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 20:23
Thinking deeply about this verse about forgiveness, It brings a few different things into mind. Firstly that we have the power to forgive sins, as Jesus did. Is that power to forgive as Jesus did, but God has already forgiven all sin. Does it just mean we can forgive those who sin against us? I know from experience that if we do not forgive sin, it can have detrimental effects upon us, not the other person.
That is something that Jesus commanded of us to forgive. Still thinking about the retention of sins, is that to do with sins against us? Is it a warning? Well the more I think without going into the Word to find the answers, the more it is confusing.
Jesus said to some people, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ The religious leaders and rulers of the time could not understand that Jesus had the authority to forgive sins. One time they said between themselves, “who can forgive sins but God.” We know that Jesus had the authority. We have the benefit of the Spirit that opened our eyes, and give to us hindsight.
If we are not careful we can ridicule those leaders for being so blind. Jesus the Lord and Saviour was right there in their midst, and they could not see. It is written now for all to see, but still there are those who cannot see the truth. We want to get to the truth, and we need to see the above verse in context of other things that Jesus said at the time.
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 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 20:21-23
The first thing is Jesus give the disciples His peace. A gift of peace, they had been in turmoil over the death of Jesus, Even though Jesus had told them to not let their hearts be troubled. He gave them His peace, not a peace that we can find anywhere else except in Christ. A peace that guards hearts and minds. Not a peace that the world can give. A peace that surpasses all human and worldly understanding.
Next is something interesting, and as I think about it very powerful. Jesus said, “As the Father sent me, I also send you.” Think about this for a while. God sent Jesus for a purpose. That means that Jesus sends us for a purpose. Jesus was anointed, to preach the good news set free those oppressed by the devil. Or as Peter put in Acts “Heal all who were oppressed by the devil. This is what God the Father sent Jesus to do, before becoming the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, Luke 4:18
There is a very interesting thing that Jesus did and said after saying I send you. Something that I have occasionally wondered about. Then after hearing two different preachers say the same thing about it, I have say that this seems feasible. This is the point that the disciples became born of the Spirit, Born again.
And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If we think about it, what was Jesus talking about here? Not the baptism in the Spirit, because He spoke about that and what they had to do, wait for that Spirit to come. We have to look at some scriptures to find out. The first one is from the beginning. Because Jesus breathed on them. There is a difference though.
Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7
God breathed directly into the nose of Adam, the breath of life. Jesus breathed on the disciples. The difference is that Adam was not alive and laying on the floor, or wherever the Lord had place him. The disciples were alive and listening to the Lord. I can imagine them seeing Jesus, breath out a big breath saying receive the Holy Spirit, and in turn the disciples taking in a breath to receive the Spirit.
We know and understand that there are two separate experiences that we have, being born again, and being baptised in the Spirit. They can happen at the same time. Now the next scripture which talks about the being born again experience.
In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13
When we become born again we are given a new spirit, that spirit is sealed by, or with the Holy Spirit. That is so the sin that we go on to commit after this time cannot corrupt or taint our new spirit. Without our spirit we would be dead. With our new spirit we have new life, born again. Protected by the Holy Spirit. Jesus told Nicodemus that unless one is born of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 1:22
We are born once in the flesh, or of water. We are born again of the Spirit, our new spirits are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Then usually at a later date we get baptised in the Spirit. The disciples got baptised in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Surely here in John 20 Jesus was sealing their spirits with the Holy Spirit. Which means that this is when they became born again.
Before Jesus had died and rose again, no one could be born again. They were still under the old covenant of the law. Jesus told the disciples to pray for God’s Kingdom to come. They preached that the Kingdom of God was near. We could not enter the kingdom of God without the sacrifice of Jesus. This is why no one could be born again till after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The reason that Jesus could not, did not breath on them and say receive the Holy Spirit, until after the resurrection.
More to come on this, seems like the beginnings of a book
Charlie
