10 Principles of Godly Living Message 5

The Fundamentals

10 Principles of Godly Living

Message 5

Forgiveness

1. The things we remember.

a. Something my parents did.

i. My dad got in an argument with a neighbor.

ii. I still remember his name.

iii. Your dad will hold a grudge a long time.

iv. If my dad would and could do that I was going to follow in his footsteps.

b. Step into the real world.

i. Become a pastor.

ii. You will meet some of the meanest people on earth.

iii. All under the ruse of being godly and looking out for me.

iv. From proud parents to mean church people

v. When I am wronged or hurt, I struggle to forgive.

vi. I don’t think I’m alone.

vii. As you can imagine the bible has a lot to say about this subject.

The battle within.

a. Life can give you some lemons.

i. Life often presents us with situations that test our patience.

ii. We can be pushed to our limited.

iii. Boundaries can be stepped on.

iv. Relationships become strained.

b. It is easy to become bitter.

i. In those moments when we are tested, we can…

ii. It's easy to hold onto feelings of bitterness.

iii. Become angry.

iv. Hold a grudge.

v. Have resentment.

Follow a different path.

i. As followers of Christ.

ii. We are called to live differently.

iii. We are to reflect the love and forgiveness we've received from God onto those around us.

Ephesians 4:31-32

provides us with a insightful guideline for cultivating a heart transformed by love and forgiveness.

Letting Go of the hurts!

a. Notice the urgent natural on this verse.

i. Ephesians 4:31 (NLT) — 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Ephesians 4:31 NLT

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

Get rid of it.

iii. Throw in the trash!

iv. Get rid of the bitterness.

v. Get rid of the rage.

vi. Get rid of the anger.

vii. Stop using harsh words.

viii. Stop gossiping about people.

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) — 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.ix. Stop this evil behavior.

Ephesians 4:29 NLT

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Are your words complaining words or encouraging words?

EVIL BEHAVIOR.

A barrier to God’s grace.

i. These negative emotions can poison our hearts and hinder our growth in Christ.

ii. When we hold onto bitterness, we create barriers between ourselves and God's grace.

iii. Unresolved anger and malice not only harm our relationships but also distance us from experiencing the fullness of God's love.

A call to compassion

i. Ephesians 4:32 (NLT) — 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 NLT

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

ii. Trade in anger resentment rage for…

Kindness.

Tenderheartedness

Forgiving one another

vi. Then God puts the final word on it.

“just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

viii. How do you argue with that?

ix. What defense do you have?

But I’ve been hurt - can things go back to the same?

Trust verses Forgiveness.

a. This changed my life.

Forgiveness

involves letting go of feelings of resentment, anger, and the desire for revenge.

1. Forgiveness is more about your own emotional well-being and spiritual growth than about the other person.

2. It doesn't necessarily require reconciliation or restoring the same level of relationship you had before.

Trust

on the other hand, is about having confidence in someone's reliability, integrity, and intentions.

1. Trust is built over time through consistent actions and behaviors that demonstrate a person's honesty and sincerity.

2. Trust is a crucial component of healthy relationships, and it can take time to rebuild if it has been broken.

iii. You can forgive someone for their actions, even if you don't fully trust them anymore.

iv. It's okay to set boundaries and take steps to protect yourself emotionally, even if you've forgiven someone.

v. Trust needs to be earned, and it's reasonable to be cautious if someone has hurt you in the past.

A Mirror of God's Grace

The Gospel message.

i. Forgiveness is at the core of the Gospel message.

ii. Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) — 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

iii. In Christ, we find the ultimate example of forgiveness

iv. A love so deep that it outdoes our shortcomings.

v. When we forgive, we mirror God's grace in our interactions.

vi. Forgiveness is a choice to release the debt others owe us.

vii. Recognizing that we too have been forgiven by God.

viii. It doesn't excuse wrongdoing, but it breaks the chains of resentment.

It’s the Gospel