Forgiveness and Prayer

Matthew 6:12

Psalm 51:1-17

We do not live on bread alone. We depend on God’s providence to sustain us, but we can live a very long life in earthly terms and perish eternally. Therefore, we are in desperate need of something more than daily bread, we need daily forgiveness. We need daily grace.

Deep-seated Depravity

We are not just sinners, we are sinful

Condemnation and hope from the start of this message

Romans 5:12-13- Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

Romans 5:18-19- Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Most people do not know or believe this

Most people believe that people are mostly good-natured

Our psycho-therapeutic culture points to past experiences and the wrong that has been done to us as our main problem

We hear that with enough counseling, therapy, help, and hard work that we can be the good person that we truly are

It’s a lie

Nobody on earth feels their sinfulness the way they ought

We do not put our defenses up against sin as we ought

We do not hate OUR sin as we ought

We do not make war on sin as we ought

We do not cry out for help to put sin the death as we ought

Right now: we need to cry out for forgiveness for these things and for help to kill sin in our lives

How does knowing this affect the way you pray?

Won’t this just discourage us?

Isn’t what we really need a light-hearted message of how great we are and how God loves us more than anything?

Won’t this message chase people who need to hear about God’s love away?

Real Repentance and Consistent Confession

What is repentance?

It’s not just some sad or guilty feelings about something you haven done, it is far more than that

Remorse

Repentance begins with an acknowledgement that we have committed sin that is not only damaging and hurtful to yourself and/or others, but also that you have committed high treason against the Holy God of Glory

We ought to have a deep remorse in our hearts for offending God

Confession

Psalm 32:5- I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to thooe Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Confession is specific, not vague

Turn away

True repentance includes a desire and effort to turn away from your sin

If you truly love God and hate sin then you will turn from it

1 John 3:9-10- No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Faithful for Forgiveness

There is unimaginably great hope for us

Romans 5:15-17- But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

His blood is enough

There is never too much sin for God to forgive

He died for the forgiveness of your sin Christian

If He gave Himself up to be torn to shreds by a whip and hung on a cross to become a curse for our forgiveness, then how will He not forgive us when we humbly repent and throw ourselves upon His grace and mercy for our forgiveness?

He is faithful to forgive

Every time we come to Him in confession and repentance He will be sure to forgive

1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Forgiveness flows from Forgiveness

Believers must forgive

Matthew 6:14-15- For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 18:21-35- Bible

How can we be unforgiving if God in Christ has forgiven us?

It is a fearful thing to be an unforgiving person

The life of a believer ought to be marked by forgiveness, even when the one who offended you is not sorry about it or seeking your forgiveness

Nowhere in th Bible will you find a verse that says you must only forgive if the other person asks for forgiveness

It is a fearful thing to be an unforgiving person

Search yourself today

Reflect on your view of your sin. Do you recogine the extent to which you are sinful and need God’s grace?

If not, cry out to God for Him to show you your sinfulness so tha you may walk humbly in His grace and mercy all of your days

Search yourself to see if there be any residing sinful tendencies

Pray as David did to show you any hidden sin or wicked way in you

Pray that God will forgive you and help you to put them to death by the Spirit

See if there be any you any hint of unforgivness

Ask God for a heart of boldness to forgive even when it is unspeakably hard

To you who have not repented of sin and believed in Jesus as your Lord and Savior

You have not yet entered into the forgiveness that is held out before you

You have not yet tasted of the grace and mercy of Christ in His wrath removing and righteousness giving work on the cross

Repent and believe in Him today. He is the only Savior and only one in whom you will find forgiveness for your sin and rest for your soul