Keeping Record Of Evil

Recording Of Offences Breaths Hatred

“…it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

A few months ago, a mechanic and his assistant (they were both familiar with the gentleman) who worked on our vehicle (Van) shared with us an experience they had with someone who literally kept a record of evil. In other words, this particular person recorded in a book every kind of wrongs. Without exhausting his lists but such wrongs included if you failed to greet him you will be remembered for that and if you made a promise or owe him you will be remembered for that.

Additionally, the gentleman’s hatred continues even if the person who offended him has died. It is believed he was in the habit of telling those close to him that person died without making right with him. According to those close to him, it was even an offence to him if you greet being a stranger to him. Now, without elaborating further he was barely 50 years old when he died in great suffering and his death wish was that those who owed and offended him were not to attend his funeral. Accordingly, the pastor who presided over his funeral after reading some excerpts from his book threw it into his grave saying ‘may this book of evil follow its owner’.

Hopeless Salvation If Being Unforgiving

As it was, not even his friends escaped being recorded in his book, at first I thought this sounded unbelieverably evil and untrue but those familiar with the gentleman confirmed that was how everybody knew him.

It is true; there are Christians who simply cannot forgive others they often repeat the wrong they suffered. Indeed, evil as the offence was “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly. Father will also forgive you. But if you don't forgive men their. trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).

How often did you ever hear someone professing to be a Christian saying, ‘I have forgiven you’ but they repeat the wrong one did. Why? Because the spirit of unforgiveness has expanded into hatefulness, therefore you cannot forgive a person if you harbour hatred towards that person (1 John 2:9-11). This is a fact, there are truly born-again men and women who struggle to forgive their current or ex-spouses and they expect to be forgiven by the Lord because the offender does not deserve to be forgiven. If that is you my brother or sister you may as well forfeit following the Lord because He alone has the authority to condemn, forgive and vindicate (Romans 12:19).

A few years ago, the Lord rebuked a member of our ministry who was in the habit of reminding people about the wrong they committed against her and the Lord said she should learn to forgive and not to repeat the offence. Being a former offender myself, I have experienced the true rehabilitating and transforming power of forgiveness (1 Timothy 1:15-16). That is, if we forgive we allow the person to make amends even if they are habitual offenders, the Lord through scripture have made provision for unconditional and repeated forgiveness (Mathew 18:22) by that we allow patience and love to manifest into amazing grace (Romans 5:20).

Not To Love Is A Choice

In conclusion, being a minster of the gospel, I have heard many people saying I can’t live with this or that person (either their spouses or some friend(s) or family members) and you know why? It is because their own hateful prejudices have blinded them and they simply have no patience or love to give. Let us therefore be reminded that “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV) and that is the gift Christians received when we received the Lord Jesus as Saviour (Romans 5:5). If we therefore fail to love we have allowed evil to master us which deny us the opportunity of what we ought to be.

If we have lost our love for others we still have an opportunity to repent and plead with the Lord to help us listen and obey His Spirit's guidance.

Blessed Love

Brother Glenn