Process and Goal

I. The key to understanding forgiveness is to understand how God has forgiven us.
(Eph. 4:23)

A. Not a feeling – a declaration (Is. 43:25)

B. But a promise “To not remember”

1. What is the difference between forgetting and not remembering?
* When God forgives he doesn’t forget (that is an impossibility), instead he
promises to not remember (bring it up to determine how to deal with it).
CF usage in III Jn. 10, Ps. 25:7 and 79:8.

2. To not remember is to not use what is known against you.

II. Is forgiveness unconditional?
“Do I forgive a person who hasn’t asked?”

A. Forgiveness is conditional

1. Repentance precedes forgiveness in Luke 17:1-5
* Rebuke, repent, forgive

2. Repentance precedes forgiveness in Luke 24:47
* Also CF Acts 17:30
* No forgiveness in salvation without repentance.

3. Repentance precedes forgiveness in Matthew 18:15-17.
* No forgiveness in offenses without repentance.

B. Forgiveness was conditional with Jesus
“Explain Luke 23:33-34″

1. He did not unconditionally forgive those who crucified Him.

a. He was speaking to His elect.

b. He was not by-passing Romans 10:14-17.
* Response to repentance is a must or why did He die?

2. What did He mean?

a. Praying they would not be hardened by God in their personal hardness and could still repent.

b. That is exactly what happened at Pentecost. Acts 2:23, “Ye have crucified”, “3,000 repented and believed.”

C. Forgiveness is conditional to be forgiven

1. “Explain Mark 11:25″

a. Anyone who has already asked your forgiveness but you haven’t granted it.

b. A willing to forgive spirit

2. Application:

a. Would people around you say you are a forgiving person, or are you one who dredges up the past?

b. What about those who may never ask your forgiveness? Has it made you bitter or do you possess a forgiving spirit?
* When you think of that person, what are your thoughts?
You may need God’s forgiveness of your failure to forgive and
possess a forgiving spirit.

c. Are you taking steps of growth in this area?

1) If forgiveness is conditional, have I met the conditions?

2) Am I prayerfully and actively seeking reconciliation – or
making excuses?

III. Why should you go?

A. Danger of a broken relationship with your Heavenly Father – Psalm 66:18

B. Danger of church discipline – Matthew 18:15-17

IV. When should I go?

A. Quickly – Matthew 5:23-24

B. Before divine judgment – I. Corinthians 11:30-31

C. When there has been a breach in a relationship

1. When the other person knows – Galatians 6:1-6
(Not for bad thoughts against someone)

2. When the other person knows only something is wrong
(It must be cleared.)
* Particularly true in adultery because in marriage, our body belongs
to our spouse. (I Cor. 7:4)

V. How should I ask?

A. State clearly what you did wrong.

B. Request their forgiveness.

C. Don’t destroy good words with wrong attitudes.

D. Don’t confess accusingly.

E. Don’t allow excuses in your confession.

VI. Remember forgiveness’ goal is reconciliation.
* If this is forgotten, the last link of the chain is broken and success is seen in process,
not reconciliation.

A. Ask forgiveness with true repentance for reconciliation. (II Cor. 2:4-8)

B. Grant forgiveness only with reconciliation.
* No cold shoulder, only reaffirmation of love.

VII. Forgiveness does not remove all consequences.

A. Speeding brings a ticket no matter how much forgiveness is granted.

B. David suffered 20 years for his forgiven sin to Bathsheba.
(II Samuel 12:9-12)