The Transforming Power of Forgiveness

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Short Summary
The discourse emphasizes the transformative power of forgiveness, highlighting biblical principles that call for generous, loving, and continual forgiveness as modeled by Jesus. It stresses resolving conflicts gently and privately to maintain harmony and illustrates forgiveness’s profound impact through a story of reconciliation, ultimately encouraging believers to embody Christ’s forgiving character for their own spiritual growth and peace within the community.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary: The Transforming Power of Forgiveness

Introduction and Key Scripture
– The discourse centers on forgiveness, focusing on Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT):
*“Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”*
Jesus replies, *“Not seven times, but seventy times seven.”*
– This highlights a principle of generous, unlimited forgiveness rather than a strict formula.

Forgiveness in Scripture
– Luke 17:3-4 complements Matthew by encouraging rebuke followed by forgiveness if repentance occurs, even if repeated multiple times daily.
– The overarching biblical principle is to be generous and continual in forgiveness, reflecting God’s nature.

Matthew 18 Context: Church Discipline and Forgiveness
– While Matthew 18 is often associated with church trials or discipline, the initial step focuses on personal forgiveness and reconciliation.
– The goal is to resolve offenses privately and early to prevent escalation (Matthew 18:15).

God’s Standard for Forgiveness (Ref. Reprint 5885)
– Christians should emulate the Heavenly Father’s loving, generous disposition.
– Minor offenses should be overlooked if unintentional or trivial.
– When offended, ask: Was it done purposely? Was it intentional? If no, forgive and forget.
– Guard against being overly sensitive or holding grudges based on personal biases.
– Forgiveness is to be part of one’s character, not occasional or conditional.

Gentle Correction and Confidentiality
– If rebuke is necessary, it must be done gently, lovingly, wisely, and privately (Matthew 18:15).
– Proverbs 17:9 warns against gossiping faults as it separates friends.
– Address offenses in a timely manner; unresolved conflicts can cause long-term division.

The Importance of Forgiveness
– Matthew 9:6 shows Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, a divine power given to followers through Christ’s example.
– The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12) includes asking God to *“forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,”* underscoring the essential link between forgiving others and receiving forgiveness.
– Matthew 6:14-15 states clearly: *“If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”*
– Luke 6:37 reinforces this principle: *“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”*

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
– Jesus illustrates forgiveness through a story of a servant forgiven a huge debt by his master but who refuses to forgive a small debt owed to him.
– The master’s judgment upon the unforgiving servant teaches that the way we forgive others reflects how God will forgive us.
– Forgiveness must come *“from the heart”* (Matthew 18:35), not merely in words.

Purpose of Forgiveness
– Forgiveness aims for reconciliation and harmony (Matthew 18:15).
– Unforgiveness causes anxiety, anger, and hinders spiritual growth and sanctification.
– Galatians 6:1 encourages believers to gently restore those overcome by sin, emphasizing nurturing over condemnation.

Illustration: Story from Early 1900s Greece
– The story of John, “the goat thief,” who terrorized villages but later fled to America, repented, and embraced the truth through the help of fellow believers.
– Patches, a villager once harmed by John, initially refuses contact but eventually forgives him.
– This single act of forgiveness transforms lives and produces multiple generations of Bible students, highlighting forgiveness’s transformative power.

Qualities Needed for Forgiveness
– Compassion, kindness, humility, patience (Ephesians 4:32).
– A gentle and kind spirit is usable by God.
– Repentance is necessary: John repents and asks forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Luke 13:3).
– Imperfection is universal; everyone needs to forgive and be forgiven.

Benefits of Forgiveness
– For the offender: relief from the burden of guilt, opportunity for correction, spiritual growth.
– For the offended: removal of bitterness, peace of mind, strengthened relationships.
– For God: development of faithful followers and harmony within the Body of Christ.

Practical Example of Forgiveness
– The speaker recounts forgiving a business fraud, resulting in peace despite financial loss, illustrating forgiveness as liberation from burden.

God’s Forgiveness and Our Response
– Psalm 25:18 and 1 John 1:9 affirm God’s willingness to forgive those who confess.
– Forgiveness requires acceptance; holding on to guilt after repentance hinders spiritual progress.
– The only unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; all other sins can be forgiven upon repentance.

Ideal Forgiveness Among Believers
– Perfect forgiveness includes:
1. Offense forgiven without need for apology.
2. Offense forgiven upon apology.
3. Gentle rebuke, repentance, then forgiveness.
– Colossians 3:14 urges believers to *“clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”*

Key Lessons and Self-Examination
– Do we pray for forgiveness and forgive generously and lovingly?
– Do we accept gentle correction and apologies?
– Do we avoid being overly sensitive, withholding forgiveness, holding grudges, seeking revenge, or gossiping faults?
– Ephesians 4:32 encapsulates the biblical standard: *“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”*

Conclusion
– Forgiveness is transformative, freeing both offender and offended, restoring harmony, and reflecting God’s love.
– The power of forgiveness is a divine gift and a vital part of Christian character and sanctification.
– To God be the glory forever. Amen.

—

Key Bible Verses Referenced:

– Matthew 18:21-22: Forgive seventy times seven times.
– Luke 17:3-4: Rebuke and forgive if repentant.
– Matthew 18:15: Address fault privately.
– Proverbs 17:9: Love covers offenses.
– Matthew 9:6: Son of Man has power to forgive sins.
– Matthew 6:12: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
– Matthew 6:14-15: If you forgive others, God forgives you; if not, He will not forgive you.
– Luke 6:37: Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
– Matthew 18:23-35: Parable of the unforgiving servant.
– Galatians 6:1: Restore gently those overcome by sin.
– Ephesians 4:32: Be kind and forgiving as God forgave you.
– 1 John 1:9: Confess and be forgiven.
– Luke 13:3: Repent or perish.
– Psalm 25:18: God forgives sins.
– Colossians 3:14: Clothe yourselves with love for harmony.

Transcript

Our thoughts this morning are entitled the Transforming Power of Forgiveness.

And we find this in Matthew, chapter 18, verses 21 through 22. We’re going to read, according to the new living translation, a question. Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?

No, not seven times, Jesus replied, but 70 times seven. Wow. So this was Jesus’s response. Now, how often should I forgive? We’ve got a formula here, but the question is, is this a formula or is this a principle?

You know, we’ve got another place in the Scriptures very close to this, where the question is posed. This is in Luke, if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent not, forgive him, and if he trespass thee against these seven times in a day, and seven times in a day he turns back to thee, saying, I repent thou shalt forgive him. So this is almost like another principle or another formula.

But what we realize is a principle is being laid out here of forgiveness, and of course, our theme Scripture is from Matthew 18 and the in the bottom line is we must be generous in forgiving. So a question for you is if an acquaintance at work or a friend, they should do they think of you as a forgiving person? They should be generous and forgiving, and if we’re generous, it will be noticed.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You know, this principle of forgiveness is outlined in Matthew 18. But when I say Matthew 18, you would probably say what Matthew 18.

What do we all think about Matthew 18? It’s the church trial. But I will tell you that if we look at this closely, we realize that the principles of forgiveness are there. Now you might say, well, you know, but Brother Bob, there’s these steps that you go through, and ultimately you may be disfellowshipped, but hopefully you’ll eventually come back. But focus on this part of Matthew 18 when we take out the escalation steps.

The first step is God’s prescription for forgiveness. Because if you resolve issues in the first step, it goes no farther.

And normally, and God would like it this way, that’s the way we resolve issues.

So we’re going to look at this first step and see what it outlines. First, Matthew in Matthew 18, we’re going to look at reprint 5885. The Christian is to have the loving, generous disposition of Part A copy of the Heavenly Father’s disposition. So he’s setting a standard here. The pastor is setting a standard in trivial affairs.

He is to have so much sympathy and love. Then he will Take no notice. Don’t be offended. I understand if a brother or sister is a little bit abrupt with me, don’t take notice. Justice for God.

Just as God for Christ’s sake deals with us and does not impute sin to us, so he’s giving us a, a very concrete example here why we’re to do this. Except as it represents knowledge and willfulness in offense. In such a rule operating amongst Christians, a determination not to recognize as offense anything that is not purposefully done or intended as an offense, not trivial events. This would be what a great blessing to all and proper and a godlike course. This is the divine standard.

So we have offense filters. So when you become offended, and we all do from time, was the act done on purpose and was it intentional? And if the answer to either one of those is no, forgive and forget personal questions, am I being overly sensitive? You know, sometimes if we have a spouse, we can bounce it off of them and they’ll be brutally honest. Yes, you’re being overly sensitive.

Forgive and forget. Am I being self centered or am I genuinely not holding, not forgiving? Am I holding a grudge? This, this particular brother gets on my nerves and so I’m going to be less forgiving of him than sister so and so who is just so sweet.

That’s not what the standard is. Am I not genuinely forgiving in either of those cases? Forgive and forget, it end there, it escalates. No further period. This is the prescription that’s given to us.

Do we present matters gently? Brethren, I have a problem with being gentle, especially with technical matters. It’s black and it’s white. But do we do it gently? Because if you’re approached gently and kindly, what’s your response?

Versus if you’re approached abruptly and harshly, your shield goes up, and here’s what they had to say in that reprint. It is our duty kindly and lovingly and wisely to give proper rebuke. So if we have an offense, we’re to do it kindly. Lovely.

Wisely. Some information, intimation that we recognize the wrong and that it has grieved us and hurt us needs correction. The disposition to forgive should be with us always and should be manifest at all times. Not sometimes, not part time, but all times. So this is part of our character, part of the character of Christ, really putting it on.

This is one of the evidence of that. This is a litmus test. How are we doing?

So present matters gently.

So proper correction is to do it kindly, lovingly, wisely and properly, and if we do these things Once again, things do not escalate. We bring peace and reconciliation.

Third point, it is to be done strictly confidential.

Matthew 18:15, Go and tell him his fault between the and him alone.

If we were having a problem with someone, if someone has offended us, we don’t go in the group of people and say, you know what you did wrong, you offended me. We don’t embarrass the person. We could do it privately and alone.

In Proverbs 17, 9 tells us why Scriptures give us all the answers. Whoever would foster love covers an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. So it either covers and pulls people back together, or it is an offense that drives people apart. What’s God purpose in this is to bring people together, and finally, in Matthew 18:15, the prescription is go and tell him his fault.

That means now, now I’ll give you a a little disclaimer with this. If you are really upset and emotional about it, don’t go right now. You’re not going to be kind, you’re not going to be gentle. You might want to let it simmer for a bit. Think, contemplate and pray.

But on the contrary, don’t allow things to go on. For years we had one example of two classes that were literally miles apart and would not meet on with each other because in the past there was a dispute, they didn’t forgive each other, they didn’t reconcile, and this happened for years and for a period of over 20 years, and finally there was no members that were even there when the dispute arose, and that legacy was still there.

They still didn’t meet together because of it. They never took the action. So do it in a timely manner. Don’t let it foster and this is it. This is the formula.

This is step one in Matthew 18, and the vast majority of our disputes or misunderstandings should be settled right here.

And if that happens, there’s reconciliation, harmony, and that’s what God wants us to have, harmony within the body of Christ. So if we’re really interested in developing our characters, in sanctifying ourselves, we should pay close attention to this. These are key principles. How important is forgiveness?

In Matthew chapter nine, verse six, we read, but ye may know that the Son of Man hath the power on earth to forgive. This was one of Jesus’s superpowers that the Father gave him to forgive. This was a stumbling block for the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Was it? How can this man forgive?

He was authorized by God, but he was in the image of God, which is the image that each and every consecrated footstep follower is striving to attain. So this is your superpower as well, but only if you pay attention and put it in practice. We should be the most forgiving and loving people that anyone has ever met. Is that our legacy?

In Matthews, chapter 6, verse 12, we read, Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. Part of the Lord’s Prayer.

And the Lord’s Prayer is his model prayer. We’re going to look at it just. Just surfacely. But when we look at it, there are three major human petitions in that prayer. The first, give us our daily bread.

Provide for us, Lord. It’s an acknowledgment to God that everything comes from him.

Secondly, what’s called the debt forgiveness cycle, and finally, deliverance and guidance. Three major categories. One of them is forgiveness and forgiving and asking forgiveness. That’s how important this is.

In Matthew, chapter six and nine, once again we read, but that ye may know the Son of man hath the power to forgive sin. That’s powerful. Continuing, and now in Matthew 6, verse 12, and we’re going to read it according to Weymouth, so you’ll recognize. This is from the Lord’s Prayer, but I like the way that it’s written.

Forgive us our shortcomings as we also have forgiven those who have failed their duty towards us. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. This is a little bit of a different way of saying the same thing, but you realize this is a relationship, you and me, and vice versa.

Those that have failed in their duty towards us, we forgive.

It’s really an acknowledgment that we are imperfect human beings. Imperfect human beings. Very important, you know, God gives us his standard for forgiveness. It’s very straightforward. We need to take it to mind.

Matthew, chapter 6, verses 14 and 15. He’s giving us a principle, and this is almost. This is really a serious principle. If ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. Was like a mathematical formula.

If, then, else. This is the if and the then. If you forgive others, God will forgive you. So how does this work?

But if he forgive not men their trespasses, neither will God forgive your trespasses. If then, else, if you forgive others, God will forgive you. Else, if you don’t forgive them, God will not forgive your trespasses. This is a godly principle. How are we doing?

Very serious, isn’t it?

Continuing In Luke chapter 6, verse 37, we add to this a few more things and we’re all familiar with these verses, judge not and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive not and ye shall not be forgiven.

Any questions? That’s very clear.

So when we say let’s be generous with forgiveness, looking back at ourselves, we realize this is the standard that God is going to judge us by as well. I don’t know about you, but I want you to be understanding, forgiving and loving. But what the Lord is saying here is these principles. Whatever we give is what we’re going to receive.

Our action determines how God forgives us. It’s a direct correlation there. Very important.

You know, we started with Matthew 18:21, 22. It’s all about the forgiveness and the 70 times seven. What follows? Well, the next thing that follows, the parable of the unforgiving servant. Is that a coincidence?

Remember Jesus, one of his techniques was to lay out a principle and then give a lesson, a parable, a story. He did it in parallels, not only to hide it, in this case it’s really not hidden, but also to illustrate. It’s something that we remember in our minds. We live and we love stories, and so he’s giving us a story here, the parable of the unforgiving servant.

We could read the whole thing. We’re just going to recap it to show you the principles. So he laid down the foundation about be generous in forgiving, and you’ll remember the Master called for a very large debt repayment. In one of the new language Bibles it said it was a million dollars and the servant could not repay.

What was the consequence? Well, today you’d be bankrupt and they would attach all your in his day, they would throw him in prison. He would lose his liberty and his life, and that servant pleaded with the master, forgive me, and the master forgave the debt.

That’s exactly the way it should work. But oh, what happened next? The servant went to someone that owed him and the suggestion here was it was a thousand dollars instead of a million, and he said, I’m collecting my debt. Pay up.

Was unable to pay up and he was cast into prison. Debtors prison.

The Master heard of this, his actions, and threw him in prison. The way he judged others, the way he forgave others came back, and that was what was being illustrated by this lesson, the importance of forgiveness.

Then finally, the moral of the story in Matthew 18:35, this is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you. Unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.

It’s not enough to just say, I Forgive you, but I’m going to foster just, you know, bad feelings in my heart. We have to forgive, and in a way, forget, not hold it against them. That’s the moral of the parable. So to start with, the way that you judge and forgive others is the way that you will be judged. Lord, be generous to us because we have fallen short.

And I want to be generous with each and every one of you, as well as anyone else we come in contact with, because the way that we forgive is the way we will be forgiven, and we want to do it from our hearts, not holding grudges.

What’s the purpose of forgiveness? It says in Matthew 18:15, if he shall hear ye, thou has gained thy brethren. It’s reconciliation, it’s harmony. It’s resetting the relationship so that we can have a harmony. We can get on with the work of sanctification.

Because, see, if we’re. If we’re buried under all of this anxiety and angst and anger from not forgiving, from not being forgiven, then we can’t get on with that very important work. It. It’s like a weight dragging us down. In Galatians 6:1, we read, Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome in a sin, anybody ever have this happen?

If I asked for a show of hands, all of us would have to raise our hands. We’ve been overcome in sin. If any believer is overcome with sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back into the right path.

That’s nurturing, not harsh judgment, nurturing, and if we are caught in a sin and require forgiveness, isn’t that how we would like to be treated? Gently, peaceably and humbly? The importance is for the recovery of the offender.

If we think we’re here to condemn individuals and cast them out, that’s the wrong motive. When we look at Matthew 18, the purpose of that church trial, if you go all through the steps, is to recover the offender, and we saw that example in Scripture. That was the ultimate purpose, and that should be the purpose of us offering forgiveness as well. So that rather than walls going up, walls are going down.

We’re going to tell you a story.

This is a story that took place in a small village in Greek in Greece in the early 1900s. Times were tough across Greece. Most people had little money and struggled every day to provide food for their families. There was a cruel man in the area that the villagers called John the goat thief. He was a large and powerful man who would steal food from the villagers whenever he wanted.

Goats were very important in providing food for these poor families. Provided milk, cheese and meat. Well, John the goat thief terrorized not just one, but several villages in the area by stealing their goats whenever he pleased. The villagers hated John, but there was little they could do because he was a large and powerful man, you know. As a result, many children went hungry because of John’s thievery.

One day, John disappeared. It was as though a weight had been lifted from the villagers. No one missed John, but everybody wondered what had happened to him.

Years later, a young man from that village decided to come to America, the land of opportunity, to start a new life. This was the immigrant experience, wasn’t it? He saved for a long time with his very modest earnings to pay for his passage to America. Finally, he booked third class passage on a ship to New York. For over a week, his only connection to the outside world was a small porthole and all he saw was ocean.

Until he arrived in America, he was processed at Ellis island, where his Greek name was changed to Hatches.

He is now. He was now in America, the land of opportunity. Getting started from scratch was a struggle.

Understanding a new language, new customs and struggling to make money and find a place to stay. Other Greeks in the area who had gone through a similar experience had compassion and helped him find a job and a modest place to live.

One day there was a knock at the door. Anytime this happened, immigrants were cautious. After all, it could be a bill collector, could be a hooligan, or even the police. Wearily, Hatches cracked the door to see who was there. To his amazement, he recognized the face.

It was John the goat thief. He immediately closed the door once again. Once again he heard knocking at the door. He never wanted to see John again. His thoughts went back to the time of his youth when he went to bed hungry because John had stolen their goat.

A flurry of emotions rushed through his head. Where did John come from? Why was he here? Was he going to take what little he had earned since coming back, coming to America? Once again, there was a knocking at the door.

Cautiously, he opened the door. He asked John, why are you here and what do you want? John responded, I have come to give you something that is more valuable than anything that you have.

Hache replied, aren’t you John the coat thief? John responded, I am no longer that. That man, Patches, opened the door a bit more and, and started to listen to what John had to say. John explained that back in Greece, the authorities from several villages were about to catch him and put him in jail.

He fled the area Desperate and penniless, he stowed away on board a ship bound for America. He found a place deep in the ship where he hid. He was hungry and thirsty and one of the crew members found him one, you know, surprisingly. They provided him food and water and a place to sleep, and then when he arrived in America, they let him off the ship and he went through Ellis Island.

He was homeless and spent days searching for food and someplace to sleep.

That’s he was destitute. One day he noticed a nicely dressed man walking down the street with several other men. There was something about the way he carried himself that caught his attention. He wanted to know more. He followed the entourage into a large building.

Curiously curious, he slipped in this building using a side entrance. He peered into a large room where and where there was many people that were sitting in situation just like here in in the auditorium. It was full of people.

The nice. The nicely dressed man came out on stage and began speaking. The crowd was focused on his every word. But John did not understand a word of English. Finally, in desperation, John cried out what is this man saying?

There was no answer. The man on stage continued to talk and everyone in the auditorium was glued in anticipation. Once again John said what is this man saying now? A small group approached John John on the side of the auditorium and he thought he was going to be ejected. Instead, they started to speak to him in Greek.

That nicely dressed man was Pastor Russell. The Greek brethren took John and helped him get a new start. In the process, they gave him treasure beyond compare. The truth. He repented of his old ways and asked God’s forgiveness.

Later he consecrated his life to the Lord.

Every day John would go and check the list of new Greek immigrants entering America. He tracked them down to share with them the treasure he had been given. The pearl of great of great value. Hatches opened the door and let John in. Over time, he forgave him.

His act of forgiveness opened the way for Hatches to receive the truth. He met with the Greek brethren who opened his eyes to the glory of God. As a result, brother Hatch received and embraced the truth. He received the pearl of great wisdom.

John had mentioned because he had cup with John had received this because he had a compassionate and forgiving heart.

This is a true story in a very real way. It illustrates the transforming power of forgiveness. Forgiveness opened up the truth to bro to bless brother Hatches. As a result, there are three more generations of Bible students.

This is the transformational power of a single act of forgiveness. How important is forgiveness in each of our lives?

You know, the prerequisite for brother Hatches at that time, Hatches was that he had compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. He, despite his childhood experiences, had a kind heart, and that’s what allowed him to listen. That was the prerequisite in Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 32. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you.

A gentle and kind spirit is usable to God, and that’s what we must foster and engender in our hearts.

Repentance is also necessary. John said, I am no longer that man, and he asked forgiveness. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all, all unrighteousness. Foreign Luke 13:3, we read, I tell you, nay, except you repent, you likewise shall perish.

So we must ask forgiveness and also give forgiveness. Remember that second part of the Lord’s Prayer. The our things was, forgive your debts as we forgive our debtors.

You know, repentance acknowledges our mistakes. Anybody out there? Perfect. Your answer should be, not yet. Not yet.

That’s our goal. But the reality is now we’re. We’re crackpots. We’re broken vessels, we’re imperfect. We offend each other.

From time to time, we must be quick to ask forgiveness as Christ forgave us. That’s the perfect example. Christ forgave us, and he forgave all mankind.

You know, we look at the benefits of forgiveness for the offender. It relieves them of a burden. They’ve offended someone. It takes that burden off of them. It also leads to correction.

You know, some of the best experiences of our lives are the most difficult, and those experiences where we have to ask forgiveness because we fall flat on our faces, we’re imperfect. But the corrective lesson, if it’s taken to heart, is super valuable. So it’s a learning experience, and ultimately, if we’re forgiven correctly, it should build us up.

It should draw us closer together rather than farther apart. For the offender or the offended, it frees us from a burden because that’s on our hearts. It makes peace, and ultimately it strengthens relationships. You know, sometimes we have a situation where the offender never comes and asks for forgiveness. We have to get forgive anyway.

I had one business transaction many years ago that was interesting. I was basically defrauded of a large sum of money, and I could seek civil remedy, but it was, you know, I was one of many debtors to this company, and so I forgave them immediately. When I did that, the burden was gone. Yes, I lost money. That’s money.

But what was more pressing on my heart, I was consumed by how can I get my money back? And once I forgave them despite their fraud, that burden was relieved, and that’s the example we’ve got to take. So it gives us peace. Forgiveness is not only for the offender, but for the offended as well.

And finally, we can look at God. What does God get as we forgive each others? It develops, but still have followers, and it provides reconciliation. The Lord wants us to be at peace with each other, the body of the Christ. He doesn’t want divisions, he doesn’t want discord.

He wants us to be at peace with each other, and if forgiveness is very, very much given out, then this will lead to a peaceful situation.

God gives us a promise of forgiveness in Psalm 25:18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain, and I will forgive all my sins and forgive all my sins. That’s our desire in First John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Do we really comprehend that? Do we really embrace that? Lord, I have sinned, and it is a grievous sin. The Lord’s just saying he is faithful. He has promised what he will forgive our sins.

Do we fully claim God’s forgiveness? Or do we fester on a sin that is now in the past, that we repented from, but we haven’t accepted his forgiveness? Because until you accept his forgiveness, you cannot move forward. It’s still a burden on your mind. But realize who did, who did our Lord call?

Prostitutes, tax collectors, thieves, all manner of people?

What’s the limit of God’s forgiveness? Well, we’re told that if we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, that’s the limit. It ends. Anything less than that, we can apply, repent and apply for forgiveness. So there is an unforgivable sin.

But when we look at the things that we would ask forgiveness for, forgiveness, they fall far short. Do we claim God’s forgiveness?

Do we believe in God’s forgiveness? Because if we do, we move on, and when we move on, we can get on with that sanctifying work. So in its simplest sense, forgiveness of God. We have a sin, we ask forgiveness, and God says, except for that one, it’s forgiven.

Period. That’s the standard. Accept it, embrace it. Forgiveness among the consecrated. This is perfect forgiveness.

There’s an offense and it’s forgiven. Didn’t even have to ask forgiven forgiveness, right? That’s ideal, it’s just forgiven. If there’s an offense and there’s a request for forgiveness, then it is forgiven, and finally, if there’s an offense and we have to do a gentle rebuke and then they repent and then it is forgiven.

Period. This is God’s ideal standard. Now we’ve got Matthew 18 to escalate it if there’s a discord among the the participants. But this is the way that it should be. This is the perfect model we should Follow in Colossians 3:14 above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds us to all together in perfect harmony and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are called in one body and be thankful, that’s the purpose.

Live in perfect harmony and that’s perfect forgiveness and harmony.

Now some Bible lessons. Do we pray for God’s forgiveness? Do we forgive generously? Do we forgive lovingly? Do we listen to rebukes?

Do we ask for forgiveness of others? Do we accept apologies? I mean accept? Do we show gentle compassion? And do we model it after Christ’s example?

We should not reject God’s forgiveness. Anything less than accepting it is not believing in God’s promise. We should not be overly sensitive. We should not withhold forgiveness, we should not hold grudges, we should not seek revenge, we should not share others faults and we should not seek to punish others. This is the biblical record that we’ve seen this morning in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 32.

Learn to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.

Let’s take the lesson the transforming power of forgiveness to heart. We thank our Heavenly Father for from him and through him and to him are all things. To God be the glory forever. Amen.

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