Title: FORGIVING OTHERS AS GOD FORGIVES US
1FORGIVING OTHERS AS GOD FORGIVES US
2- All Misunderstandings About
Forgiveness Can Be Cleared Up
By the Word of God!
3Forgiveness is an Absolute Requirement of God.
- IT IS COMMANDED!
- Mark 1125-26 (NASB) 25 "Whenever you stand
praying, forgive, if you have anything against
anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will
also forgive you your transgressions. 26 " But
if you do not forgive, neither will your Father
who is in heaven forgive your transgressions. - It is Just as Binding As Any Other Command!
4- We Are to Follow the Example of Jesus in His
Willingness to Forgive (1 Peter 221). - Example Jesus Forgiving Spirit at the Cross
(Luke 2333-34).
5Luke 2333-34 (NASB)
- 33 And when they came to the place called The
Skull, there they crucified Him and the
criminals, one on the right and the other on the
left. 34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive
them for they do not know what they are doing."
And they cast lots, dividing up His garments
among themselves.
6Isaiah 4325 (NASB)
- "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your
transgressions for My own sake And I will not
remember your sins.
7- We Are to Follow the Example of Jesus in His
Willingness to Forgive (1 Pet 221). - Example Jesus Forgiving Spirit at the Cross
(Luke 2333-34). - Forgiveness of our sins is conditioned upon our
commitment to forgive others (Mat. 614-15).
8Matthew 614-15 (NASB)
- 14 "For if you forgive men for their
transgressions, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive men,
then your Father will not forgive your
transgressions.
9What Does it Mean to Forgive?
- To Release the Debt of Sin (Mat. 612).
10Matthew 612 (NASB)
- 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have
forgiven our debtors. - cf. 1 John 34 Eph. 17
11What Does it Mean to Forgive?
- To Release the Debt of Sin (Mat. 612).
- Forgive" (Mat. 612) from the Greek word
aphiemi "To let go, to give up a debt, to
forgive, to remit To give up, to keep no
longer. -- Thayer's Greek Lexicon. - To forgive someone is to let go of what that
person may have said or done against you.
- To give up that debt and to
keep it no longer! - No harbored ill-will, no resentment or plans of
revenge or punishment the debt has been given up!
12Hebrews 812 (NASB)
- "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And
I will remember their sins no more."
13- Like God, We Are to
Remember the Sin No More (Hebrews 812). - A Total Cancellation of the
Debt of Sin.
14- Like God, When We Forgive Others of Sin, We Must
Do So from the Heart
(Matthew 1821-35).
15Matthew 1832-35 (NASB)
- 32 "Then summoning him, his lord said to him,
'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt
because you entreated me. 33'Should you not also
have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I
had mercy on you?' 34 "And his lord, moved with
anger, handed him over to the torturers until he
should repay all that was owed him. 35 "So shall
My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you
does not forgive his brother from your heart."
16When Should We Grant Forgiveness to Others?
- God Does Not Require More from Us Than He
Requires of Himself When He Forgives. - We Are to Be Imitators of Him (Mat. 548 Eph.
51) Therefore, we are to practice forgiveness
in the same manner that He does. - Only God Can Read Peoples Hearts (Jer 1710).
- Yet, we still have a responsibility to do the
best we can to grant forgiveness in the same way
as God does (Eph. 432).
17Ephesians 432 (NASB)
- And be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also
has forgiven you.
18- God Does not Forgive
Anyone Without Repentance! - Luke 133 (NASB) "I tell you, no, but unless you
repent, you will all likewise perish. - Luke 2447 (NASB) and that repentance for
forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His
name to all the nations, beginning from
Jerusalem. - Acts 238 (NASB) And Peter said to them,
"Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your
sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. - Acts 319 (NASB) "Repent therefore and return,
that your sins may be wiped away, in order that
times of refreshing may come from the presence of
the Lord
19- The Lord taught that the condition of repentance
should be met before we grant forgiveness to
others. - Luke 173-4 (NASB) 3 "Be on your guard! If your
brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents,
forgive him. 4 "And if he sins against you seven
times a day, and returns to you seven times,
saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."
20- If there is evidence that a person has not
repented, then we should not forgive (Luke 38)
This is true love for others! - If we extend forgiveness to an obviously
impenitent person then we condone his sinful
behavior (e.g., Gal. 211-13). - If we forgive when there is no repentance we may
spur that person on toward more evil behavior and
we may cause others to sin! (1
Cor. 51-11 cf. 2 Thes. 314-15).
21 Whether or Not We Forgive a Person, We Must
Always Behave Like Children of God!
- Being a Christian and acting like one is not
dependent on always granting forgiveness to
others - If a person does not repent, we must not forgive
and this does not make us any less of a
Christian!
22 Whether or Not We Forgive a Person, We Must
Always Behave Like Children of God!
- Practicing the goodness of God.
- God does all within His power that is consistent
to His character and will to lead people to
repentance (Rom 24).
23Romans 24 (NKJV)
- Or do you despise the riches of His goodness,
forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that
the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
24Practicing the goodness of God.
- We in like manner are obligated to do all within
our power (in harmony with Gods will) to bring
those who have wronged us to repentance. - We do this by doing good to them that they might
be ashamed and repent (Rom 1214,
19-21 cf. Luke 627-36 1 Thes.
514 Mat. 1815ff.).
25Romans 1214, 19-21 (NASB)
- 14 Bless those who persecute you bless and
curse not 19 Never take your own revenge,
beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for
it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"
says the Lord. 20 "But if your enemy is hungry,
feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink
for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon
his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good. cf. Luke 627-36 1
Thes. 514 Mat. 1815ff
26We do not forgive until they repent, meanwhile we
do good to them!
- Love
Blessing
Pray
Serve
Generosity
Mercy
Kindness
Patience
Teach,
Admonish, Encourage
Reprove, Rebuke
27 Whether or Not We Forgive a Person, We Must
Always Behave Like Children of God!
- Practicing the goodness of God.
- Demonstrating patience and forbearance (Col.
312-3).
28Colossians 312-13 (NASB)
- 12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God,
holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience 13
bearing with one another, and forgiving each
other, whoever has a complaint against anyone
just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
292 Peter 39 (NASB)
- 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as
some count slowness, but is patient
(longsuffering KJV) toward you, not wishing for
any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
30Whether or Not We Forgive a Person, We Must
Always Behave Like Children of God!
- Practicing the goodness of God.
- Demonstrating patience and forbearance.
- Love all people as ourselves including our
enemies (Rom. 139-10).
31Romans 139-10 (NASB)
- 9 For this, "You shall not commit adultery, You
shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall
not covet," and if there is any other
commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love
does no wrong to a neighbor love therefore is
the fulfillment of the law. - cf. Mat. 544
32- Even if a person does not
repent we are to LOVE
them! (1 Cor. 134-8).
33Whether or Not We Forgive a Person, We Must
Always Behave Like Children of God!
- Practicing the goodness of God.
- Demonstrating patience and forbearance.
- Love all people as ourselves including our
enemies. - When we do forgive, we must not keep count (Mat.
1821-22 Heb 1017).
34Matthew 1821-22 (NASB)
- 21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how
often shall my brother sin against me and I
forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to
him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but
up to seventy times seven. cf. Heb 1017 1
Cor. 135
35- Our Greatest Motivation to Forgive Others is
Found in God Forgiving us in Christ (Eph.
431-32).
36Ephesians 431-32 (NASB)
- 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and
clamor and slander be put away from you, along
with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another,
tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God
in Christ also has forgiven you.