The Freedom of Forgiveness

Forgiveness and the New Identity

We can not go to heaven or have a relationship with Jesus Christ unless we encounter forgiveness.

Marriages are destroyed from couples who don’t forgive each-other.

Families are torn apart because of unforgiveness.

Friends become enemies when someone gets offended.

Humanity is the fight of its life over offense. People who say or do mean things to you.

Forgiveness- Freeing of a person from guilt and its consequences of punishment.

When I was on drugs I encountered forgiveness that awakened my life to God.

On Heroin, I set up a robbery. Pounds of Marijuiana. I set up the drug deal but

I didn’t know God set this drug deal up for me to encounter Forgiveness like I’ve never encountered forgiveness before.

Pistol whipped - To Taken to Phoenix Police Department.

In the Holding Cell - Where I deserved punishment for my actions. I deserved prison. My life was over.

A police officer came in and told me I was forgiven.

I was pardon, forgiven. I deserved to pay a Debt.

The police officer told me God loved me. God had a plan for me.

This is a perfect example of Forgiveness.

- I deserved to be punished. I should have served time.

- I was redeemed from the consequence.

- I was told who I really am.

- I was told to never commit the sin again.

There is two aspects in the perception of Forgiveness.

1. Knowing about Forgiveness.

2. Believe you have been Forgiven.

Scripture tells us without the Shedding of Blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:22 (ESV)

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 9:22 ESV

On the Day of Atonement - priest would sacrifice a bull.

Hand on the neck of the bull while confessing sins.

Two goats - casted lots to decide which goat was Gods and which goat was the peoples.

This was a law passed down by God.

But it didn’t satisfy God, it was a SET UP for the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ being the ULTIMATE SACRIFICES.

Jesus became the punishment of our sin by laying down His Life & shedding His Own Blood. (Innocent Blood)

When someone is murdered and the person who is guilty of the crime will spend the rest of their lives in person.

Justice - Blood for Blood.

JESUS TOOK OUR PLACE

Colossians 2:13–15 (ESV)

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. Colossians 2:13–15 (ESV)

- Record of Debt

- There was a debit to be paid to a Holy God for breaking the divine law of God. - Disobedience

- Your debt can never be paid by effort.

- You can’t do good because you have done bad.

- Criminals on the stand never tell the judge WELL I PROMISE I WON’T DO IT AGAIN. ILL BE GOOD BECAUSE IVE BEEN BAD.

God saw all your sin and and dealt with it on the Cross.

a. Jesus saw all your mistakes and said I Still WANT YOU.

All the wrongs you have done in life.

Justified because Jesus decided to do the Right Thing (Righteous)

RIGHTEOUS DYING FOR THE UNRIGHTEOUS.

TAKING YOUR PLACE ON THE CROSS. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus Christ, the sin for your behalf.

Luke 23:34 (ESV)

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:34 (ESV)

Jesus was still crying out - Forgive them.

Between two criminals.

Priest who placed their hands on the neck of the bull while confessing sin. Was like God the Father.

God nailed your Sin/Mistakes to the cross. Placing the sins you have committed on the body of Christ Jesus.

The Punishment Jesus Got Became Our Peace

JESUS GOT WHAT I DESERVED AND I GOT WHAT HE DESERVED.

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:25 NIV

God is a Just God. Justice had to be served regarding Sin. There had to be a penalty. The Penalty was not only serve. But New Life was given.

God doesn’t see your sin he sees His Son when he looks at you.

You have been justified in the eyes of God so much

God wants to pour into you His love because He sees you as Holy. - Holiness of Jesus.

Your not defined by what you have done. You are defined by what Jesus did for you.

a. Lord Jesus will NOT cast away His believing people because of short-comings and mistakes.

- The husband does not put away his wife because he finds failings in her.

- He loves her because of who she is and who’s she is.

- Mother does not forsake her infant because it of the pitching and the punching in the face. Not because the baby is weak, feeble, and ignorant.

- She loves the baby, because it is hers.

And the Lord Christ does not cast off poor sinners who have committed their souls into His hands because He sees in them blemishes and imperfections.

It is His glory to pass over the faults of His people, and heal their backslidings,—to make much of their weak graces, and to pardon their many faults.

THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM, HE ENDURED THE CROSS.

- The joys of having my son with me will always out way his bad actions.

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 (ESV)

Forgiveness is part of a relationship.

But We Do Have A Part To Play In Forgiveness.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8–9 (ESV)

People stop right there when reading this scripture.

We Must Confess Our Sin And Allow God To Cleanse US

This scripture is always taken out of context.

People that say they have no sin. They make no mistakes. “I am a good person so I should go to heaven.”

The Truth (Jesus) is not in them. These people don’t have a relationship with God. We deceive ourselves.

1. Confess our sin

Mistakes. Confess the sin that tries to haunt you.

The meaning for the word Sin is - “MISSING THE MARK”

Unrighteousness - Not having a right relationship with God - Sin.

A. Sin focused that - “I MISSED THE MARK”

Thoughts that I am not good enough.

“Who would love me.”

“I am a failure” “Not good enough” -

Lying to parents.

Talking bad about someone behind their back. Your thinking bad thoughts about a person.

Unrighteousness - Keeping you from having a right relationship with God.

Confession releases the sin that is in you out of you. But to keep the sin out of you you have to let God bring a cleansing in you.

2. God is Faithful to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God brings a Cleansing to you.

- Confessing that my thoughts aren’t right and relying on God and His Word to give me thoughts .

- Confessing that I am missing the mark in my feelings and thoughts. And confessing that God does love me and reading scripture to bring assurance. (John 3:16)

What Does God want me to think about?

ILLUSTRATION :

THE SIN THE SON THE PERSON

SIN DARKED US. THE SON CAME TO SET US FREE FROM DARK WAYS OF THINKING.

INSTEAD OF FOCUSING SO MUCH ON MISSING THE MARK - SIN

FOCUS ON JESUS AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR YOU. WHAT HE WANTS TO POUR INTO YOU.

To encounter forgiveness you have to receive forgiveness.

How do we receive it?

BY FAITH

We have a part in the process of forgiveness. - Repent & Receive

Repent & 2. Receiving

- I am who He says I am.

I am not who I think I am. I am you He says I am.

For me to receive something that is good I have to let go of what is bad.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV)

I have to know what I am receiving from the (Word of God). And whom I am receiving from (Jesus Christ).

God has a plan for my life. Prosper me there is a purpose.

Enemy has a plan for my life. Harm me and destroy me.

Jesus Forgives Our Sin So We Can Be Restored To Him.

Confidence in our conscience.

NOT A BROKEN MIND SET

HEAVENLY MIND SET.

Jesus Forgives Our Sin So We Can Have Reconciliation With Him.

Pocket Dictionary of Ethics (Forgiveness)

“For this reason, when one person forgives another person, restoration and reconciliation between the two people should always follow.” - Stanley J. Grenz

The Reason we have the Capacity to Forgive others is because God has Forgiven You.

When you have fully received Forgiveness the message lives in you and out you by becoming what you have received.

You can never give what you don’t have.

Romans 5:8-11