Forgiveness sets you free

Today I want to give you a little history lesson to put today’s message into perspective.

As I mentioned last week

Our family took some time to explore Dachau -(Dak how)

It was a Nazi concentration camp built in 1933.

Originally Hitler used it to lock up his Political opponents.

the National Socialist party (Nazi) in

May 1924 6.5%

Dec 1924 3.0%

May 1928 2.6%

Sept 1930 18.3%

July 1932 37.4%

Nov 1932 33.1%

March 1933 43.9%

The first nazi concentration camp was built to hold 6000 prisoners

right beside the camp was the training center for the SS troops

It was the model of what all future concentration camps were built on

Although it technically was not a death camp like auswitz, that didn’t mean death wasn’t an everyday occurance.

Near the begining of the WW2 between 1,000 and 3,000 prisoners perished in the camp, annually, between 1940 and 1943.

in 1944 400 in October 800 Nov 1915 in December

Dachau’s final four months of operation in 1945 proved truly catastrophic.

Between 2,600 and 4,000 inmates per month succumbed to disease or starvation, roughly 100 every day.

remember it was built to hold 6000, and during its use over 180,000 prisoners went through its gates.

at times over 60,000 prisioners were held at once.

the prisioners were not seen as people by the SS

rather a means to a end

whether it was slave labour, or medical experimentation

their lives were considered meaningless

Gate

Every prisoner that went through the gate was greeted with this message

arbeit macht frei = work sets you free

And yes they worked.

a large portion of Nazi building projects were built by prisoners.

in fact prisoners built dachau.

Medical experimentation

Malaria

Malaria experiments on about 1200 people were conducted by Dr. Klaus Schilling between 1941 and 1945

Air Pressure

In 1942 and 1943 experiments on human beings were conducted by Dr. Sigismund Rascher to determine the effects of changing air pressure. As many as twenty-five persons were put at one time into a specially constructed van in which pressure could be increased or decreased as required. The purpose was to find out the effects of high altitude and of rapid parachute descents on human beings.

About 400 to 500 prisoners were experimented on. Those not dead were sent to invalid blocks and liquidated shortly afterwards

Cold Water

Rascher also conducted experiments on the effect of cold water on human beings. This was done to find a way for reviving aviators who had fallen into the ocean. The subject was placed in ice-cold water and kept there until he was unconscious.

Some men lasted as long as 24 to 36 hours. The lowest body temperature reached was 19 degrees C., but most men died at 25 degrees C., or 26 degrees C.

When the men were removed from the ice water attempts were made to revive them by artificial warmth from the sun, from the hot water, from electrotherapy or by animal warmth.

What the Nazis did in Dachau can only be described as Evil

I believe it to be a demoncially inspired evil, because what they did could not be conceived of by man alone.

But there was a sense of sacredness , everyone, even little children did not make noise while we were there.

But I sensed something beyond evil that once occupied that land

I could tangibly feel forgiveness as the overriding force.

That beleivers have stood in the gap and brought forgivness to the forefront.

Forgiveness

Matthew 18:21–35 NASB95

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26 “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27 “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 “So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30 “But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31 “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34 “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

Forgiveness is a requirement of God

Its not a suggestion, or a recommendation. it’s an outright requirement

Matthew 6:15 NASB95

15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Why is this such a vital key?

Consequences of unforgiveness

Loss of a Walk with God

1john 4:20-21

1 John 4:20–21 NASB95

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

your unforgiving spirit separates you from fellowship with God.

It separates you from enjoying the benefits of dependence on His wisdom, and separates you from growing more of the Fruit of the Spirit in your life.

Loss of Health and Vitality

Psalm 32 NASB95

A Psalm of David. A Maskil. 1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! 3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. 6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. 7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. 8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. 9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you. 10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Loss of Joy

The only alternative to forgiveness is vengeance and bitterness.

Think about it, there is no middle ground, no matter how you try to avoid the issue.

So, ask yourself – do I want to forgive or be bitter and vengeful?

Proverbs 15:17 NASB95

17 Better is a dish of vegetables where love is Than a fattened ox served with hatred.

Hebrews 12:15 NASB95

15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

Bitterness and vengeance fuel wars and the disputes you have with your enemies.

They are probably at the heart of your marriage or family struggle.

Bitterness and vengeance always hurt and destroy you as well as others.

Forgiveness, though, heals. Which do you want?

Loss of Freedom: Consumed with, Controlled by, and Become Like the Offender

Consumed with the offender –

How can you be free when you spend so much time thinking about how they hurt you?

Your mind is stuck on trying to resolve something that only God can handle effectively.

When you spend that much time thinking about them, it is like building a nice house for them in your mind and moving them in.

You paint and maintain the house, because you constantly visit it and THEM.

Bitterness and vengeance are traps. Vengeance is considered a “right”. Bitterness blinds you and moves you to a place you never wanted or intended to be. You think it will make you better, but it just makes you bitter. And, bitterness is an open wound, draining life from you.

Romans 12:19 NASB95

19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Controlled by the offender – 

They not only consume your mind, worse yet, they control you. The longer you carry the grudge, the more they control your thoughts, actions, and feelings. The more you want vengeance, the more energy drains from you as you plot, seek, or try to get revenge. And, even if you do get revenge, you often have regrets, second-guesses or feel it wasn’t enough. Enjoy the consequences of unforgiveness!

Conformed to be like the offender –

Consider this. If you want to learn golf or tennis, you spend time playing and thinking about it.

If you want to learn something new, you read about it, think about it.

When you immerse yourself into something; it becomes part of you.

So, the more energy you use and the more time you spend thinking about the person who wronged you, the greater the chance they have to influence your thoughts and actions.

You increase the possibility of becoming just like them.

Loss of Hope

Depression is often born from an unhealthy focus on past events. It can be birthed from trying to control a past event, the unfairness of what happened, and the lost hope for justice.

Hope, like joy, doesn’t grow from vengeance, bitterness or holding grudges.

Hope takes root in the soil of forgiveness.

Can you right a wrong that has occurred in the past?

Of course not! It happened, it is a fact, it is part of history, and you cannot change it.

But you can accept that it happened, learn from it, forgive, and move on, because your PERFECT Father God knows about it and will turn it into “best” for you as you trust Him.

Loss of Future Generations’ Health

Exodus 20:5 NASB95

5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

The past is over.

Move on!

Trust God to redeem your past! He knows what is best for you.

And, He is using this situation for your best and for the other person's best.

Trust His PERFECTION! Doing it any other way will create more problems.

Your Choice

God seems to be saying, “Forgiveness is the best way to deal with your memory of wrongful pain.

It’s an opportunity to be free of the pain and probably help other people, even the person who hurt you.

It’s your choice to trust My way or yours.

And by the way, the alternative to forgiving – bitterness and vengeance – only makes the pain last longer.

It will affect you emotionally, mentally, and physically, and even generations to come. Please, don’t choose that.”

What forgiveness isn’t

many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don’t understand the difference between trust and forgiveness.

Forgiving others must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it.

Trust, on the other hand, has to do with future behavior and it will likely take time to build or rebuild.

If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive them instantly, but you are not expected to trust them immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing them to hurt you.

Forgiveness isn’t sweeping things under the rug and saying what the other person did or said was okay.

Forgiveness is also not necessarily forgetting what happened.

Depending on the situation, it may require a time of healing.

But if you hold on to the transgression like a trump card and play it every chance you get, you can be sure that unforgiveness is still present.

This goes against Jesus’ command to forgive “seventy times seven” times. 

After all, remember that God has forgiven you more times than you will ever have the opportunity to forgive someone else.

How to forgive

1. Acknowledge the pain

2. Think through things.

3. Imagine being on the other side.

Matthew 7:12 NASB95

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

4. Remember God’s forgiveness

5. Reflect on our Biblical command

6. Prayer a prayer of forgiveness

Father, I choose to forgive ____(person)____ for ______(label what they did)_________ that made me feel _____(describe how it felt)____

I release them to your authority and I give up my right to take revenge. Father please help my emotions to come into alignment with my will.

Amen

7. Let go of the hurt

Don’t allow yourself to replay the offense over and over; let go of the pain and determine that you are going to choose to move forward.

8. Continue to forgive.

9. Pray for the person who hurt you.

Matthew 5:44 NASB95

44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Philippians 4:13 NASB95

13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Corrie Ten Boom testimony (5:22)

Corrie ten boom