Christs breathing on them was symbolic of their receiving Gods Spirit. Fellowship with God is very important for one to always live a spiritual life. 14:12-23). The bulk of his revenues are from his position as minister of Grace Community Church. He tells them that if they, in their authority as apostles, forgive sins, then He forgives them as well. Well, maybe Deuteronomy19:15. He didnt need the door to be opened that night when He showed up with the apostles and came right through the door. And when the other women arrive, the angels appear to them. 23 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 20:19-23). The Jews numbered their days. He has been the pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California since February 9, 1969. To re-activate your service, please contact our customer support team. It is their unbelief that is the first evidence for the resurrection, followed by their true belief in the risen Christ when they saw Him. ; John 16:8 et seq. And they died because they preached Jesus crucified and risen; and if they faked His resurrection, that would have been absolutely the most idiotic thing they could have ever done. John MacArthur's sins are in the news again. In John 20:23 the words have been forgiven is the single Greek word aphiami. 20 characters) Country. Dr. M.R. Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe. Luke says there were two there, there were two. And thats exactly what she says. I would appreciate clarification from you on how John 20:23 gives authority for Christians to forgive sins. Romans10:9-10, If you confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.. God raised Him from the dead, validating His work on the cross. (St. Matthew 16:19) More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Because Christ conquered death, because He conquered sin, we will be raised to dwell with Him forever. Feb. 22, 2016. But in Acts 1:8 the Spirit was to be given to provide "power . They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were in a panic. Theyre trying to process something they never, ever, ever expected. According to Matthew27 another Mary, Mary the mother of James and Joses, was with her; so she wasnt alone. Phone: 877-227-1091 Email . $2.90 (48 used & new offers) Other formats: Paperback , MP3 CD. Which is the true religion: Christianity, Islam or Zoroastrianism, and why? . Slider in Lightbox. I believe that this, or something like this, is what Jesus has in mind in John 20:23. New attacking attempt. The sun may have just arisen over the eastern desert. We find that the Psalmist says, Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us, and forgive our sins, for Your names sake, (Psalm 79:9). As disciples of Jesus, we need to respect and submit to that authority, as God delegates authority to these people. I wish I could tell you exactly what this passage means, but I believe that we can get a general understanding of John 20:23. John MacArthur's preaching stirs his hearer's affections, draws them closer to Christ, and equips them to understand the Bible for themselves. The purpose of salvation, again, is a resurrected people. Now you have to go back to the burial and remember that they did not embalm - they wrapped bodies like a mummy. The leaders of the local churchespecially the eldersare being given real authority to make decisions, to settle disputes and to exact discipline in local churches with regard to sinful behavior. All statistics correct as of 22 February 2023. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but they didnt see Him so sad O foolish men, slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!. 10 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home., If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at, Responding to Andrew Tate on Islam and Christianity, Responding to Andrew Tate on the nature of God. They did not expect a resurrection. How could they sustain it their whole life, die as martyrs for a fraud, a hoax? All that is offered and all that is declared as true must be confirmed in the mouth of two witnesses. We dont know how any of the miracles of Jesus occurred. #1. God supports the right of the leaders (presumably the elders in the ideal case) of the church to make binding decisions on such discipline matters. They have authority to interpret what they were told by Jesus. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and *said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Ill come back to them in a minute. Lets look a little more closely. The integrity of Scripture is maintained in the honesty of these statements. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. Sign up to receive the week's latest articles, blog posts andupdates. MacArthur and Gravette encouraged their clients to invest more than $16 million in four private real estate investment funds without notifying them that the fund managers for these investments had . John 20:23 If you forgive anyones sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.. Perhaps he will, but in any case, the leaders have full authority to pronounce on these kind of questions in the church. Scripture (John 20:19-23) verse 19: John takes pains to express to his readers that this post-Resurrection appearance occurred on the same day as the Resurrection. I love the honesty of that. But go, and tell His disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you. They went out and fled. Theres a lot of running going on this morning. Some women were amazed and were at the tomband didnt find His body, verse 23, and they came and said they also had seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Facing a Tolerant World with Intolerant Truth (Selected Scriptures) Pastor John MacArthur. For the greater part of a century, the church had been in possession of oral traditions and the synoptic Gospels, the earliest going back as far as 44 A.D.; and, added to all this, were the remarkable writings of the apostle Paul and others. Also, consider the following: Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, My son, your sins are forgiven. 6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7Why does this man speak that way? Shes running to Peter and John. He was dead. Sproul 27 febrero, 2023 Eres un verdadero CRISTIANO? If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." He tells us to go to the person first, but if he/she will not listen, to bring in others and, if the presumably guilty person will not listen to the advice of Two or three others then to take it to the church. 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven; or to say, Arise, and take up your pallet and walk? The apostles, then, preached the resurrection. Clearly His body was there, and then it wasnt. We know theyre gone, because Mary Magdalene never refers to them when she gets there. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. He reappeared that night with the rest of the apostles gathered (verse 44). But let me just give you a final glimpse that will help you to understand the attitude of the disciples initially. Matthew 23:27-28 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! John 20:19-23 is the first time Jesus appears to His disciples after being raised from death. There is angelic testimony, directly from heaven; and there were eye witnesses. Jan. 1, 2023. Whatever the soldiers said wasnt acceptable. There is nothing in here about priests having the authority to forgive sins. Some of Israels leaders (elders, judges, kings, officers, etc.) However, a church where MacArthur also was slated to speak in March has stated MacArthur is cancelling its engagement due to "family health issues." They dont know where the earthquake came from. John MacArthur. JOHN MACARTHUR is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California; president of The Master's College and Seminary; and featured teacher for the Grace to You media ministry. Probably not. No one saw the resurrection. Mark says its very early, and the sun had risen. If only God can forgive sins, then how can you explain John 20:23, which seems to contradict this? Lets take a look. The stone wasnt rolled away to let Jesus out. Lessons in Ghana, Liberia, Cote dIvoire and Senegal by John Oakes Lessons in English and French, Sermons in Merced by Dr. John Oakes Ezekiel II Dramatic Symbolism. Fouled by Rahmat . John MacArthur recently completed a three part series from 2 Corinthians 4:8-18. . People who defied this authority would be held accountable by God. It is a creative miracle. 16:18). They did not gain permanent indwelling then. He will see His offspring, and He will be eternally glorified and exalted. Prayer: The Believer's Constant Conversation (Ephesians 6:18-24) Pastor John MacArthur. Now remember, the women have no idea of what happened. In the meantime, in the meantime, the other women arrive. Now none of these people know whats happened on Saturday. If Jesus was God, why did He say "The Father is greater than I" in John 14:28. John 20:21 It's Time to Go J. Mike Minnix. John MacArthur. First Name (max. Shes assuming that Jesus is still dead, but taken taken. It was rolled away to let the witnesses in. Now, the other gospels tell us that Mary came with several of the women. Now we talk about the resurrection. Study more about judgment, repentance and forgiveness in our articles Judgment of God: The Real Story, How to Repent and What Is Forgiveness?. Scripture: John 20:19-23. The women are shocked and terrified. It happened the way all miracles happened. . From " The Gospel According to Jesus ". John Piper Apr 7, 2012. Since hes the author of this gospel he puts it in twice. If the person continues to not listen to the advice of the church, in extreme situations, the person may end up being treated as no longer a disciple by the church. Both had entered the tombsaw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. In Matthew 18 Jesus appears to be addressing the church as a whole, whereas in John 20:23 he is addressing the apostles. She doesnt expect a resurrection. November 11, 2022. And then He was in charge of His own burial. At first glance it appears to contradict rather clear passages in scripture which teach that only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:7 for example). And He would have been there about 12 hours of Sunday, because the Jewish days went from sunset to sunset rather than sunrise to sunrise. Its the first day of the week; that would be Sunday. And in the case of Jesus, they had about a hundred-pound weight of spices. I think the Jewish leaders were more afraid Jesus would rise than the disciples believed He would. The Life-Giving Shepherd (John 10:1-11) Pastor John MacArthur. It says in Luke23:55, The women who had come with the Lord out of Galilee saw the tomb and where the body was laid., So they were at the cross, they were at the burial, and of course, they dont go anywhere or travel anywhere on the Sabbath. John 20:23 - If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." Answer: I certainly can see how this passage could cause concern for you. It results from every declaration of forgiveness made in the name of the Father through Jesus Christ, that hearts which in penitence accept it receive remission of their sins, and that the hardness of the hearts which wilfully reject it is by their rejection increased, and the very words by which their sins would be remitted become the words by which they are retained. This is not just a matter of picking a translation that says what we want it to say. No one ever denied the empty tomb - no one, no one. Jesus is saying that, ultimately, the leaders of the local church have heavenly authority to make decisions about human disputes within the church. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. The 2022-23 season is the 26th in the history of Perth Glory Football Club and 18th in the A-League Men . After all, they were ordaining elders and not apostles; and it was the apostles who were given the authority by Christ to do miracles and write scripture. The apostles had miraculous knowledge and the ability to speak with inspiration. Do you want to receive free resources from John MacArthur through the mail? What a stupid plot. We greatly appreciate your consideration! In the meantime the Lords talking to His followers, telling them to go to Galilee, and Hes going to meet them there. As you think about those elements that weve just look at, let me just identify them. Una perspectiva verdadera | John MacArthur 28 febrero, 2023; Amar a alguien no significa aprobar sus actos 28 febrero, 2023; Dios hace que todo suceda | R.C. Father, we thank You again for the beauty, the consistency of the Word of God, and particularly with regard to this most marvelous of all events, the resurrection of our Savior. They also have the authority to forgive such sins in the sense that they can receive back into the fellowship those who sinned and were sent away. MacArthur also wrote, concerning the child abuser, "He has been a faithful part of our staff and will continue to be in the future." The pastor remained at GCC for three more years before being caught kissing a church secretary. Such beautiful, simple credibility in untampered perspectives by those four writers. What does it mean to let not your heart be troubled in John 14:1? Again, this is a difficult passage, but we must seek an interpretation which is in agreement with other passages of scripture. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. They just went home. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days? And He said to them, What things? And they said to Him, The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But fallen man has to find a way to tolerate himself in this fallen state; he will create an image of himself . Can followers of Jesus forgive sin (John 20:18-25)? Peter and the other disciple went forth, verse 3, and were coming to the tomb. John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions - Exodus. Every miracle, teaching, and reaction John writes has one clearpurposeto prove that Jesus is the Word, the Messiah, and the Son of God. Words are not required to be saved. This authority is reserved for God. She fears the worst, verse 2, so she ran. She spun around and ran. All four gospel writers, by the way, record the actual history of the resurrection. Then they ran a spear into His side and out came blood and water, the indication that His heart had burst. 02/19/23. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God --That Thomas did not do what Jesus invited him to do, and what he had made the condition of his believing, seems plain from John 20:29 ("Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed"). Again, Earlythe first day of the week, as verse 2 says, when the sun had just risen. If Christians are forgiven of thier sins, then why do they have to give account their lives at Judgement (1 Peter 4:5-6)? It is early. So they put a guard and sealed the tomb. No Bible writer tries to explain the resurrection - I mean the physiology of it or the pathology of it, because there is no rational explanation. This reality was even more applicable for the New Testament apostles, who, in compliance with John 20:23,would judge an entire body thatfor the first timewould be comprised of Spirit-filled members (Gods Church). are called antinomianianism. This passage helps me to understand John 20:23. Theyre so terrified, Luke says, They bowed their faces to the ground. I think probably the angels had to repeat themselves to get the point across in the middle of their shock. Muslims routinely claim that the Bible has been corrupted. John says there were two and they were angels, two angels. In order to answer this question, I would like to consider a parallel passage that deal with this question. Ill do this quickly. The Persistence of Love, Part 1. Thats why we meet today to commemorate the resurrection. Creation Day 6, Part 3A/ The Implications of Evolution. March 1, 2023. After graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary, John came to Grace Community Church in 1969. Look at Luke24, Luke24. She has no thought of resurrection. They also dont know that in the deep, dark night of Sunday, God sent a very localized earthquake. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Does it strike you that her shock here is clear evidence that they hadnt planned to steal the body of Jesus. John wants all his readers to come to that same point of belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and God. Is that level of authority exactly the same as the apostles? Its not really a problem that the Bible doesnt explain the resurrection, because it is a creative event. Instead, Gods leadership strives to come to Spirit-led judgments, representing outcomes that God will have already determined as right or wrong. Apr 14, 2019. especially Notes on John 3:17 et seq. He has risen, there it is; thats the explanation; thats the truth He is not here; behold, the place where they laid Him. Now if somebody stole the body, you would have to think that they wouldnt unwrap it. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. But before He sent the earthquake, He put all those soldiers under some kind of divine anesthesia, and they all went to sleep. Follow John MacArthur: Contact Information: Phone: 800-55-GRACE Fax: 661-295-5871 Email: [email protected] Mailing Address: PO Box 4000 .