THE GOLDEN RULE – THE PRINCIPLE OF LIFE
Sakkie Parsons
I shared with someone about how Christians sometimes deliberately and knowingly act in an unchristian manner towards other Christians, and I would like to share with you the thoughts that came to my mind.
I also want to mention that, as you will see, the biblical solution for what I am about to share ultimately applies to my conduct towards every person I encounter.
When I look at the behavior of some Christians towards other Christians, I sometimes wonder if there are Christians who believe they are completely untouchable—even by our Lord.
It can really only be that, or that although they claim to be Christians, they do not truly, deep in their hearts, believe that there is an Almighty, omnipresent, omniscient God who knows everything that goes on in their hearts and sees everything they do.
It is astounding to me how Christians can sometimes treat other Christians, knowing that the person they are treating so badly is also one of our Lord’s children, and yet it seemingly does not bother them how our Lord feels about their actions. They also seem to reason that our Lord will passively watch them say and do what they are saying and doing.
Well, I am sorry to burst the bubble of those who think this way.
If I act unchristian towards one of our Lord’s children—for whom He died on the cross and who has accepted Him as their Savior—I must know that there will be consequences for me.
Our Lord will not overlook me just because I am one of His children.
Our Lord does not love me more than my fellow brother or sister towards whom I act unchristianly, and what applies to them also applies to me.
With all that I have written in mind, I share the following with you:
We read in the Word:
Numbers 14:18 (AMP)
‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving wrongdoing and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting (avenging) the wickedness and guilt of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers].’
Do you see?
Numbers 14:18 (AMP)
‘The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving wrongdoing and transgression…’
This is wonderful, and how great is our Lord’s loving grace that we serve such a loving God! But we must not forget:
Numbers 14:18 (AMP)
‘…but He will by no means clear the guilty…’
I share the following to demonstrate, as I believe it works when our Lord tells us in His Word:
Numbers 14:18 (AMP 1953 translation)
‘…but I will not declare anyone innocent without just cause.’
David committed a terrible sin that ultimately made him an adulterer and a murderer. You can read the history about this starting from 2 Samuel 11:2.
David eventually had great and sincere remorse for what he had done, but there were terrible consequences for him because of his actions.
Yes, he was truly remorseful, but his actions had consequences for, for example, the loved ones of Uriah, whom he had murdered, and therefore David also had to learn:
Numbers 14:18 (AMP 1953 translation)
‘…but I will not declare anyone innocent without just cause…’
Yes, David was not simply let off the hook.
We read about his child with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah whom he had murdered:
2 Samuel 12:18 (AMP)
‘Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to our voices. How then can we tell him that the child is dead? He might do something terrible.”’
I know of a case where someone I know well, whom I will call Jan, stole a hundred thousand rand from someone, but nothing could be proven.
There were terrible consequences for the person from whom the money was stolen.
Jan, who stole the money, later, as it seems to me, truly regretted what he had done, but he also walked a terrible road.
Just as there are still scars in the hearts of the loved ones of the person from whom he stole the money.
You see—
My bad or wrongful behavior towards another child of our Lord has consequences for that child of our Lord, of which I may not even be aware, but our Lord sees and knows it. I may later regret what I said or did, but there will certainly be consequences for me.
Just as my actions had consequences for that child of our Lord and may still have consequences for them.
So, I must be very careful how I treat my fellow brother or sister in the faith when I know better.
Listen to this:
Galatians 6:7 (AMP)
‘Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt, nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.’
Galatians 6:8 (AMP)
‘For the one who sows to his flesh [his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses] will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.’
Paul uses the act of sowing because that is how it works:
If you sow a grain of wheat, you will reap at least a head of wheat.
Just so, it goes with the good or bad that I say or do. Sooner or later, I will reap, even if I do not want to, and the harvest will be much greater than what I sowed.
Now see how wonderfully simple the solution is that Jesus gives us so that we never have to worry about what we do or say to our brother or sister or, for that matter, to our fellow man—what we sow:
The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12 (AMP)
‘So then, in everything, treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.’
So, my friend and loved one in our Lord,
Do you want only good consequences for what you say or do to your brother and sister and all others you encounter?
In other words, do you want to sleep peacefully over what you have sown and how your harvest manifests in your life?
Matthew 7:12 (AMP 1953 translation)
‘In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.’
Sakkie