FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER

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

[By Ron Halbrook]

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FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER

Eph. 4:20-32 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

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Eph. 4:20-32 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

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Eph. 4:20-32 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

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Eph. 4:20-32 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

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Introduction:1. Part of the gospel of Christ

(vv. 20-21)2. Part of the new man created by God

(vv. 23-24)3. Must learn & apply this lesson

to be a Christian, a child of God!

What is forgiveness?The character & will of GodConditional or unconditional?How often?

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I. What Is Forgiveness? A. Result of Love,

but Distinguish from Love Matt. 5:43-48 God loves all men, but not all are forgiven

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43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

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I. What Is Forgiveness? A. Result of Love,

but Distinguish from Love Rom. 5:8-10 God loved all men

before He forgave anyone

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Rom. 5:8-10 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

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FORGIVING ONE ANOTHERI. What Is Forgiveness? B. Define: To Send Away, Cancel—

Treat Someone as Though the Debt, Injury, or Wrong Never Occurred

Matt. 26:28 Jesus to die to cancel our debt of sin

28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

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I. What Is Forgiveness? B. Define: To Send Away, Cancel—


2 Cor. 5:19 Gospel message: God thru Christ cancels our debt of sin

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

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Heb. 8:12 God forgives & forgets

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

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Acts 2:38 Souls in sin outside Christ offered forgiveness

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

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Acts 8:22-24 Forgiveness offered to Christians who sin

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B. Define: To Send Away, Cancel— Treat Someone as Though the Debt, Injury, or Wrong Never Occurred

Acts 8:22-24 Forgiveness offered to Christians who sin

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

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Ja. 5:19-20 Great work to lead sinners to receive pardon

19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

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Rom. 4:6-8 Great blessing: forgiven!

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

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I. What Is Forgiveness? C. Learn: Treat Others as God Treats Us

2 Cor. 2:7-11 A command to all of us

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2 Cor. 2:7-117 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

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II. Forgiveness Reflects God’s Character & Will

A. The Unity of the Godhead (Eph. 4:20-32)Vv. 20-21 We “learned Christ:” learned he came so we can be forgivenVs. 30 The Holy Spirit: longs for us to be forgiven & redeemedVs. 32 The Father forgives us thru Christ

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B. “Forgiving One Another:” Reflects God’s Character & Will

Ps. 86:5, 10-15 Ready to forgive, merciful

5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

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10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. 14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

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Matt. 5:43-48 Be like God: always love all men, always ready to forgive

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43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

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2 Pet. 1:4 Partake of the divine nature

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

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2 Cor. 3:18 Reflect the divine image

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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C. God’s Character of Forgiveness Revealed: Unknown in Natural Realm

No word for forgiveness in some languages1 Cor. 2:14 Known only by revelation

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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D. Songs Remind Us to Reflect Our Lord♫ Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen:

When somebody has been so unkind to you, Some word spoken that pierces you thru, & thru…

♫ Oh to be Like Thee: O to be like thee! Full of compassion, Loving, forgiving, tender and kind

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? A. God’s Forgiveness: Conditional

Acts 2:38 Conditions for alien sinner

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

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Acts 8:22-24 Conditions for erring saint

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

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Matt. 6:12, 14-15 Conditional on our willingness to forgive others

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

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Matt. 18:23-35 Unmerciful Servant Punished

33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? B. Before We Can Forgive

Matt. 18:15-17 Offender Must Confess & Try to Correct the Wrong

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B. Before We Can ForgiveMatt. 18:15-17 Offender Must Confess & Try to Correct the Wrong

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. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? B. Before We Can Forgive

Lk. 17:3-4 Offender Must Repent

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? C. Must Not Confuse Forgiveness

with Love, Courtesy, Patience, & Willingness to Forgive

Matt. 5:44 Love, Bless, Do Good, & Pray for Enemies

44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? C. Must Not Confuse Forgiveness

with Love, Courtesy, Patience, & Willingness to Forgive

Eph. 4:26, 31 No bitterness, no retaliation, even when forgiveness not possible

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? D. Jesus Desired Forgiveness

for His Enemies, Contingent on God’s Conditions

Lk. 23:34 Prayed for those who crucified him— prayer answered in Acts 2

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? D. Jesus Desired Forgiveness


Lk. 23:43 Forgave penitent thief who earlier railed on him

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

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III. Conditional or Unconditional? E. Stephen Desired Forgiveness


Acts 7:59-60 Prayed for them

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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IV. How Often? A. Same as God

1 Jn. 1:9 Whenever proper conditions are met

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

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IV. How Often? B. Seven Times: Full, Generous Number

Lk. 17:3-4 Do not keep count!

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

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IV. How Often? C. Seven the Limit?

Matt. 18:21-22 Always ready to forgive!

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

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Invitation:1. Apply what we learn:

What is forgiveness?The character & will of GodConditional or unconditional?How often?

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

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Invitation:2. God always ready to forgive!

Sinners outside Christ:“Repent, and be baptized…”Saints who err:“Repent…and pray…”“Pray ye to the Lord for me…”

FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER

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