Why is forgiving others difficult? List some of the affects and consequences of bitterness. List some of the characteristics of being a forgiving person. (Eph. 4:26-32; Heb. 12:11-17) How is it possible for me to forgive others as God has forgiven me? These and other questions are addressed in this study.
6. A. What “FORGIVENESS” is Not:
1. Excusing: “You couldn’t help it; you’re
not really to blame.”
2. Minimizing: “It’s all right that you socked
me in the right eye, I’ve got another.”
7. A. What “FORGIVENESS” is Not:
3. Blind Trust: “I’ve found drugs in my
son’s room so often, I can’t trust him, no
matter how sincerely he assures me
he’ll stop. Does this mean I haven’t
forgiven him?”
4. Forgetting: “If I can’t forget, I haven’t
forgiven.”
8. noso ~ Psa. 32:5 "I said, I will confess my
transgressions unto the Lord, and You
forgave (noso = to lift up, bare) the
iniquity of my sin."
solakh ~ Psa. 103:3 "Who forgives (solakh =
to send away) all your iniquities, who
heals all your diseases."
9. kophar ~ Psa. 78:38 "But He, being full of
compassion, forgave (kophar = to atone
for, cover over) their iniquity, and
destroys them not"
aphiemi ~ Mt. 18:27,32 "Lord of that servant
was moved with compassion, and
loosed him, and forgave (aphiemi = to
send away, to remit or forgive) him the
debt . . . I forgave thee all . . ."
10. charizomai ~ Eph. 4:32 . "Be kind one to
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another (charizomai = to be gracious, to
bestow unconditional favor), even as
God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven
(charizomai) you.”
11. B. What “FORGIVENESS” Is:
1. Releasing from Judgment
Psalm 79:8–9 Oh, do not remember
former iniquities against us! Let Your
tender mercies come speedily to meet us,
for we have been brought very low. 9
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the
glory of Your name; and deliver us, and
provide atonement for our sins, for Your
name’s sake!
12. Forgiveness is a gracious,
specific, Godlike promise to
refuse to bring up a resolved
issue again.
13. B. What “FORGIVENESS” Is:
• How can God forgive and still be just?
• Best picture of forgiveness in the OT is Lev. 16
• Best picture of forgiveness in the NT is Jn. 13-21
14. A. What “FORGIVENESS” Is:
2. Pardoning Injury
• What is a pardon?
per- ‘completely’ + donare ‘give’
• What is the condition for pardoning?
confession
15. A. Because God forgive me
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Mt. 18:23-35
• “a king” frequently represents God in rabbinic
parables
• “slaves” (douloi) are probably high officials (i.e.
satraps)
• “10,000 talents” est. value $10,000,000 to
$3,600,000,000; a satrap would earn in his
lifetime $1,000. Hence, a debt impossible to
repay by himself. However, the servant
presumptuously said (v 26) that he will repay
• "everything" (cf. v 29).
16. A. Because God forgive me
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Mt. 18:23-35 (esp. 29-30)
• "He was unwilling' (imperfect tense) shows he
refused several times to show mercy.
• "100 denarii" = $20.
Application:
What are the offenses others have committed
against you? How do they compare with your sins
against God?
17. WHAT DOES GOD DO WITH MY SIN?
Casts them into the sea - Mic. 7:19
Purges them away - Isa. 6:7
Covers them up - Psa. 32:1
Blots them out - Isa. 44:22; 43:25;
Acts 3:19
Puts them away - Heb. 9:26
Removes them from us - Psa. 103:12
Casts them behind His back - Isa. 38:17
Forgives them all - I Jn. 1:9; Col 2:13;
Eph. 1:3
18. B. Because God will punish those
who refuse to forgive
• "angry" = orge
• "torturers" = officials who specialized in
interrogation and finding out where thieves
had hid money or disclosing concealed
information.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Mt. 18:23-35 (esp. 29-30)
19. Request forgiveness “in proportion as” (hos)
we also have forgiven those in debt to us.
“forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.”
20. Grace ~ The offender gets what he does
not deserve
Mercy ~ The offender does not get what he
does deserve
Forgiveness ~ An act of Grace & Mercy
whereby the offender gets something
he does not deserve & does not get
what he does deserve if he repents,
confesses and believes the promise
of the offended never to recall the
offense again.