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Humble Hero
have declared from God’s Word is pronounced on them in heaven.
The church must show that she does not approve of their deeds,
or she herself dishonors her Lord. She must deal with sin as God
directs, and heaven ratifies her action.
But there is a brighter side. “If you forgive the sins of any, they
are forgiven.” Let this thought be your focus. The shepherds should
speak to the erring about the forgiving mercy of the Savior. Let them
encourage the sinner to repent and believe in Him who can pardon.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9
. Place the
trembling hand of the repenting one in the loving hand of Jesus.
Such a forgiveness is ratified in heaven.
Only God Can Forgive
Only in this sense does the church have the power to free the
sinner from the sin. We can obtain forgiveness of sins only through
the merits of Christ. God gives no person or human organization
the power to free anyone from guilt. The name of Jesus is the only
“name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
.
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When Jesus first met the disciples in the upper room, Thomas
was not with them. He heard the reports of the others that Jesus had
risen, but gloom and unbelief filled his heart. If Jesus had really
risen, there could be no hope of a literal earthly kingdom. And it
wounded his pride to think that his Master would reveal Himself to
all except him. He was determined not to believe, and for a whole
week he brooded over his misery.
He repeatedly declared, “Unless I see in His hands the print of
the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my
hand into His side, I will not believe.” He would not exercise faith
that was dependent on the testimony of his fellow disciples. He
loved his Lord, but he had allowed jealousy and unbelief to take
possession of his heart.
One evening Thomas decided to meet with the others in the
familiar upper room. He had a faint hope that the good news was
true. While eating their evening meal, the disciples talked of the