20/07/2017
Question of Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-22
21. Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22. Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Forgiveness is
1. A Decision - an intentional and voluntary decision and process
2. An Action - of Grace and Love - Numbers 14:19-21, Ephesians 1:7
3. Relational - You and God, You and Others - Ephesians 4:31-32, Colossians 3:13
4. Conditional - Matthew 6:14-15, Mark 11:25, 1 John 1:9
5. A Practice - 70*7 Matthew 18:21-22, Luke 17:3-4
6. A Fresh Start - Psalms 103:12, Isaiah 1:18, 43:25-26
7. Beneficial - it gives you healing, Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24
1. A Decision - an intentional and voluntary decision and decision and process.
You make a decision upon being offended or wronged or hurt by someone's actions. The actions of others may be intentional or unintentional. It's your reaction to others' actions. So how do you react?
You are emotionally affected and need to respond emotionally and cognitively (with your mind). You may react in one of three ways -
1. Retaliate to the other person.
2. Push aside their actions and your emotional reactions.
3. Prayer and ask the Lord to help you respond in a positive way.
2. An Action of Grace and Love
Numbers 14:19-20
19. Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”
20. Then the Lord said, “I have pardoned, according to your word.
Ephesians 1:7
7. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
3. Relational
Ephesians 4:31-32
31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
32. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-13
12. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
13. bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
4. Conditional
Matthew 6:14-15
14. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15. but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5. A Practice
Luke 17:3-4
3. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,
4. and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
6. A Fresh Start
Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 43:25
"I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
7. Beneficial
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
When we forgive we are healed spiritually, emotionally, and physically.