Carla is at work and the animals and I are just ‘chillin’ out this morning.  I have some chores completed and will do some more as the day progresses.

Blue skies with a bit of clouds are on the horizon, a bit of wind and temperatures rising into the 60’s make the day pleasant.

Carla’s tomato and pepper plants are growing, and that always makes her happy.  Soon the greenhouses will be put up and the transplanting to individual pots will begin – we have some already asking if she will have enough to share, she will.

Numbers 15:27-31 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

²⁸ And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the Lord, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

²⁹ Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.

³⁰ But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

³¹ Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.

One of the many things we learn about God in the Old Testament is His compassion.  We realize as we read these verses that He holds everyone accountable, both the believer and the unbeliever.

But we also realize that sins committed in ignorance can be readily forgiven.  That He doesn’t hold the non-believer to the same standards as the believer that deliberately sins against God.

That is not to say that those that do not hear the word and sin because they don’t know that Christ died for them, are going to go to heaven – if that were true than Christ died in vain.

If that were so it would be better not to spread the Gospel of Christ so God would withhold the punishment of those that refuse Him.  But, we know that Christ commanded us to tell others about Him so they could be saved from the horrors of hell.  AND be with Him through eternity.

His compassion, though, is limited when it comes to those believers that deliberately sin against Him, who rather than obey Him consciously disobey Him.

I rather doubt there is a Christian who didn’t intentionally disobey God, knowing God’s command, and sinned anyway at one time or another.  When we do that we are no better than a sinner who chooses not to accept God.  No matter how much we profess our beliefs, when we disobey, we are under a cloud of guilt and shame.

We see that all the time with non-believers.  They have heard the Gospel, they know what the Word of God teaches, yet, they knowingly choose not to accept Christ saying ‘they will do it sometime in the future, right now they want to have fun.’

Will God still forgive both the wayward believer and the sinner that knows better?  We know that He does, however we tread very dangerous grounds when we sin thinking that all we have to do is ask for forgiveness.

God knows our hearts.  God knows whether we are sincere or not, He knows if we are living a life depending on His mercy to bail us out of sinful behavior while deliberately staying there.

We do not know the heart of people we talk with; socialize, work and play with – we can discern it by their actions and speech, but we also know that people have been fooled by such behavior.

It is not up to us to make a decision whether or not someone is still worth saving or God has given up on them.  So, we continue to pray, continue to witness hoping that they will listen to the Holy Spirit and accept Christ as the Savior.

We do know that while God is patient He will not always allow someone to sin against Him and do so with impudence.  There will be a time when HE decides enough is enough and will no longer minister to them with His Spirit – and the sinner must be told that. 

Psalm 103:8-9  The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

⁹ He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

We are very fortunate that God is indeed slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.  But, it is wrong for a believer to deliberately sin in the ‘knowledge’ that he can be forgiven.

Later, Art :-)