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Restitution

I recently saw a blog where someone asked about making restitution for and old theft in which there was no way and no one to pay back the money. The author advised he make restitution to the church. He quoted several verses from Exodus to prove his point.

My thoughts on this are that in Hebrews 8:12 it states For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

So if God forgets our past sins once we accept Christ, a) who is remembering them and reminding us of them? and b) if God has forgotten, why would we remind him?

Some responses to this person quoted Luke 19:8 which says Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Zacchaeus was not asked to but wanted to do this. And in direct opposition to one of the comments they quoted Leviticus 6:5 They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner …”

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Jesus say "go and sin no more"? Or did He say go, correct all your sins, then sin no more? And what makes one sin more important than the rest that you only have to make restitution for those sins you remember or can?

Isn't this keeping a person in bondage making it difficult to have peace that passes all understanding or joy unspeakable?

So this guy is wrestling with this and stated he cannot physically pay it back nor have anyone he can pay it to. Now, out of guilt, he's going to be eat up with this because the author told him to pay what he doesn't have to the church.

Am I looking at this wrong or is guilt the way of the Christian life? Where does this condemnation come from?

Romans 13:22 ...Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on March 14, 2017 at 5:06pm

Personally, I think you're looking at it correctly. I believe if it's possible we should go back & make restitution & right our wrongs as best we can. If we can't pay them, apologize & ask if there is something we can do to make it up to them. I feel these things can be led by the Lord though. Each person is led different ways.

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Permalink Reply by David on March 14, 2017 at 11:26pm

I agree with you, God has forgiven us and remembers our sins no more and definitely did not say to correct all our sins first. If we had to repay for our sin concerning money, we would have to repay concerning every other sin. What would happen if you miss one or two or three? Sometimes we have sinned and not even know it, would we have to search these out and make restitution?

This is a lie from the devil, he is a liar and the father of it (John8:44) The devil will try remind us of our past and keep us under his oppression, but Jesus came “..that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1John3:8) set us free “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal 5:1) and heal us “…and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts10:38) The devil will remain until the strong show up. (Mark3:27)

Repaying and restitution was an old covenant law, remember Zacchaeus was still under the law when he spoke to Jesus, there we’re no Christians yet. If we follow the old covenant law, and we break one, we would be guilty of the whole law and under a curse. (James 2:10, Gal 3:10) But thankfully Jesus came to fulfill the law (Mathew5:17) and we are under a new, better covenant.

As Christ becomes Lord of our lives, we will bear fruit, and, for example, you might apologize to those you have hurt and ask forgiveness.

Restitution

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