In the movie “Ghost,” the character responsible for orchestrating the death of Patrick Swayze’s character is physically removed from a scene by black hooded beings, leading us to believe that the soul of the responsible character is being carried to the underground of Satan. This happens without any forewarning to the character.
This scene came to mind when reading Proverbs 29:1 which says, “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” We don’t know if the responsible character in the above movie has been reproofed repeatedly for his misdeeds, but the idea of suddenly receiving punishment is what triggers the similarity to Proverbs 29:1.
Proverbs 29:1 serves as a warning to those who ignore reproofs of their unrighteousness; they won’t even hear a voice that says, ‘Here comes your destruction.’ How often can a person get away with committing an act of unrighteousness that was cause for reproval time and time again? Is it true that only God knows?
In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus says, to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Does that mean the Bible allows someone to commit a particular sin 77 times before he is suddenly destroyed for his sinful behavior? Does that mean that such an allotment of sin only applies to someone who sins against their brother, and not to sins committed against others?
We know that in general terms there are Passages in the OT that seem to be harsher toward people that sin than anything overtly found in the NT. Is there any character in the NT who is punished? Seems that no one, not even the ones who are responsible for Jesus’ mortal death on the cross is punished in the NT.
May be safe to say that the OT is more about punishment, but the NT is more about forgiveness. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” So, the NT leaves it up to God to punish, and the Verse that is quoted in Romans 12:19 is actually derived from the OT-- Deuteronomy 32:35, which says “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”
Can a person rightfully believe that if he stops committing a sin after being forgiven 76 times, doom will not fall upon them? Well, seems you’d have to find someone who has the patience and saintliness to be on call to forgive you for committing that sin so many times. But even before the 76th sin is reached, if it is unlawful then the government could step in with punishments of their own.
This scene came to mind when reading Proverbs 29:1 which says, “He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” We don’t know if the responsible character in the above movie has been reproofed repeatedly for his misdeeds, but the idea of suddenly receiving punishment is what triggers the similarity to Proverbs 29:1.
Proverbs 29:1 serves as a warning to those who ignore reproofs of their unrighteousness; they won’t even hear a voice that says, ‘Here comes your destruction.’ How often can a person get away with committing an act of unrighteousness that was cause for reproval time and time again? Is it true that only God knows?
In Matthew 18:21-22, Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus says, to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Does that mean the Bible allows someone to commit a particular sin 77 times before he is suddenly destroyed for his sinful behavior? Does that mean that such an allotment of sin only applies to someone who sins against their brother, and not to sins committed against others?
We know that in general terms there are Passages in the OT that seem to be harsher toward people that sin than anything overtly found in the NT. Is there any character in the NT who is punished? Seems that no one, not even the ones who are responsible for Jesus’ mortal death on the cross is punished in the NT.
May be safe to say that the OT is more about punishment, but the NT is more about forgiveness. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” So, the NT leaves it up to God to punish, and the Verse that is quoted in Romans 12:19 is actually derived from the OT-- Deuteronomy 32:35, which says “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”
Can a person rightfully believe that if he stops committing a sin after being forgiven 76 times, doom will not fall upon them? Well, seems you’d have to find someone who has the patience and saintliness to be on call to forgive you for committing that sin so many times. But even before the 76th sin is reached, if it is unlawful then the government could step in with punishments of their own.
