THE FIVE FACES OF FORGIVENESS

Part 2

There are five parties involved in a major sin when the offending party is a Christian…

Regarding the title The Five Faces of Forgiveness Is really a Biblical examination of the process of forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, confession, and consequences when someone has committed a sin with extreme earthly consequences.

God Government Church Offended Offender

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heal that has crushed it.” Mark Twain

Famous Forgivers in the Bible… Jesus – Luke 23:34 Jesus – Luke 23:34 Stephen – Acts 7:60 Stephen – Acts 7:60 Joseph – Genesis 50:20 Joseph – Genesis 50:20

The Most Famous Forgiver in the Bible is… God

To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; Daniel 9:9

We know that the Old Testament is big on dealing with God’s forgiveness of His people’s sins. But is the Old Testament silent on forgiving others?

Old Testament on forgiving others… Exodus 23:4 Exodus 23:4 Leviticus 19:18 Leviticus 19:18 Deut. 32:35 Deut. 32:35 Proverbs 19:11 Proverbs 19:11

Exodus 23:4 “If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him.”

Look up Leviticus 19:18

Proverbs 19:11 A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.

The Case Study of Joseph Gen Sold into slavery Sold into slavery Falsely accused Falsely accused Falsely imprisoned Falsely imprisoned

Key Biblical Concept “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 50:20 Genesis 50:20

New Testament passages: Matthew 18:21-35 Matthew 18:21-35 Ephesians 4:32 Ephesians 4:32 Colossians 3:12-14 Colossians 3:12-14 Book of Philemon Book of Philemon

Look up Matthew 6:12, Jesus raises the bar and makes our experiential forgiveness dependent on forgiving others

Look up Matthew 18:32-35

Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tender- hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Look up Colossians 3:12-14

The entire Book of Philemon is an in depth account of God’s requirement for believers to forgive…

When Sinned Against, You Have Generally Three Options…

1. Extract Revenge – For ideas contact: For ideas contact: revengeunlimited.com revengeunlimited.com

2. Not forgive and wallow in self-pity, wallow in self-pity, bitterness and bitterness and anger (ugly)… anger (ugly)…

3. Chose to forgive

Twelve Step Program to Forgiveness…

1. Realize that God is working in all of your working in all of your hurt for His purpose hurt for His purpose and glory. Gen. 50:20 and glory. Gen. 50:20 PS: When you get to heaven you can trade notes with Joseph

2. Unforgiveness is an affront to God and is affront to God and is incongruent with our incongruent with our forgiven state. forgiven state. Matt. 18:21-35 Matt. 18:21-35

"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." C.S. Lewis C.S. Lewis

3. Don’t confuse forgiveness forgiveness with reconciliation. with reconciliation.

4. Forgiveness seeks the repentance of the repentance of the offender (that the offender (that is, that he /she be is, that he /she be right with God) right with God)

5. Forgiveness is a process and takes process and takes time. time. How long? In the words of the Prophet Kraning, “Less for some, more for others.”

6. Forgiveness is a decision not an decision not an emotion, and can emotion, and can often begin by telling often begin by telling God that by His God that by His help, you are help, you are choosing to forgive choosing to forgive someone. someone.

7. Stop the prideful pity party, otherwise the party, otherwise the pit may get too deep pit may get too deep to crawl out. to crawl out.

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON The Preoccupation with “self” is spiritually dangerous The Preoccupation with “self” is spiritually dangerous Other words: Other words: Flesh Flesh Narcissism Narcissism

Would You Take The Forgiveness Pill?

8. Pray for a forgiving heart and for the heart and for the offender’s offender’s repentance. repentance.

9. Realize that your pain is part of your story of part of your story of what makes you uniquely what makes you uniquely you. God will use your you. God will use your pain in ministering to pain in ministering to others. others. I Promise!

10. Forgiveness prevents prevents victimization. victimization.

11. Write a private letter that expresses all that expresses all your feelings. your feelings. Don’t mail it!

12. The pain of unforgiveness unforgiveness can be torturous and can be torturous and is often worse than is often worse than the pain of the the pain of the offense. offense. Matt. 18:34 Matt. 18:34

Quotes… Unforgiveness is the poison pill you take while you wait for the other guy to die. Unforgiveness is the poison pill you take while you wait for the other guy to die. Not forgiving someone is like burning down your house to get rid of one rat Not forgiving someone is like burning down your house to get rid of one rat

"And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matthew 18:34-35 Matthew 18:34-35