The only example I see in the Bible as
far as “pentenance” goes if you stole from someone is to try to reconcile that
situation by retribution.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Luke 19:18
I’ve discovered with many people, that everyone wants a scapegoat, and not own up to their own mistakes. In marriage it can be blaming your problems on your spouse. It’s a failure to take care of “your own fences” Solomon called it the little foxes that spoil the vine. It’s going to church on Sunday and you think, “Oh I wish so and so heard this sermon” rather than applying the sermon to your own life. Adam blamed God and the woman (the woman you gave me), Eve blamed the serpent.
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. Song of Solomon 2:15
I had an incredible low self-esteem when I was 28 years old, and the Lord dealt with me that I was taking all the blame for a marriage failure when I should have not been doing that. To let the other person take their part of the blame. My deceased husband was the same way. When I met him he told me that he was the total fault for his marriage failure after the death of their son, when I know that is not the case. In my marriage, he continued to beat himself up all the time about his failings.
We don’t have to beat ourselves down as Christians—that is not humility --- we put our problems on Jesus who is our scapegoat.
But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to be used for making atonement by sending it into the desert as a scapegoat. Lev. 6:10
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:2
It
says there is no condemnation because the law of the Spirit of life has set us
free!
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
What is humility? ---it’s seeking God for the answers, putting our problems and illnesses/sickness on Jesus, let him take our mistakes and blunders. Beating ourselves up is not humbling ourselves, but its saying that I can punish myself and take the guilt myself rather than letting Jesus take the guilt and our sins. Christ took my sins, my guilt, my shortcomings, my flaws, my mistakes in life. The scapegoat was always driven outside the camp like Jesus was crucified outside on a cross.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:19
I had a warning about marrying a man from our pastor, mainly because of his argumentative nature. When we got a divorce my former pastor said, “I told you so.” I lost respect for him because it says, “Love does not rejoice in evil.’ Love does not rejoice when a brother or sister falls. He had never been divorced so I’m sure he had no idea how painful a divorce is. I just spoke to a young college student whose parents just got a divorce a year ago who may be my renter. I can tell she is hurting. She said her parents quit loving each other long ago and have just been tolerating each other. These type of stories really hurt and the same way with my divorce, it really hurt.
I do agree that if a person is unteachable and will not go for premarital counseling or counseling after you are married, your marriage is probably headed for an ice berg like the Titanic, but I even warned my deceased husband on several occasions about slowing down (he pushed his body too hard), not eating ice cream every night and with a sudden heart attack he is six feet under. It pains me that I was right. Is it so important to be right in life?
I don’t like to warn people about a railroad crossing coming up ahead. The Lord dealt with me that I become a Pharisee at times. I want to just write nice blogs and dress up in my new Sunday garments, get my hugs and praises of men, but to really be his servant, you have to write the more difficult blogs. During that time he wanted me to tell some singles about the root of bitterness that springs up with people who are divorced. I’ve seen the same thing with those with spousal loss. I had a dream that an evil man was stabbing me with a yellow sword and the Lord said that it is the root of bitterness. It’s relationship to ex-spouses and for death is more anger issues usually towards God and others who are less compassionate.
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15
When it comes to God allowing bad things in our lives, there are other reasons that some people it says are weak and sick and died early. For divorce the Bible talks about is a “hardening of the heart” but it relates to not walking in God’s Agape love. What is God’s Agape love? It’s laying down our life for our spouse. There were many things I did not want to do my husband wanted me to do and I did those things to please my husband. Raising two rebellious step children was the most difficult. My husband was a sweet heart, but it’s not easy to love people who don’t love you back and disrespect you. My husband was good and making his daughter respect me most of the time, but not his son as he got older, but he did not even get his son to respect him.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25
Paul talked about “why” people die before their time and he said it can be because we don’t “discern” the Lord’s body.
That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself . That is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died. 1 Cor. 11:29-30
What is discerning the Lord’s body? I believe I explain that below.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Cor. 13:5
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, Galatians 6:4
We know that death came as a result of the fall that the angel blocked the tree of life, because God did not want man to live in a sinful condition for eternity. Jesus was the second Adam, but when I examine the scriptures, I can’t help but see that Jesus was even better than Adam. It’s says that the first Adam was of the earth, but the second Adam was from heaven. Adam could not redeem us, nor could any other prophet or man because of the sinful blood. Anyone who studies genetics knows that genetics is passed down from generation to generation. Our physical bodies are going to deteriorate and die, but Jesus was not born of sinful man, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she conceived. All the other prophets are in their grave and Jesus was the only one who transcended death by rising from the dead the third day. His physical body bore our sicknesses and diseases (the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him) and he also took upon himself the sins of the whole human race. There is some theological debate on if Jesus bore those in his spirit or in his soul, but either way, he bore them.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor. 5:21
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification Romans 4:25
Now the accuser of the brethren (Satan) keeps trying to get us to bear those punishments for our sins and bear sickness and disease when Jesus bore them for us. It says that God takes our sins and throws them as far as the east is from the west and that is on a daily basis!
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalm 103:12
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5
Have we tapped into our power supply (our vine) which is the blood of Jesus and his healing power/energy? Jesus was God’s word made flesh (John 1:14)…his words are spirit and they are life (health to our body). As we partake of the Lord’s body –his word it’s health to our flesh and brings about emotional and spiritual healing.
One of the scriptures that I’ve prayed in divorce and death is “the Lord restores my soul.” The other scripture I’ve prayed is that Christ has redeemed me from mental anguish Duet. 28:28 and I have not been given a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. Psalm 107:20
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. John 6:63
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