NOTE: This message should bring about deeper study. The more contemporary translations of the Bible serve their purpose to make Bible reading easier for those who are learning. With the changes in the language down through the years, words have different meanings now than they once did. It was difficult to translate the ancient languages to English before and with each iteration of language evalution it becomes more difficult. The 1900 KJV is still one of the most literal translation though it is more difficult to understand some of the old language. Sometimes there seem to be discrepancies or ommisions that some people use to say there are double meanings in the Bible. There are not. Unless a person is a Scholar of the ancient languages it is valuable to search the many translations to find the pearls that begin with an irritating misunderstanding. For clarity the Young's Literal Translation of our focal verse can be read below.
John 20:23, "if of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained."
Young, R. (1997). Young’s Literal Translation (Jn 20:23). Logos Bible Software.
Retention From Sin
John 20:23, “lWhose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” [1]
I. Release
A. Burden
B. Blessing
II. Return
A. Belong
B. Believe
III. Retain
A. Bound
B. Bear
Introduction: To retain something means that you keep it. Retention from sin is the title of today’s message but if you retain someone’s sin you will never be able to be from carrying someone else’s burden.
That is not to say that we are responsible to forgive someone else’s sin. In fact there is only One Man born of woman who has the power to forgive sin. Nearly every preacher I ever remember has said otherwise and not until just recently was the real truth revealed to me though I had read the truth more times than I can remember.
We are programmed to believe that if we don’t forgive the sins of others that somehow we are guilty. We are programmed to believe that we never leave anyone to their own decisions but should follow them and never abandon them no matter what; especially if they are close family, even children. Why should we think that we should do something that Jesus did not teach?
Mark 10:21 “Then Jesus mbeholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, ntake up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” [2]
We have talked about the parable of the prodigal son, his father, and his brother. The father didn’t chase the wayward son but he never gave up on him either. He didn’t allow the son’s indiscretions to affect his faith. Instead the father remitted the sons stuff so that it would not be what held the relationship from being mended if and when the son came back. Very subtle; very different. Jesus didn’t chase people.
Who alone can forgive sin? Luke 5:21 “And the scribes and the Pharisees began rrto reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? sWho can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What rrreason ye in your hearts? 23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,” [3]
So there it is. Jesus did not correct them about knowing that only God can forgive sins. They didn’t want to admit that Jesus was God but by their own admission they knew that only He, The Messiah, could forgive sins.
The Bible is sufficient to explain itself always. We, like the Pharisees, often conceive our own explanations and then proceed to tell others how they are to believe about things. Then when you least expect it, God reveals the truth.
Scripture: The focal scripture today is John 20:23. Please stand if you’re able.
Prayer: Let us pray. Be seated.
Message: I have to give credit to two TV preachers for this today. I am not sure of the first one but he said that if we keep harboring ill feelings towards a neighbor whether if they have repented or not, we will not be released from the burden that keeps us from loving them.
The second preacher was David Jeremiah; two different shows back to back. David quoted today’s text and he explained the difference in remit and forgive. He went on to use the example of cancer. When you are free from the burden of cancer so that you can resume life nearly normally it is said that you are in remission. The cancer is always a part of you unless a temporary miracle from God happens until God ultimately heals you eternally. You are good to go on with your life without worry of what might be. You are released! So far as you are concerned now you are free of the burden that you carried before. God has blessed you and everyone around you with a vital life again of giving from God to others! Amen?
Notice the words “Whose soever?” It doesn’t say whosoever. The emphasis is on the ownership. Whose sins is this talking about? Not yours! They belong to someone else who must confess them, ask for forgiveness from the only One who has the ability to forgive sin, and then ask Jesus to help a repentant to return. You are responsible for your sin, your confession, your request, and then you follow Jesus and He will accept you. He is sovereign but He will not force anyone’s decision. He is patient with us.
So if you remit someone their sins they are returned to the rightful owner. Young's Literal Translation puts it differently; to paraphrase Young says if you loose their sins. You didn’t leave your faith, that was the other person's decision. We all own our decisions; each and every one of us. Yet you still have a debt to pay to love no matter what. How do and can you do that? Truth of the matter you cannot in and of yourself. If you try you will fail and feel guilty. Look back into the context.
Jesus had been resurrected from the tomb. He was ministering to them in His glorified body. Pentecost had not happened though Jesus did something huge. John 20:19 “aThen the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, bwhen the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled cfor fear of the Jews, came Jesus and dstood in the midst, and saith unto them, ePeace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, fhe shewed unto them his hands and his side. gThen were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, ePeace be unto you: has imy Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, khe breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:” [4]
This is important. If someone does not remit or loose another person’s sin back to them it could be that the Holy Spirit is not present in the person who cannot let it loose. The only way this is possible is with the Holy Spirit being breathed into you from Jesus. Amazing!
Some believed that day. Others had to have physical proof before the truth belonged to them. Truth is nobody can do anything without God’s power. Sometimes it takes a long time to believe. Lord I believe but help my unbelief.
You remit someone else’s sin to them or you don’t. Even with you having the Holy Spirit within you the choice is still yours. If you decide that you cannot or will not let it go then the burden you bear will be retained.
So that is here? I followed David Jeremiah up to that point. I believed that he said about heaven. There is no expiration period on this remit or retain thing. What happens here with it carries on to heaven. I agree with David Jeremiah on that.
Then somehow I heard that since that is true then our decision towards a person might affect their ability to get to heaven. At least that is what I thought I heard David Jeremiah say, now even that has been opened to me. That is not what he meant nor probably is it what I heard. I was wrong in the way I understood it which is good because it caused me to study until I was approved to preache this. We don’t have the ability to forgive or prevent someone else from going to heaven. God forgives whom He forgives.
This retaining stuff; if it does carry on to eternity and heaven then my feeling is if we choose no relationship with someone here then we will have no relationship with that person in heaven. So now I am back in full agreement with what I misunderstood David Jeremiah explain.
We are bound to bear the fact that though they are there with us somewhere in heaven, we will be prevented from seeing them because of our decision. Certainly we can’t and don’t forgive. Only God can do that. Yet we who are reborn with The Holy Spirit must not let the actions of others prevent us from praying for them and loving them. The only way we can do that is to allow The Holy Spirit to indwell us but we own our responsibility toward them.
So there it is. Now decide whether you will let guilt to not do what you cannot do depress you or let this awesome truth release you to love people like you maybe never have before. This has changed my outlook and I will take every opportunity God gives me to go where He alone leads. Not where somebody else tells me I must go. His will; your choice. His gift.
Prayer:
Invitation: We do not know whether soon we will be pouring out these buildings back to God. We know that the church is not these buildings. We know that people have come and people have gone. Some we have chased after behind them to bring them back and we lost our focus on the prize in the process. We would like for them all to come back and personally I will continue to pray for that unless someone tells me they don’t want my prayers. Even that will not prevent me from loving them.
If The Church, that is the whole church, does not get this then we will go down in guilt. The invitation today is to invite us to remit the sins of others back to them so that we are open to love them whether they care about us or not. Can’t be done alone! Only through the Holy Spirit can that be done.
We can make personal decision right where we are or if you feel led, come up and humble yourself before God. He answers prayer. Let us sing…
l See Matt. 16:19.
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 20:23). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
m Comp. ver. 27 (Gk.). Matt. 19:26.
n ch. 8:34.
[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Mk 10:21–22). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
rr See ch. 3:15 marg.
s Mark 2:7.
rr See ch. 3:15 marg.
[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Lk 5:21–24). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
a Mark 16:14? Luke 24:36. 1 Cor. 15:5?
b ver. 26.
c See ch. 7:13.
d Luke 24:36. So Luke 24:15. ch. 21:4.
e See ch. 14:27.
f ver. 25. Luke 24:40.
g See ch. 16:22.
e See ch. 14:27.
h ch. 17:18. Comp. Matt. 28:18–20. 2 Tim. 2:2. Heb. 3:1.
i See ch. 17:3.
k See Gen. 2:7 (Heb. & Gk.).
[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Jn 20:19–22). (2009). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
