Positional Sins

Dr. Couch, what is this "forgiving men their transgressions" in Matthew 6:14 all about? Can we forgive men of their Positional sins so that they can go to heaven?

ANSWER: The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) mainly has to do with how the Jews related to each other. It is not about them possessing authority to forgive men of their sins so that they can go to heaven. The Beatitudes (vv. 3-12) that begin chapter 5 start out dealing mainly with how people treat each other. Note the down-to-earth exhortations: "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law" (5:25). "You shall love your neighbor" (5:43). "Beware of PRACTICING your righteousness before men" (6:1). "When you give alms" (6:3). "When you pray" (6:6). Christ's discussion is about PRACTICING righteousness in the Walk!

Then 6:14-15: "For if you forgive men for their transgressions [in their Walk], your heavenly Father will also forgive you [in your Walk]. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions [in your walk]."

This has to do with sin between men in their relationships, not about forgiveness for receiving salvation. Compare Luke 17:3-4. Forgiving comes by repentance or confession. This restores fellowship or the relationship. This is similar to 1 John 1:9. In the walk confession and forgiveness restores our fellowship. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteousness to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" in our Christian walk. The walk is implied, and is clear, in the context: "IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NOT SINNED (in the Christian walk), we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." This is not about our POSITION in Christ but about our WALK (EXPERIENCE) with Christ.

The same in Matthew 6:14. The passage is about the issue of fellowship with each other. By the way, note Luke 17:3-4 again. "If the brother SINS." And "If he SINS against you ..." Then IF HE REPENTS of that sin against you, you are to forgive him!

Anyone who thinks Matthew 6:14 is about getting to heaven they are confused over the salvation POSITION and the Christian living WALK in the spiritual life.

In his Matthew commentary, my old Greek teacher, Dr. Stanley Toussaint, well explained what is going on in the Sermon on the Mount: "Judicial forgiveness is not in view (Acts 10:43) but fellowship (1 John 1:5-9). It is impossible for one to be in fellowship with God as long as he harbors ill will in his heart."

Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch (1/11)

Dooms Day Prepping

Dr. Couch, with all that could be coming on our nation, should we store up food and other items in preparation for troublesome days or simply trust the Lord? I hear both views. What do you think? ANSWER:  You referred to Proverbs 6:6 and Matthew 6:26. Proverbs 6:6 reminds us to be prudent and prepare for troubled days. It says: "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, ... she prepares her food in the summer, and gathers her provision in the harvest." Matthew 6:26-8 speaks of "Your Father knowing what you need, before you ask Him."    My answer would be "both" "and." Both passages are inspired Scripture so there is a balance with both. If I am reminded to store up and prepare for troubled times, that is God working His providence in my life, causing me to be ready for dark days coming. And whatever I do, this is His doing, working through and with me!    God uses "means" to accomplish His "ends," His "purposes." There are no accidents in His plans. It would be wise and prudent for believers to store up provisions, funds, etc. Save and be wise with your income and your means. Do not squander and spend unwisely, as unfortunately, many of us are doing. I believe we all may wake up and find ourselves in trouble with what is coming upon us. Our grandparents were biblically smart. They saved and "prepared for the winter." Our generation is not that smart but we need to listen carefully to God's Word and take all the Scriptures to heart.    I hope this helps, and thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (5/10)

Contemplative Prayer

Dr. Couch, I understand the Contemplative Prayer people use Psalm 46:10 and Matthew 6:6-7 to advocate that we should go into the lotus position, tune out all thoughts, and contemplate God. Is that what these verses are all about? ANSWER:  The Contemplative Prayer advocates are not talking about meditating on God. They are advocating Hinduism by which one pushes out all thoughts, even about God, and go into a silent mental state, whereby then they are filled up with the divine! This is Hinduism and not Christianity! They believe we should divorce the mind from all thinking. God then comes and simply fills up the silence space in a mystical "no thinking" way.    This is a repudiation of all objective, conscious thinking. It is a denial of living by objective doctrine, whereby we act on the truths of God's Word. The Contemplative Prayer people admit that they are uniting their view of "Christianity" with other religions. Most of the advocates are coming out of Anglicanism. They are also going back to contemplation and musing from the "desert fathers," those in the Middle Ages who left the world in order to find God "in silence." This is cultism and it is driven by demonism! It is exploding in liberal churches, but too, it is spilling over into Evangelical churches. This is leading to a one-world religion!    In the NAS Psalm 46:10 reads: "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The "cease striving" is not speaking about tuning out contemplation, it is about waiting on the Lord in His sovereignty to do the work He has determined in His world. In other words, they misuse the passage and do not understand what it is about. Matthew 6:6 is also not talking about going brain-dead and shutting out all thinking. Christ said: "When you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you." The point is that one simply goes into a private place and speaks with Him alone. Don't "perform" with your praying in order to impress others. Since God is Spirit, He sees and hears all things. He knows our every thought!    Be alert! Satan is working overtime in destroying the truth of God's Word. Because doctrine is no longer "in", especially among those who are thirty-five and under, we can expect all kinds of occultism coming in, in order to destroy biblical Christianity. Satan is working overtime to mislead our churches!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch