What Is Forgiveness?

Text: Matthew 18:21-22

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (11/02/03)

Introduction:   

ILLUS: Film of your life shown here next Sunday – Uncut & unedited.  Would you stay? Hardly!!

We need someone to destroy the film.  Forgiveness is God destroying that film!

ILLUS: Need of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the Lubricant that keeps the machinery of the Christian Church and Home running smoothly.

There is much to forgive – We scrape against one another often on the highway of life.  We have numerous fender benders and even a few head-on collisions.

I. FORGIVENESS: What it is not

There are an abundance of erroneous ideas, and unbiblical concepts that exist when it comes to forgiveness.

Modern Psychology has muddied the waters and clouded our understanding of this important topic.

A. Forgiveness is not a Feeling

That is the false philosophy of the day.

Some will not forgive based on the fact they do not feel like forgiving.

They say “I would be a hypocrite to forgive when I don’t feel like forgiving / repenting / releasing bitterness etc.”

Hypocrisy is not feeling one way and doing something else.  Hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing another.

ILLUS: You get out of bed whether you feel like it or not.  Take a bath etc.

That is not hypocrisy, now it would be hypocrisy to say you love getting out of bed when you do not!!

B. Forgiveness is not Apologizing

Apology is the world’s unsatisfactory substitute for forgiveness.

APOLOGY – To make defense (that which is often indefensible) or to make excuse (that which is often inexcusable).

C. Forgiveness is not Visualization – Revisiting the Past

More about this in a moment.

II. FORGIVENESS: What it is

We could define it in two ways – By what forgiveness does, and by what forgiveness is – we’ll focus for now on the latter.

Our forgiveness is to be modeled after God’s Forgiveness.

This is the key that will unlock the door of our understanding.

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Forgiveness is being God-like, Unforgiveness is setting yourself up in God’s place.

Genesis 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

A. The Promise of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a Promise

Isaiah 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Jeremiah 31:34  “...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

It is often said that God forgives & forgets our sins, but not in the Bible!

We are the ones who forget, and must be exhorted not to forget God, His law, His Word, His promises, our blessings and benefits received from Him.

Forgetting is human – it is the action of an imperfect, flawed creature.

DON’T FORGET - God does not forget!!  What He does say is that He will not remember our sins.  There is a difference!

Forgetting is failure, it is passive.  -  Not remembering is an active choice.

God chooses not to remember our sins against us.  Therefore forgiveness is a promise, it is a declaration of God.

Our Forgiveness must be modeled after Gods.

Forgiveness is a threefold promise that I will not...

1. Make an issue of your sin against you.

2. Make an issue of your sin with others.

3. Make an issue of your sin in my own heart.

B. The Prerequisite of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is conditional

The Focus of Biblical forgiveness is what it does for those forgiven, not to the one who forgives.

The Conditions of Forgiveness

1. No Forgiveness without Repentance

Luke 17:3  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

2. No Forgiveness in the absence of Ability to Repent

Animals / The Dead / Absent for other reasons.

Some teach a model of forgiveness that incorporates visualization and a form of communication with the dead – It is Spiritism.

The dead do not need (if Saved), and cannot receive (if Unsaved) your forgiveness!

If there are some issues in the past of your relationships – Then Ask God to rid your heart of any and all bitterness and resentment toward them.

SOME ASK – “What about Christ’s Prayer on the Cross?”

Luke 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Jesus did not FORGIVE, He PRAYED!

Christ’s prayer was answered in part on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

They were not forgiven the sin of crucifying the Saviour apart from believing that He died for their sins.

C. The Persons in Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a mutual, cooperative endeavour.

Forgiveness is not an option.

1. The Offended

He is to go to the offender...

Matthew 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

Luke 17:3  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

2. The Offender

He is to go to the offended...

Matthew 5:23-24  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

THE IDEAL – It is best if both would meet each other on the way!

THE PRIORITY – The offended must go, the offender is not always aware that an offense exists, but the one whose Toes have been flattened will always know!

REBUKE (Lk 17:3) – Not the Prosecution of a case, but a cautious explanation of the facts as you see them.

Allowing for a forthcoming explanation that will clear up the matter.

FORGIVE – When? If he repents.

“How many times? Seven?”  was Peter’s question.

“No, Seventy times Seven!”  was Christ’s reply.  The idea being not a set number, but as often – no matter how often – your brother offends you and then repents – you forgive him every time.

The disciples said “Lord, Increase our Faith” Luke 17

1. Not a matter of Faith, but Obedience

2. Not a matter of Fruit Inspection, but Open acceptance

3. Not a matter of Feelings, but Obligation

Conclusion:     (Review)

How do I receive forgiveness?

PRESENT GOSPEL HERE

How do I become a forgiving person?