Forgiveness

 Forgiveness

Is it hard for you to forgive?

Have you ever seen a parent (or been that parent) trying to get your child to say, “I’m sorry.”? It is easier for some to say I’m sorry than others. I would also then have the other child say, “I forgive you.” Some children can offer forgiveness more readily than others. I remember one instance when my daughter said, “But, mom, he’s not sorry.” I explained that her brother said he was sorry, it was up to her to forgive him now. She then said, “But he didn’t mean.” The real problem was she was having trouble forgiving. We are expected to forgive even if the offender never says, “I’m sorry.” Do we realize that or do we just choose to ignore it?

2 Corinthians 2:7-8

“So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward.”

We show our love by forgiving. It is not always easy to forgive. We need to forgive for the sake of the offender, and we need to forgive for our own sake. When we harbor our hurt it festers and grows, turning into bitterness. Our bitterness will then affect more than just us.

Hebrews 12:15

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”

The person we say we cant forgive becomes our master. Our bitterness toward them controls our thoughts and actions. It consumes us. All we think about is how they hurt us and how we can get even. God’s Word clearly states if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us.

Matthew 6:14-15

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

I have heard people say, “I can never forgive that person” that is scary. If you don’t forgive them, God wont forgive you, then what? There will come a time when we will need forgiveness. We reap what we Sow. Believe me, I know it is extremely hard to forgive when we have been deeply hurt. Sometimes it is a process. We cannot just snap our fingers and forgive. Yes, forgiveness is a choice, and a commandment. It is still something we struggle with and have to surrender to God, maybe more than one time.

Write the hurt or name of the offender on a piece of paper. Hold it in your hands and lift it up to God. “Here, God, I give this hurt to you. Please help me to let it go and forgive as you have forgiven me.” Then get rid of the paper. If you need to do this more than once, don’t feel like you are the only one who struggles like this. We need to continually strive to gain victory through forgiveness.

Matthew 5:44

“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;”

There is something about praying for someone that can bring healing and change our attitude. The hardest thing about forgiveness is we feel we are giving up our right to be hurt if we forgive. We feel the other person won’t know how much they hurt us if we forgive easily.

In order to forgive we have to surrender that right to be hurt. We give up our resentment and our desire to punish. When we finally let it go and forgive we have such a peace, such a release. I have heard people say, “Get over it”. I have seen those same people realize it is not as easy as they say when they are the ones who have been hurt. Unforgiveness will hinder our prayers.

Mark 11:25-26

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

We all know the truth about forgiving. Now we must obey and live the truth. If we have to do it one day at a time, one hour at a time or even one minute at a time, we must do it.

1 Peter 1:22

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned (not fake, but real) love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

Basics for Living in Christ

Basics For Living In Christ

(Colossians 3:1-11)

 

 

I. SEEK THE HEAVENLY (1-4)

A. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE (1-2)

1. Why is this so important?

a. It is essential if we desire to be "transformed"

 Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

b. It is necessary if we want to be able to "live according to

the Spirit"

 Romans 8:5-6

“5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

2. How do we "seek those things which are above"?

a. By directing our minds' attention to such things mentioned

in

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

b. More specifically, by setting our attention on the Word of

God, where we find:

1) Christ foreshadowed and foretold in the Old Testament

2) Christ's life and teachings in the Gospels

3) Christ's church in the Book of Acts

4) Christ's fuller teachings in the Epistles

5) Christ's encouragement and ultimate victory in the Book

of Revelation

 

B. FURTHER REASONS TO SEEK THOSE THINGS ABOVE (3-4)

1. We "died" (3)

a. This occurs when one is baptized into Christ, which is a

burial into His death in which we are "crucified with Him"

- Romans 6:3-6

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

b. We "died" to sin , that we might be free from sin and now

live with Christ

 Romans 6:7-13

“For he that is dead is freed from sin.8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

 

2. Thus, we were also "raised with Christ" (1)

a. Which occurs when one comes forth from baptism

 Colossians 2:12

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

("...in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him...")

b. We were raised so that we might "walk in newness of life"

3. Our life is "hidden with Christ in God" (3)

a. As Paul wrote to the Galatians:  "I have been crucified with

Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith

in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

- Galatians 2:20

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

b. We have denied self, crucified self, so it is now Christ Who

is to live in us!

4. When Christ appears in glory, so will we! (4)

a. The first three reasons for us to "seek the heavenly" were

based upon what has happened in the PAST

b. This motivation is predicated upon what is promised for the

FUTURE!

[And what a wonderful promise that is!  But to obtain that promise

requires not only that we set our "minds" on things proper, but that we

properly deal with our "bodies" as well.

II. SLAY THE EARTHLY (5-9)

A. WE MUST "PUT TO DEATH" THE SENSUAL SINS (5-7)

1. Those that appeal to the "lust of the flesh"

a. Fornication

1) Grk., porneia {por-ni'-ah}

2) A general term for any illicit sexual intercourse;

includes adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality

b. Uncleanness

1) Grk., akatharsia {ak-ath-ar-see'-ah}

2) Uncleanness in a moral sense: the impurity of lustful,

luxurious, profligate living

c. Passion (inordinate affection, KJV)

1) Grk., pathos {path'-os}

2) Used by the Greeks in either a good or bad sense; in the

NT in a bad sense, it means depraved passion, vile

passions

d. Evil desire (evil concupiscence, KJV)

1) Grk., epithumia {ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah}

2) Desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden,

lust

2. Also that which appeals to the "lust of the eyes"

a. Covetousness

1) Grk., pleonexia {pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah}

2) Greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice

b. Described by Paul to be equivalent to idolatry!

1) For covetousness puts things in the place of God

2) We are to set our minds on things above (where God is),

but when we covet material objects we have our minds on

things below, making such objects our idols!

3. Motivation for putting these things to death

a. To avoid the coming wrath of God!

 Colossians 2:6-7

“6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

b. It's one thing to do these things when we "lived in them",

but in Christ we have "died to them"!

B. WE MUST ALSO "PUT OFF" THE SOCIAL SINS (8-9)

1. Sins of the "emotions"

a. Anger

1) Grk., orge {or-gay'}

2) Movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any

violent emotion, but esp. anger

b. Wrath

1) Grk., thumos {thoo-mos'}

2) Passion, angry, heat, anger forthwith boiling up and soon

subsiding again

c. Malice

1) Grk., kakia {kak-ee'-ah}

2) Malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure

2. Sins of the "tongue"

a. Blasphemy

1) Grk., blasphemia {blas-fay-me'-ah}

2) Slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another's good

name; impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine

majesty

b. Filthy language (filthy communication, KJV)

1) Grk., aischrologia {ahee-skhrol-og-ee'-ah}

2) Foul speaking, low and obscene speech

c. Lying

1) Grk., pseudomai {psyoo'-dom-ahee}

2) To lie, to speak deliberate falsehoods; to deceive one by

a lie, to lie to

3. The reason for putting off all these things:  we must complete

in PRACTICE what we started in PRINCIPLE

 Colossians 3:9

“Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;”

a. When we were baptized, we "put off" the old man with his

deeds (in principle)

- Colossians 2:11-12

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

b. In practice, it does not occur overnight, thus the need for

such admonitions as: "But now you must also put off all

these..."

 

 Colossians 3:8

“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”

III. STRENGTHEN THE CHRISTLY (10-11)

A. FOR WE HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN (10)

 In baptism into Christ, we "put on Christ"

 Galatians 3:27

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

B. FOR THE GOAL IS "CHRIST IS ALL AND IN ALL" (11)

1. To be renewed according to the image of Christ!

 Romans 8:29

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

2. To become like Christ, and in so doing, destroy the barriers

that have long divided man!

 

Salvation is not through others

Salvation is not through others

(But through Jesus Christ our Lord)

 

**When salvation is handed out freely over the world, there are many excuses laid out, one of which involves the loss of friendship. Well, let me put things straight, when it comes to the true quality of friendship; that comes through Jesus Christ. Why do I say this with the upmost confidence? Because it is stated in the bible, from Jesus’ mouth on the true value of  friendship and where true love comes from..

John 15:13-14

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

1 John 4:16

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

 

**When people say that they don’t want to lose their friends because of the way of salvation, there are two things that come to mind: 1.) EXCUSES, EXCUSES and/or 2.) Those are not true friends if they desert and leave you at the drop of a hat; but its because they are of the world, and those of the world only knows of themselves and not of those that are of Christ.**

John 15:19

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

**When those supposed friends leave you, you gain so much more:

Philippians 3:7-8

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”

When receiving Jesus Christ in your heart, your receive this….

1.      Life (no longer in satan’s grasps-in a spiraling downfall to eternal torment)

2.      You gain a new and true everlasting Friend (Jesus, who will never leave thee nor forsake thee) **

Hebrews 13:5

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

**Jesus called His disciples friends, and telling them on how a true friend would lay His life down for them; Jesus truly meant this, despite knowing that He would be betrayed by them. (Judas would turn in Him, while the disciples in fear scatter when He is being captured, and Peter denying the fact that he was associated with Him)  This proves how Jesus is a great and wonderful friend, and even he was betrayed by those who were dear and close to Him on earth.

Matthew 26:56

“But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”

 

(The prophecy of Jesus' being left alone by His disciples fulfilled)

* Zechariah 13:6-7 *

“And one shall say unto him, what are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”

** Now I can assure you understand why I say that when it comes to earthly friends, it is important to realize why you can’t truly rely on them, especially when it comes down to your soul. For your Salvation is not through others, but through Jesus Christ our Lord, and when the day everyone is judged according to what they have done, good and bad, all men will be accounted for their sinful works….

2 Corinthians 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Romans 14:12

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”