Forgiveness Part 2

How We Are To Forgive Others

We Must Forgive As God Forgives

Ephesians 4:31-3231Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice: 32and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

Review Forgiveness part 1How God Forgives Us

1. How much or often does God forgive us?• Limitless

2. Does God forgive us unconditionally?• Conditionally

3. Must others ask to be forgiven before God forgives?• God does not forgive unless we ask

4. Does God hold a grudge?• God does not hold grudges, but He will not clear guilty

5. If we sin against God again and again will He forgive them each time?

• He is faithful to forgive ALL of our trespasses

6. Does God want to forgive those who sin against Him?• Yes, but to reject His will there is no more sacrifice for sin

7. Does God forget to truly forgive others?• God does not forget the cost of our sin, but forgets my guilt

Forgiveness part 2How Should We Forgive Others

1. How much or often must we forgive others?

2. Must I forgive others unconditionally?

3. Must others ask to be forgiven before We forgive?

4. May we hold a grudge?

5. If others sin against us again and again, must we forgive them each time?

6. Do we want to forgive those who sin against us?

7. Must we forget to truly forgive others?

We Must Forgive As God Forgives

• Having seen how God forgives us

• Tells us how we must forgive others

• Look at 7 questions about forgiveness

• To see how we must forgive each other

1. How Much Or How Often Must We Forgive Others

• The Lord’s Prayer – Matt 6:7-13– Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors– As Greek word 5613 hos { hoce}

• As, like, even as, etc.• Prayer - forgive us in the same way we forgive others

– Jesus taught Disciples about forgiveness• God would forgive us• Just like we forgive others• Do we want that?

– Vs. 14-15 Application in if then statements• If you forgive people their transgressions• Then your heavenly Father will also forgive you• If you do not forgive people• Then your Father will not forgive your transgressions

1. How Much Or How Often Must We Forgive Others

• Jesus Answers Disciples Questions about forgiveness Matt. 18:21-22– Disciple’s question – Matt. 18:21

• How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive?• Up to 7 times? Notice the words “Up to”• That was the maximum amount the disciples would consider

reasonable

– Jesus’ response – Matt. 18:22• I do not say to 7 times – see disciples give sign of relief• But up to 70 X 7 = 490 times – a shocking answer• Far beyond their expectations of “up to 7 times”• 490 was not the mathematical calculation of limits of forgiveness• But was given to show their forgiveness was to be limitless

1. How Much Or How Often Must We Forgive Others

• Jesus illustrates point in parable Matt. 18:23-35– Master settling accounts with his slaves Vs. 23

• One slave owed him a large debt 10,000 talents Vs. 24– Footnote in NASV give amount as $10,000,000 in silver – But much more in buying power – How much more? – Program using day’s wage as $32/day pretty low– 10,000 talents of silver is worth $3,849,000,000 in buying power– Far beyond the slaves ability to ever repay

• Justice was rendered to his servants– Commanded throw slave into debtors prison– Not just him but his wife and children– Until the complete debt was paid – just life sentence

• Mercy was shown to his pleading slave– Slave came begging for mercy and patience– Master felt compassion and forgave him the debt– Far beyond the slaves expectation

1. How Much Or How Often Must We Forgive Others

• Jesus illustrates point in parable Matt. 18:23-35– This slave’s treatment of fellow slave Vs. 28

• One fellow slave owed 100 denarii– Footnote in NASV gives 1 denarii as a day’s wage– Program using day’s wage as $32/day pretty low– 100 denarii is worth $3,200– Well within a slaves ability to repay with patience

• Slave’s unjust treatment of fellow slave– Seized him and chocked him – “Pay back what you owe”– Fellow slave fell down and begged for mercy and patience

• No mercy was shown to his pleading slave– He was unwilling and threw him into debtors prison– Until he paid back what was owed

– Fellow slaves reported to his master Vs. 31• His lord summoned this unforgiving wicked slave

– I forgave you all that debt (Millions) because you entreated me– Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave – Even as I had mercy on you

• His master removed mercy from the slave he forgave– Justice was rendered to the unforgiving slave

• His master was moved with anger• Handed him over to the torturers• Until he should pay what he owed

1. How Much Or How Often Must We Forgive Others

• Jesus forces the application Vs. 35– So shall My heavenly Father do to you– If each of you does not forgive his brother– From your heart ( the key)

• Not an unjust forgiveness– Not forgiving those who have not asked– When one asks for mercy– We must forgive if we want to be forgiven

2. Must I Forgive Unconditionally?

• Parable Matt. 18:23-35– When did the master forgive the slave? Vs. 26-27

• Only after the slave came and begged for mercy• Justice demanded the debt owed be paid• But mercy forgave what the slave could not pay

– When should the slave have forgiven his fellow slave? Vs. 29-35• When his fellow slave begged for mercy• He came asking for patience with him

– Why was the slave condemned?• He should have had mercy and forgive his fellow slave• Justice demanded the debt owed be paid• But mercy should have generated mercy and forgiveness• Unconditional forgiveness is not justice

– Unconditional forgiveness is not biblical• It is not just• It is not as God forgives us

3. Must Others Ask Before I Forgive?

• To receive from God we must ask– Matt. 21:22 – All things ye ask believing ye receive– John 16:23 – You have asked nothing in My name– John 16:24 – Ask and you shall receive– Jas. 4:3 – If we ask amiss we shall not receive

• Our mercy must mirror God’s mercy Lk 6:36-38– Pardon and you will be pardoned – unconditional?– Give and it will be given to you pressed down, overflowing –

unconditional?– By your standard of measure it will be measured to you –

unconditional?– All of these are conditional statements– So our forgiveness must be conditional as well– Mercy triumphs over judgment, but it does not remove it Jas. 2:13

3. Must Others Ask Before I Forgive?

• Matt. 3:7-10 – John refused Sadducees and Pharisees– You offspring of vipers who warned you to flee from wrath to come?– Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance– Think not to say we have Abraham as our father– The axe is laid at the root of the tree– Every tree not bringing good fruit is cut down and cast into fire

• Luke 3:7-14 – Luke expands on fruits worthy of repentance– To the multitude asked what must we do (fruits)?

• Let him that has two coats give to him that has none• He that has food let him do likewise

– To Publicans who asked what they must do (fruits)?• Exact no more than has been appointed you

– To soldiers who came asking what must we do (fruits)?• Extort from no man by violence• Neither accuse anyone wrongfully• Be content with your wages

3. Must Others Ask Before I Forgive?

• Acts 26:19-20 – Paul agreed with John– King Agrippa I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision– But declare unto both them at Damascus first and at Jerusalem and

Judea– That they should repent and turn to God– Doing works worthy of repentance

• 2 Cor. 7:10-11 – Forgiveness follows only after godly sorrow– Godly sorrow works repentance unto salvation not to be repented of– Sorrow of the world works death– Sorrow after a godly sort wrought in you

• Earnest care• Clearing of yourselves • Indignation• Fear• Longing• Zeal• Avenging• Proving yourselves to be pure in the matter

3. Must Others Ask Before I Forgive?

• Repentance must precede forgiveness Luke 17:3-4– If your brother sins rebuke him – if he repents forgive him– What if he sins against you 7 times a day– If he “I repent” forgive him - not unconditional, not without repentance

• Repentance at Corinth required to forgive 1 Cor. 5– These brethren could not overlook sin Vs. 1-2– Paul by apostolic authority required repentance Vs. 3-5– He delivered such a one to Satan

• For destruction of flesh – he was physically treated as of Satan• For the salvation of the soul – to cause him to repent• Clean out the old leaven of sin to become a new lump Vs. 7

• Restoration was required after repentance 2 Cor. 2:1-9– Paul wrote first letter to make the sinful sorrowful Vs. 1-3– That they might know the love which Paul had for them Vs. 4– The punishment inflicted by the many upon the one is sufficient Vs. 6– Forgive and comfort the sorrowful man Vs. 5-8– Forgiveness only after the required repentance

Summary of Forgiveness Pt. 2

1. How much or often must we forgive others?• Our forgiveness must be limitless • As limitless as God’s forgiveness is for us

2. Must I forgive others unconditionally?• Our forgiveness must be conditional• Unconditional forgiveness is unjust and clears guilty

3. Must others ask to be forgiven before We forgive?• Others must ask to be forgiven• We must forgive when asked• We must restore the one who sinned

Would You Like God To Forgive You?

• God desires to forgive you of any sin

• His forgiveness is endless

• He will not forgive you unconditionally

• We must ask to receive His forgiveness

• 1 Peter 3:21 – Baptism is our pleading to God– Our asking God to forgive our sins

• Wont you receive God forgiveness now?