which were 'too much to bear' because she obeyed His commands. Releasing the anger to God and forgiving the wicked as Jesus did (Father, forgive them for they know not what they do) is enlightened self-interest, because it releases the victim from the abuser and their acts, spiritually speaking. If a counselor suspects repressed memories, the victim could be exhorted to start by processing through and forgiving what she does remember, trusting God to reveal the memories that need to be revealed in the timing and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the wisdom and power-we must only make ourselves receivable.
However, a loving, supportive, community of believers who have faith that God does heal is was missed in Karen's life. In fact, her Christian therapist (Who, by ironic providence, was also a youth pastor) announced that she most likely would not have developed post-traumatic syndrome in the first place, if she had this kind of community. In essence, Karen had done her part (all that she knew to do), but the Christian community had not done theirs. It is because of an inadequate understanding of the Scripture that make it easy for the Christian community to lapse into these kind of errors, and justify it. Even if Karen had known one third of what is in this text, she would've been spared much. It is because of this that this text is written.
The Matthew 18:15-17 process as Church law is similar to our legal system, which is based on Judeo-Christian values. This legal system is in place to both convict the criminal of sin (punishing him, and giving him a chance to reflect on his sin and change his ways) and protect society at the same time. Just as in the law of our society, the Church 'law' is also intended to accomplish these same goals for those within the Church 'society'. The difference between the two is that the ultimate measure of 'punishment' is to completely shun a false brother as a 'tax-gatherer'. Within the Church, we are to confront people in serious sin and as a last resort remove them from our midst, but not 'stone' them as in the Old Testament. This reflects the grace Jesus brought to the earth, but grace does not mean ungodly and wicked lawlessness should be winked at in the Church. That's not true 'grace' to anyone, even the sinner.
A community should have some sense of reasonable concern, care. and love for its members. When they do not, they are not really a community. Apathy for one another leads to neglect. Believe it or not, this causes almost as much damage as frank abuse. For instance, children are damaged when one or both parents do not give them enough love, attention, or care during the vulnerable time of their development. People often discover they need to forgive neglect too, just as much as they need to forgive abuse. But some people run around acting as though we are expecting too much of the Church when we need love, or concern, or some of their time. Especially if we are brazen enough to express our needs. Funny thing, I know of not one scripture even implying this sort of idea, and yet there are hundreds of scriptures written by the Apostles in the epistles exhorting us as Christians to love one another and care for one another in a multitude of ways. Because a few people have seemed too needy (in our opinion) or a few people are selfish, we are supposed to close our hearts? The Sardis church was dead to works of Love, and has found a way to rationalize it! Surely there is a better way!
Healing Through Repentance
We have looked at the moment of salvation for a criminal on a cross, already judged by the law and suffering for his sins. Let's look at a thief and his moment of salvation. Here is Zacchaeus' response to Jesus:
"And He entered and was passing through Jericho. And behold, there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; and he was a chief tax-gatherer, and he was rich. And he was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. And he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." And he hurried and came down, and received Him gladly. And when they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."" (Luke 19:1-10)
The office of the "tax collector" (v. 2) under the Roman system was corrupt, and conducive to fraud. The official pays an amount agreed upon to the government, and all that he collects above that amount is his profit. Zacchaeus experiences a complete change of heart upon his encounter with Jesus. Note that Jesus requested to stay at this 'sinners' house, giving him an acceptance he probably did not expect. Zacchaeus decides to give his excess possessions to the poor. He also not only acknowledges that he has defrauded people as his job allowed, but goes BEYOND the requirement of the Law for fraud. (In the case of fraud, the Law only required the return of that which is illegally acquired plus one-fifth (Lev. 6:5; Num. 5:6). In the case of theft (Ex. 22:1), the requirement in the Law was a payment of at least four times the amount stolen.) Zacchaeus regards his actions as the equivalent of theft, even though he could've regarded them as only fraud.
Upon this act of repentance, Jesus pronounces that there has come salvation to the house of Zacchaeus, and that someone who was lost has been found (19:10). It is worthy to note that Jesus uses the Greek word, "swtayria" for salvation, which is translated as 'delivered'. Zaccheus' entire house has been delivered from both the consequences of sin and the hold the devil had because of the sin . There is no question that the salvation Jesus declared for Zaccheus is related to forgiveness of sins, for "swtayria" is the same word used in Luke 1:77 ("To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,"). Penitence, initiated by the truly repentant, releases the power of God to deliver.
Faith, Forgiveness, and Healing
Luke 7:37-50 tells the story of the a woman, reputed to be a 'sinner', or immoral woman (most believe she was a prostitute) who was also forgiven and saved. She knelt at the feet of Jesus and poured out her expensive perfume upon them, weeping and lavishly expressing her adoration by kissing His feet. This offended the residing Pharisee, whom Jesus reproved:
"And turning
toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your
house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her
tears, and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since
the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint
My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason
I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved
much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And He said to her,
"Your sins have been forgiven." And those who were reclining at the table
with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives
sins?" And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."" (Luke 7:44-50)
Authority
Faith plus Authority
This was not the first time Jesus offended the Pharisees by giving such pronunciations of forgiveness and salvation, and it is not the first time forgiveness was related to healing. However, in the following account, Jesus clearly adds His authority in the matter:
"And it came about one day that He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. And behold, some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in, and to set him down in front of Him. And not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, right in the center, in front of Jesus. And seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"-- He said to the paralytic-- I say to you, rise, and take up your stretcher and go home." And at once he rose up before them, and took up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. And they were all seized with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen remarkable things today."" (Luke 5:17-26)
You can notice that again the forgiveness of sins is related to faith, only this time it is the faith of the FRIENDS of the paralytic, not the paralytic himself. Jesus forgave the man's sins first, and then healed him when the Pharisees challenged his authority to forgive.
"Son of Man" has a variety of meanings in Jewish literature: (1) simply a human being (Ps. 8), (2) sometimes Israel (Ps. 80), (3) the figure to whom God is about to entrust His judgment and His kingdom (Dan. 7:13). It is Jesus' favorite self-designation. He identifies Himself with mankind, and also as the One to whom God entrusts the judgment and the kingdom.*
Authority to forgive or retain sins
Jesus had authority to forgive sins, and the healing power of the Holy Spirit was released. However, the authority did not end there.In the gospel of John, before His death and ascension and after He breathes the Holy Spirit upon them (John 20:22) Jesus gives an astonishing announcement to His disciples:
""If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."" (John 20:23)
The tense used in this sentence is the perfect tense ("have been forgiven" and "have been retained") This tense signifies action which is past at the time of speaking, yet with abiding results. Under the leadership and unction of the Holy Spirit, we as His Body proclaim salvation and the release of sins through forgiveness.
Besides the examples of healings, another example of the releasing of sins is by the martyr Stephen in the book of Acts. In Acts 6:8, "Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people." Soon, some hostile Jews stirred up lies against Stephen, and had him brought before the Sanhedrin High Council. There, Stephen made an eloquent defense by the unction of the Holy Spirit. Upon Stephen's rebuke and vision of Heaven, his accusers could no longer stand it, and they stoned him. Just before Stephen's death, he pronounced something very similar to Christ's pronouncements on the cross. He first said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" (7:59) and then he cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" An amazing prayer of extraordinary grace. Essentially, this is the same as Jesus' "Father, forgive them!" Surely, Stephen was not only inspired by the love of Jesus for sinners, but also still under the unction of the Holy Spirit.
One of those who fully supported the stoning of Stephen was Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul (8:1) Paul remembers his involvement in Stephen's death later (22:20). Reading this, and the miraculous appearance of Christ thereafter to Paul, one can't but wonder what power Stephen released when he said these words. I don't believe Paul's conversion was unrelated to Stephen's pronouncement of forgiveness.
The negative of this-retaining sins, is demonstrated in the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) This couple lied about their contribution, and denied it when confronted. The Apostle Peter retained their sins, and again the power of God was released. They died by His hand. Another example of this is when the Apostle Paul decided to "deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinth. 5:5) Here, Paul was speaking of the unrepentant brother who had his father's wife (5:1). Paul "judged him who had committed this" (5:5) That's right, he judged him! He then urged the church of Corinth to do the same, and shun him (5:9-13) The eventual results of this, was this man's salvation. (by footnote, Paul also rebuked this church for not judging themselves rightly---1 Corinth 11:23-32)
Faith, Intercession, Forgiveness, And Extraordinary Grace
The alignment between faith and forgiveness of sins, and miraculous healing, is again repeated in the book of James:
"and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." (James 5:15)
In the Old Testament, we have some examples of this same type of ministry of intercession. Take this one in which Hezekiah interceded (or acted as advocate) on behalf of the people:
"For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the LORD. For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the good LORD pardon everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary." So the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people." (2 Chr 30:17-20)
The word 'pardon' used here, is translated in Greek as "kaphar", for "propitiation, appease, or atone"!
(2 Chr 30:17-20 NASB). From the scriptures, we have established additional actions which reach beyond time and the 'rules' of the law, which lead to forgiveness of sins, which pave the way for the power of healing and deliverance:
- penitence from the repentant, which saves.
- faith from the unhealed, which saves
- intercession and the prayer of faith on behalf of the unhealed
When we ask for forgiveness (which opens the way to healing,) or retention of forgiveness (which means vengeance), we do not and cannot supersede the will of God. Numerous prophets, endowed with the Holy Spirit, prayed and asked for both of these things in the Old Testament, and God answered. Many times He answered exactly as they requested, and sometimes He did not. For instance, when Moses asked for grace and forgiveness for his sister and prophetess Miriam after she reviled him, God decided to extend her punishment of leprosy for seven days (Numbers 12:11-16), and then heal her. When the prophet Jonah was angry at God for forgiving the city of Ninevah, pouting that God had not punished them, God rebuked him with a plant (Jonah, chapter 4). When it became 'too much' for the prophet Jeremiah, he asked for vengeance against the family members and community members who plotted to kill him, and God immediately answered (Jer. 11:18-23) In each case, the prophet petitioned God, who listened and answered without violating His will and ways, which are higher than ours. Prophets are close to God because they obey Him and listen to Him as friends. In the Old Testament they were the ones who were endowed with the Holy Spirit. But in the new covenant all of us have the ability to have intimacy with God because of the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14-17). We are encouraged to approach the throne of grace with confidence because of Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16).
In Prayer We Have No Authority If…
The requirement to release God's power in prayer is
- Passive righteousness through faith (Galatians 3:5-9; James 5:15)
- Active righteous through works because of our faith (James 2:14-26). Examples given of how active righteous ensures the effectiveness of our prayers include kindness to our wives (1 Peter 3:7), and confession:
- Forgiveness. In Mark 11:24-25, Jesus states that we should ask in faith, but He also reminds us to forgive as we stand praying.
While instructing the Church government regarding what to do with the brother in sin, Jesus gave a similar pronouncement of power to let go or retain as He did in John 20:23 :
""Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Mat 18:18)
Jesus also pronounced this same authority upon the Apostle Peter, when He said:
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."" (Mat 16:19)
The expressions "will be bound in heaven" and "will be loosed in heaven" are examples in Greek of the periphrastic future perfect passive construction and should, therefore, be translated "will have been bound already" and "will have been loosed already" in heaven. In other words, Peter's pronouncement of "binding" or "loosing" is dependent upon what heaven has already willed, rather than earth's giving direction to heaven.*
The mystery of this relationship of power with God through the Holy Spirit., is that we are to initiate according to God's direction, and we are to function in faith. Our purpose in prayer is to see God's will here on earth, just as Jesus prayed in The Lord's Prayer: "'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." (Mat 6:10) When God wills something, and we complete the act of His will, we are accomplishing His will on Earth. It is already bound or loosed in heaven, but we are the ones who are charged with completing the act, and making it a reality here on earth. Thus when we are inspired by the Holy Spirit (Jesus' Advocate) to pray for healing of the sick, bind and cast our demons, forgive or retain forgiveness, we 'seal' the act already done in Heaven.
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The Believers Study Bible, Version 1.0c |
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