Forgiveness

Forgiveness

August 28, 2011

Introduction

In (Isa 1:18 NKJV), we find these words: "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

The beauty of forgiveness! This morning, we want to look at forgiveness.

Body

I. The need of forgiveness.

Who needs forgiveness?

1. Everyone needs forgiveness.

(Rom 3:10 NKJV) As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;

(Rom 3:23 NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

2. We need forgiveness to resolve our guilt feelings. It makes us feel dirty.

(Isa 64:6 NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

II. How is forgiveness accomplished?

We must confess our sins.

(1 John 1:8-10 NKJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. {10} If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

1. Judas confessed his sins.

(Mat 27:3-4 NKJV) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, {4} saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"

a. The Jewish leaders were uncaring about Judas problem.

(Mat 27:4 NKJV) saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!"

(Mat 27:4 NCV) saying, "I sinned; I handed over to you an innocent man." The leaders answered, "What is that to us? That's your problem, not ours."

2. Judas response was wrong.

(Mat 27:5 NKJV) Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

a. He was lost as a result of what he did.

(Mat 26:24 NKJV) "The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."

We must be willing to forgive others.

(Mat 6:14-15 NKJV) "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. {15} "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

1. We must be willing to forgive without measure.

(Mat 18:21-22 NKJV) Then Peter came to Him and said, "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.

III. Forgiveness does not erase the memories or the results.

Paul always remembered what he had done.

(1 Tim 1:12-13 NKJV) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, {13} although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

David always remembered his sin with Bathsheba and her husband.

(Psa 51:2-3 NKJV) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. {3} For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

Forgiveness does not erase the memories that others may have of what we have done.

(Acts 9:13-14 NKJV) Then Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. {14} "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name."

Forgiveness does not undo the results of what we have done.

2. Lives that may have been taken, can not be restored.

3. Money wrongly spent is not restored.

4. The trust of other people may be destroyed.

5. Our health may be lost because of mistakes we have made.

IV. There are limits to forgiveness.

It is not a license to continue to sin, or live as we choose.

(John 5:14 NKJV) Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

(Rom 6:1-2 NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

We are not to sin willfully.

(Heb 10:24-27 NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. {26} For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, {27} but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

1. Knowing the history of the verse above, we know that some apparently refused to worship in public to avoid persecution.

2. We are not to freely do things that we know are wrong with the thought that we will just ask to be forgiven.

Conclusion

I. God’s forgiveness is essential for our eternal salvation.

II. We need forgiveness for the healing and cleansing.

III. To have forgiveness, we must forgive others.

IV. We must forgive ourselves and get on with our lives. Don't let past sin paralyze us.

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