Forgiven People Forgive People
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful themes in all of Scripture. It permeates the foundation of our belief in Jesus Christ and is the reason for the cross. We need to acknowledge that forgiveness is difficult and can’t be done on our own. Forgiveness is hard, but God has given us help in scripture.
Ephesians 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 5:1-2
5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
God’s forgiveness doesn’t come from a place of weakness—but strength. It doesn’t excuse sin—but transforms it. It points to a Savior who gave His life so that even murderers can be redeemed. Forgiveness like that isn’t natural. It’s supernatural.
The Foundation of Forgiveness: We Forgive Because We Are Forgiven
1. God’s Forgiveness Comes First
• We don’t initiate forgiveness—God does.
The Prodigal Son
• Christ’s work on the cross is the basis of all forgiveness.
Just as in the parable, humanity turned their backs on God. We walked away and took our inheritance and tried to do things on our own. We failed because of sin. But God had a plan. He didn’t need a rehearsed speech asking for forgiveness. He didn’t need us to clean ourselves up. He said just come into my arms of forgiveness and I will clean you up, I will make you whole, and I do it all for love.
We forgive each other because we are forgiven.
Ephesians 4:32
“…forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
2. The Depth of Our Forgiveness is Immeasurable
• Our sin-debt before God was immeasurable, yet God fully canceled that debt through grace.• My life has been a costly one. I have incurred a debt that I cannot pay. Today is my 19,017th day of life. Each day, I have lived in sin, or chose to sin, and placed my own desires over God’s desires. I have rebelled as all of humanity has. Today marks at least the 19,017th time, and that is if I only sin once a day, that I deserve to suffer an eternity apart from the Creator for my rebellion against Him. That’s a lot of eternities.
• The Good News of the gospel is this: that debt is paid—in full.
Isaiah 53:5-6
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
1 Peter 2:22 - 24
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
• We didn’t deserve forgiveness, yet we received it freely. All of my 19,000+ days of sinning are paid. He continues to extend grace and forgiveness even though humanity resists.
• This sets the pattern for how we forgive others. God paid the price for all sin, not just the one’s we give him. Even though someone doesn’t ask for forgiveness does not mean you should not forgive.
3. Forgiveness of Others is a Commandment
• Forgiveness Is Not Optional
Colossians 3:13
13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
• Jesus teaches continual forgiveness (Matthew 18:21–22).
Jesus told Peter not to just forgive 7 times, but don’t keep a tally, forgive continuously, and extend unlimited grace
• When Jesus instructed the disciples on how to pray in (Matthew 6:9-13)
• The Lord’s Prayer: Read from slide with Congregation
• Forgiveness is a mark of a transformed heart. When you fully understand the grace and forgiveness given to you, you can’t help but give it to others.
• The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
• The forgiven servant refuses to forgive a small debt.
• This reveals a disconnect between receiving grace and extending it.
• A Heart Check
• Refusal to forgive may indicate we haven’t fully grasped God’s forgiveness.
The Cost and Challenge of Forgiveness is High
1. Forgiveness Is Costly
• It requires letting go of the right to retaliate. The evidence of genuine forgiveness is personal freedom from a vindictive or vengeful response
Romans 12:17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• Forgiveness will not always be an automatic restoration of a relationship, or remove consequences, but it releases personal bitterness.
2. Forgiveness Is Not the Same as Trust
• Reconciliation may take time and wisdom.
• Boundaries can and will still be necessary.
3. Forgiveness Is a Process
• Forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same. Forgiveness is personal and reconciliation is an outcome of God’s commandment of two parties.
• Sometimes it must be repeated as emotions resurface.
There is Power and Freedom in Forgiveness
1. Freedom from Bitterness
• Unforgiveness imprisons us more than the offender.
• Forgiveness brings spiritual and emotional release.
2. Reflecting Christ to the World
• Our forgiveness demonstrates the gospel in action.
• Others see Christ through our willingness to forgive.
• When you go to someone in forgiveness you are saying, “Christ loves me so much that he forgave me, and I want to imitate Him, so I am coming to you in forgiveness.
When you go to someone who you know has sinned against you, you are saying, “Let me show you how much I love you and that Christ is walking with me.”
• Christ died for all sins – past, present, and future. He bore the weight of the world’s sins on the cross. He didn’t pick and choose. He suffered for all, and he did so in love. Our inability to forgive others of sins against us is a failure to recognize the scope of what Christ died for. We should not be making the decision on what is forgiven and what is not. If our goal is to imitate Christ, shouldn’t we then have a goal to forgive as we have been forgiven?
3. Restored Relationships
• Forgiveness opens the door for healing and reconciliation.
• In every situation of forgiveness, you are commanded to go to them. Let me repeat that…in every situation of forgiveness you are commanded to move toward forgiveness and reconciliation. If you were wronged move toward forgiveness, if you wronged someone move toward forgiveness, and yes…even if someone feels that you wronged them, but you don’t, we are commanded to move. I am going to pause on that for a moment.
Matthew 5:23 - 24
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
This is a heavy verse for many. Jesus is teaching that anger and unresolved conflict are serious issues, linking reconciliation with others to our worship and relationship with God.
The Instruction are that if you are in the middle of worship or preparing to offer a gift to God and realize someone has a grievance against you, you should pause your worship.
The Action: Leave the offering, go, and make peace with that person first.
The Priority: Reconciliation is prioritized over the act of worship or offerings itself.
Forgiven People Forgive People
• We forgive because we are forgiven
• The cost and challenge of forgiveness is going to be high
• There is power and freedom in forgiveness
• We forgive each other because we have been forgiven.
Forgiveness acknowledges a greater power than our selves. If we fail to forgive
sin against others, then we are failing to acknowledge a greater God who took
all sins to the cross.
• The cross is both the motivation and the model.
Will forgiveness always be easy? No. It will hurt, and it will take work. But
this I can promise you: it will always be worth it.
Our church has been through a lot. What creates a strong church? Forgiveness!
It is the foundation of our existence. Humanity sinned, yet God offered
forgiveness. We must do the same in every instance…unconditionally.
