STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

6/18/2017 ~ Forgiveness

☮   Forgiveness.mp3 (35m 23s)   Forgiveness.pptx Darkness is a well of nowhere. Forgiveness is an integral part of our faith as Christians. Forgiveness is key in understanding God and what He expects of us. "To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him." ~ Daniel 9:9 In rebellion against God, His mercy and forgiveness remain as offered to each of us. He is the source we need to consider. ... our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. They refused to obey, ... ~ Nehemiah 9:16-17 God is forgiving a people who are not worthy; the Israelites leaving Egypt. Forgiveness is not necessarily deserving because one suddenly becomes worthy. "... says the Lord GOD: I do not do this for your sake, ..." ~ Ezekiel 36:21-25 God forgave those unworthy to show His nature and righteousness. ... you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, ... ~ Ezekiel 36:31-33 He did this not only to show Himself, but so we could see our own wicked ways in rebellion against Him, and to repent in thankfulness for Him. His nature shows us what He expects in our own nature. ... flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ~ Galatians 5:17 It is hard to obey the spirit as the flesh wars against our better judgment. Carnal desires go against what is righteous. Many find an unforgiving heart easier, rather than forgiving one who has violated you. God made a decision to forgive the unworthy to expose who He was. Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a decision. God did not feel good about those He forgave. One may never feel good against the perpetrator. Forgiveness releases anger and frees one to love. It is done to heal yourself, and it is for you, more than the offender. It is a temptation not to hold a forgiving heart, and it goes against nature not to have one. It is a way of living. "... how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? ..." ~ Matthew 18:21-27 Again, to know God is to learn of His ways in what has been written. Seventy times seven is 490. It is a principle of heart, always ready to forgive. Forgiveness is a Principle of Heart    7 x 70 = 490       7 x Daily     "... So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." ~ Matthew 18:28-35 The Word warns against a bitter heart. An unforgiving heart is a tortuous thing. "... if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." ~ Mark 11:25-26 As God forgave us, we are now in a state of temporary transience. He expects that we show the same character, and it is by His nature that we are shown what is best for us, in obtaining that coveted pureness of heart, in all good conscience. Without forgiveness, love is all but elusive. "... if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ~ Matthew 6:12-15 Forgiveness of others is a big deal with God, and it hinges on how He will judge us. "Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. ..." ~ Luke 17:3-4 How BIG is the warning not to fall into a bitter heart. Compassion for others who would attempt to be genuine should never be turned away. This is the command from God. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ~ James 2:13 'The LORD is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, ...' ~ Numbers 14:18 It is about mercy, not insignificance where justice deserves punishment. God declares that the guilty will account for their actions. There is consequences for our actions. Not being able to forgive tires a heart and divides our true relationship with God. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; ... unforgiving ... those who practice such things are deserving of death, ... ~ Romans 1:28-32 It is written, an unforgiving heart is worthy of death. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 6:23 To embrace sin knowing His will is to reject Him. It is a fact none sinful are worthy of forgiveness. God has given us a way to heal in His view. His word heals in bringing us back to our good senses. Without turning back to God and His call for goodness, we run the risk of rebellion in His sight. This is not how one wants to meet the maker of all creation. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." ... ~ Luke 23:34 Jesus did not feel good about those who murdered Him, and yet He forgave them, as they did it. We too are under this temporary grace era, before His judgment will become final. Opportunity is like a string, which either can turn into a saving rope, or snapped away into the abyss. He watches as He calls for us to behave in all righteousness. ... I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ~ 1st Timothy 1:13-14 God takes into account individual hearts and it is fortunate He is the judge, and not us. May His mercy extend more than we are able. To be in Christ one must accept his love in faith. ... Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; ... ~ Isaiah 1:15-18 We know God does not hear sinners, so how can He hear us? It is when our will power becomes stronger than the flesh which deceives us. It is when we hear His call to wash ourselves and put away evil and learn to do good. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. ~ Colossians 1:13-14 It is in Christ that we have the forgiveness of sins. "... that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified ..." ~ Acts 13:38-39 To be justified in the sight of God one must believe in Jesus. This takes in to account all that He was and not to question that He was not. The trend of man is to replace God with religions and or beliefs of convenience, where accountability is nullified. In God, it is not so without Him. Do you hear that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God? "Him God has exalted to His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." ~ Acts 5:31 Would God not be God? It is God who is offering us forgiveness, and it has been plainly shown to those who believe as well as those who would not. "... 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgivness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' " ~ Acts 26:18 To be forgiven of sins, one must be sanctified by faith in Christ. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ... ~ Ephesians 1:7-9 We are not worthy of His grace, but by believing and following His ways, His will is fulfilled in our return. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. ~ Ephesians 4:31-32 There is no laughter where prayers have no regret   Put away all:      ● Bitterness      ● Wrath      ● Anger      ● Clamor      ● Evil speaking         ● Malice Be to one another:      ● Kind      ● Tenderhearted         ● Forgiving For us to be free in spirit, we must become more like God. His word instructs us with the medical precision of a surgeon. Forgiveness allows an entrance unto eternity ● God is forgiving people who are not worthy ● God forgives to show his righteousness & his nature ● We forgive to show our nature in righteousness ● Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a decision ● We must have forgiving hearts to receive forgiveness   ● It is about mercy, not insignificance ● Forgiveness is a way of life god demands ● All have sinned worthy of death ● We need Jesus’s sacrifice to have our sins forgiven ● He forgives those that humbly turn to Him ● He forgave to show us how to forgive ● We can only be justified through belief Jesus ● Redemption/forgiveness comes through His death It is God who shows us how to forgive Darkness leaves nothing to turn on Watch Forgiveness on YouTube