Unforgiven?

Many individuals have collected injustices and grudges throughout the years, nursing them and keeping them alive long after the activating event has ceased. Have you ever known someone that never forgives, but yet say they do? How about someone that keeps record of slights, supposed or real, of every incident they believe occurred against them personally? What kind of person would this be? If they profess a faith in the Bible and say they believe and subscribe to everything written therein but, bear grudges...can they be believed? What does the Bible say about bearing grudges?

"You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh." Leviticus 19:18 [LITV] Is this individual mentally balanced? Would you believe that someone who bears grudges and wants to get even or have someone get even for them could be a Minister of the Bible? Or; would you think there is something wrong with this individual's mental processes?

The true believer is one of sound mind! This is depicted in Mark 5:15 "And they came to Yahshua, and stared at the one who had been demon possessed, sitting and being clothed, and being in his senses [right mind], the one who had the legion. And they feared." Prior to this passage the events that lead up to this testimony of mind soundness, this same person was filled with demons! Mark 5:16 The people who had seen it told them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the swine."

The point of this selection of passages is to relate the fact that prior to Yahshua the Messiah coming in to their lives, they are not of sound mind! But what about someone who knew and believed the truth of the Bible and regressed to ways that are forbidden to the true worshipper? Remember King Saul? 1Samuel 16:15 And Saul's servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from Yahweh troubles you...1Samuel 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from Yahweh was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." Should an evil spirit be upon King Saul? No, and the reason it came was because he disobeyed Yahweh's commandments delivered to him by the prophet, Samuel! 1Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king."

Now this evil spirit caused Saul to lose his right state of mind and he began to see David as his enemy. He began to pursue David and was intent on killing him. However, Yahweh did not allow David to die at his hand. And in all of this, David behaved himself wisely [1 Samuel 18:14] and he never raised up his hand against Yahweh's anointed. [1 Samuel 24:7] What would the modern diagnosis be of Saul's mental state? Would King Saul be diagnosed with what is known as Paranoid Personality Disorder?

Paranoid Personality Disorder, a pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent. An inability to trust, doubts about others' loyalty, distortion and fabrication, misinterpretation, and bearing grudges unnecessarily are hallmarks of the disorder. Pathological jealousy, instinctive aggressive counter-attack, the need to control others, and the gathering of trivial or circumstantial "evidence" to support their jealous beliefs also feature. The DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria for Paranoid Personality Disorder are:

A. A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent as indicated by at least four of:

1. suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming or deceiving him or her
2. is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
3. is unwilling to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
4. reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
5. persistently bears grudges, i.e. is unforgiving of (perceived) insults, injuries or slights
6. perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counter-attack
7. has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding the fidelity of spouse or sexual partner

One of the major points that should be noticed is in point number 5, "persistently bears grudges." The hallmark of someone that is mentally deficient, at least according to the Biblical commands, would be someone that violates Leviticus 19:18 and they would depict the same mental attitude as did King Saul. and, in all of this, who was hurt the most by the anger of King Saul? He was! With Saul, the demise of David became an obsession! An obsession that conquered him and left him dead with Jonathan his son likewise. Did he need to behave like this?

"Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knows not how to receive admonition any more." Ecclesiastes 4:13

"He that being often reproved hardens his neck Shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Proverbs 29:1

Countless individuals have received admonition without making the necessary changes. Suddenly, they ended up dead. Saul destined himself to death by refusing to obey Yahweh's commandments. He hated David without any cause. He became paranoid delusional because he was troubled by an evil spirit. This evil spirit came because he refused to follow the directives of Almighty Yahweh! Have I seen this in my lifetime? Yes, many times! Someone dies suddenly and not one thing can be done medically to save that person..."and that without remedy."

"For if you forgive people their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive people their offenses, your Father will not forgive your offenses." Matthew 6:14-15 If you do not forgive...you are UNFORGIVEN!

Consider this parable from Yahshua the Messiah!

"Truly I tell you, whatever you prohibit on earth will have been prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will have been permitted in heaven.
Furthermore, truly I tell you that if two of you agree on earth about anything you request, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them."
Then Peter came up and asked him, "Master, how many times may my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? Seven times?"
Yahshua said to him, "I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!
"That is why the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
When he had begun to settle the accounts, a person who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him.
Because he couldn't pay, his master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold so that payment could be made.
Then the servant fell down and bowed low before him, saying, 'Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything!'
The master of that servant had compassion and released him, canceling his debt.
"But when that servant went away, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, seized him by the throat, and said, 'Pay what you owe!'
Then his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me and I will repay you!'
But he refused and went and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt.
"When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were very disturbed and went and reported to their master all that had occurred.
Then his master sent for him and said to him, 'You evil servant! I canceled that entire debt for you because you begged me.
Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?'
In anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he could repay the entire debt.
This is how my heavenly Father will treat each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your hearts." Matthew 18:18-35 [ISV]

Yours in Yahshua, Hawke