«Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled» (Acts, 4:13).
The first disciples of Jesus had spent time with Jesus and that reflected in their attitude to life,- they manifested God’s character through their lives. They were brave and bold for God; they boldly spoke of God, and testify of Him because they had spent time in the Father’s bosom.
The word “Father’s bosom” means very close to the Father’s heart, to be by the Father’s side or on the Father’s breast. That word was used in John to describe John leaning on Jesus: «Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved» (John, 13:23).
So Jesus was close to Father’s heart, and that is why He was able to manifest God to us. The true knowledge of God only come through the One Who is ‘ in the bosom of the Father’ – from Jesus.
Now Jesus calls every believer to follow His example and to manifest God to the people through our lives.
Jesus manifested God in two main ways:
· Through His lifestyle (character) and
· Through His deeds (gifts).
Jesus dwells in me, therefore I must manifest His life to others. Jesus did not reveal Himself to others; He only revealed and manifested to others Who the Father is and He did only the Father’s will. God said in His Word that whoever glorifies Him will also be glorified by Him. When God glorifies or uplift you, nobody can break, humiliate or pull you down.
«Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing» (2 Corinthians, 2:14-15).
The Bible says: «For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him» (John, 1:17-18).
The law can never save people because the law only reveals the sinful nature of man. The law was given in order for people to realize their need for God and His help. It was Jesus who brought to us the truth and the grace that conveys spiritual power necessary to live in accordance with God’s will. Anyone who will accept this truth and grace will have the power to live a holy life and become an instrument in God’s hand that is able to manifest or declare God’s truth and grace to other people.
Unforgiveness destroys godly relationships and causes splits in the Body of Christ.
There is so much chaos in the Church of Jesus Christ because of offended people. Many of them are not able to fellowship with one another and built friendship due to offenses and the fear of rejection. Many people build huge walls around them due to unforgiveness. They receive new „revelations” that separate them from the other people even more and make them passive.
Unforgiveness gives place to the devil in our lives and churches.
The Bibles tells us not to give place to the devil. One of the ways to do that is to be quick to forgive: «”Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil» (Ephesians, 4:26-27).
It is important to see that forgiveness towards our debtors is a prerequisite for us to continue receiving forgiveness from God. The way we treat other people that are how God treats us. God uses the same measure we measure with.
God’s forgiveness delivers us from the feelings of guilt.
«I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, „I will confess my transgression to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin» (Psalm, 32:5).
2. Forgiveness gives us strength to walk through the stages of our life.
& «Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.». (Hebrews 12:1-2).
