What is Forgiveness?

  FILING INFORMATION:

97051

12/7/97 – Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.     This AM we learned about the beauty of forgiveness.  God stands ready, willing, and able to forgive mankind when man is ready to respond to God’s plan!

1.     Those of us who are Christians – let us rejoice in the fact that we have been forgiven of our past sins!

2.     Let us enjoy the many blessings we have in Christ Jesus!

B.     We wish tonight to look at forgiveness in a different light.  Forgiving our brethren in Christ who sin against us.

1.      This, I believe, is one of the greatest problems facing the Lord’s church.  Brethren unwilling to forgive one another after sin has been committed.

2.      As a result, in many places we find congregations dividing – not over matters of doctrine – but b/c of strife, personal conflict, personality differences, covetousness, etc.  Many do not have the attitude of forgiveness that the Lord requires.

3.      In other congregations one finds an unpleasant situation between brethren.  Some are so hardened in their Unforgiveness that they will not speak to their fellow brethren.  All these attitudes can present problems and they are not the way that God would have us.

C.     In our lesson tonight – we wish to look at God & how He forgives.  He is the ultimate example to follow when it comes to forgiveness.  Remember that we all want Him to forgive us.  Let us all learn from Him!

1.     One passage that comes to mind as we get into the lesson is found in Mt. 6:14-15.

2.     God has given us the “benefit of the doubt” by forgiving us.  We should be willing to forgive others who sin against us.

3.     Let us all evaluate our lives.  How are we doing when it comes to forgiving others?  Perhaps we all could use some improvement!

 

II.  We can learn forgiveness by observing what God does when He forgives.

A.   When God forgives:

1.     He removes the notation of the offense off His record.

a.     Acts 3:19

2.     Heb. 8:12 – remember the sins no more.

3.     Restores the offender to his former position of love & grace.

B.    Do we do this? Are we following in the example of God?

1.     When a bro/sis/anyone sins against us & they ask our forgiveness do we remember their sin no more?

a.     Some have a little “black book” it seems.  Compile little things over time and at convenience bring it all out.  Usually when they are caught in some sin of their own.

b.     Some have been known to hold grudges/things against others for years.  Brethren this is not right!

c.     When someone asks our forgiveness, let us do as God – forgive & forget!

2.     Do we restore the “offender” back to the same relationship as before the offense?

a.     Hard to do depending on sin – this could not be easy.  But it is the right thing to do – for both offender & offended.

b.     We expect God to do that for us when we sin against Him.  Why can’t we do it for brethren?

c.     We must have a spirit of humility among us.  This is the only way to be pleasing to the Lord.

C.    There is a well-known story told about the 16th president – A. Lincoln.  Before the Civil War was over – Lincoln was asked what he would do with the rebellious southerners. He replied, I’ll treat them as if they had not gone away.  Friends that’s forgiveness.

1.     this is the kind of attitude we should have toward brethren who sin against us and repent of that sin.

 

II.  We can learn forgiveness by noting what God does with our sins when they are forgiven.

A.    Psa. 32:1; 85:2; Rom. 4:6-8 – God covers them.  They are hidden from his sight.

1.     Isa. 38:17 – says He casts them behind His back.

B.    Psa. 103:12 – He removes them from us as far as the east is from the west.

C.    He remembers them no more – Heb. 8:12; 10:17

D.    Blots them from the record.

1.     Isa. 44:22 – He rubs/wipes off (original word “erases”) the writing of indictment of rebellion.

E.     Rom. 4:7-8; 2 Cor. 5:19 – tells us that God does not count the sin.

1.     v. 8 – “impute” a mathematical/bookkeeping term.

2.     God keeps a record of our sins, but in forgiving our sins He no longer has a record on the ledger.

F.     Ezek. 18:22; 33:16; tells us He will never mention them again.

G.    Application:

1.     Friends we must do the same!

2.     Words of Jesus – Lk. 17:3-4

a.     Are we willing to take heed to the words in this verse?

b.     Hold a grudge?  You aren’t  heeding.  Still bitter about a certain situation?  You aren’t heeding the words of Christ….

c.     We must be willing to make things right w/brethren.  They are our spiritual family.

 

III.  We can learn forgiveness by look in the pages of the Bible.

A.   Story of Jacob & Esau.

1.     Gen. 27 – Jacob stole Esau’s birthright.  V. 41-43 – Jacob hated by his brother for his actions.  He feared for his life we read later and fled to Haran.

a.     32:6 – Esau coming to meet Jacob.

b.     33:1-4 – they meet.  Notice what happened <v.4>

2.     It is apparent that Esau forgave his brother – even though his brother had deceived him before.

3.     How many of us could have done what Esau did?  We can & should do the same if a similar situation faces us.

B.    Story of Joseph & His brothers.

1.     Gen. 37:12-36 – Joseph sold into slavery by his brothers.

2.     Chapt. 39 – Joseph in Egypt – a slave.  Terrible life – a slave – away from family – a deplorable situation – no escape possible – gone for several years.

3.     Chapt. 45 – reveals himself to brothers.

a.     v. 5-15

b.     This from a man who had power to have them tortured/killed.

c.     Could have been spiteful & vindictive.  Instead loving & joyous that he had found them!

4.     Could we have acted with forgiveness as Joseph did?  Read Gen. 50:15-21

C.    Lk. 15:11-32 – parable of prodigal son.

1.     Would we be able to act as the father?

D.   Forgiveness of Christ – Lk. 23:34

1.     He forgave the sameones who just earlier:

a.     Lk. 23:11 – cursed Him; spat upon Him; falsely accused Him; twisted a crown of thorns on His head; nailed His hands/feet into the cross – He forgave them all!

2.     He forgave them all even though in Mt. 26:53-56 we find He could have called 12 legions of angels & destroyed them all.

3.     He could have said, “Enough!” “I’ve had it. I’m through w/man.”  Read Mt. 23:53-56….

4.     Christ is the one who we are trying to emulate.  Could we do as He?

a.     We will perhaps never face a trial on this scale – many of the trials we deal with are nothing like this – and yet many can’t forgive????

b.     Friends we must be willing to forgive.  Perhaps even when others don’t deserve it in our opinion.

 

IV.  Penalty of Unforgiveness.

A.   Throughout the NT we are commanded to love our brethren.

1.     Rom. 12:10; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 Pet. 3:8; 2 Pet. 1:5, 7

B.    If we love our brethren – we will forgive them.  Thus the unforgiving Christian hates his brother.

1.     1 Jhn. 2:9 – the one who hates his brother is in darkness.

2.     1 Jhn. 3:14 - abides in death.

3.     1 Jhn. 4:7-8 – does not know God.

a.     Notice the comparison made back to Christ & His forgiveness.

4.     1 Jhn. 4:20 – is a liar.

5.     Mt. 6:14-15 is unforgiven himself.

C.    Mt. 18:21-35 – the parable of the unforgiving servant.

1.     v. 21 – Peter – up to seven times?  Probably thought He was really being generous offering forgiveness seven times….

2.     V. 22- answer of Christ must have astounded the disciples.  This was totally different from the actions of those in the religious world of their day.

3.     Christ goes on and tells them a parable…

a.     v. 24 - servant owed king 10,000 talents.  Unable to pay v. 25.  Begs for mercy.  King has compassion & forgave him the debt.

b.     Servant finds someone who owed him money in v. 28-30 has the man cast into prison until the debt was paid.

c.     King finds out about this the servant suffers penalty…v.32-35…

4.     The application:  God has forgiven our tremendous debt of sin.  We want Him/ beg Him to do so.  We need to be willing to forgive our brethren on their trespasses.  If not we will reap the consequences.

D.   Words of Christ in Mk. 11:25-26 – those who do not forgive will not be forgiven.

 

V.  Conclusion.

A.    Hopefully we can see the importance of forgiving our brethren.  We cannot possibly hope to go home to heaven if we are unwilling to forgive.  God simply will not tolerate this kind of attitude.

B.    Let us all examine our lives and make sure that we are living right before the Lord. 

C.    If you are here this evening and outside the fold of God, you have not received forgiveness of your sins.  You need to do so before it is too late.

D.    If you are here this evening, and a child of God but not living faithfully, use this opportunity to get right with the Lord.

E.     I N V I T A T I O N