Forgiveness Part 2

1. Forgiveness Part 2 How We Are To Forgive Others

2. We Must Forgive As God Forgives Ephesians 4:31-32 31Let 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.

3. Review Forgiveness part 1How God Forgives Us • How much or often does God forgive us? • Limitless • Does God forgive us unconditionally? • Conditionally • Must others ask to be forgiven before God forgives? • God does not forgive unless we ask • Does God hold a grudge? • God does not hold grudges, but He will not clear guilty • If we sin against God again and again will He forgive them each time? • He is faithful to forgive ALL of our trespasses • Does God want to forgive those who sin against Him? • Yes, but to reject His will there is no more sacrifice for sin • Does God forget to truly forgive others? • God does not forget the cost of our sin, but forgets my guilt

4. Forgiveness part 2How Should We Forgive Others • How much or often must we forgive others? • Must I forgive others unconditionally? • Must others ask to be forgiven before We forgive? • May we hold a grudge? • If others sin against us again and again, must we forgive them each time? • Do we want to forgive those who sin against us? • Must we forget to truly forgive others?

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Summary of Forgiveness Pt. 2 • How much or often must we forgive others? • Our forgiveness must be limitless • As limitless as God’s forgiveness is for us • Must I forgive others unconditionally? • Our forgiveness must be conditional • Unconditional forgiveness is unjust and clears guilty • 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

17. 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?