The Grace Of Forgiveness Eph. 4:32 Spiritual Growth

Eph. 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Bitterness = a heart ready to take offence at any word or act; the opposite of kindness and longsuffering Wrath = worse than anger; outburst of rage fed by bitterness

Anger = a strong feeling of displeasure brought about by a wrong or a supposed wrong Clamor = the out crying of anger; opposite of calmness and gentleness

Evil speaking = to utter words against God or man; the opposite of the Golden Rule Malice = the desire that another person be hurt; ill-will toward another;

It can fester and smolder in the heart/mind of man until it destroys ones peace of mind and soul

Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

I. Why Should We Forgive? 1. Because we have been forgiven The fact that we have received mercy should teach us to give mercy

Mt. 18:33-35 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses

2. We often stand in need of forgiveness From the Lord From our fellow man

Mt. 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.

3. That we may experience the joy known only to the forgiving heart There is no joy in ill-will - spite

4. That others may have joy The greatest need of the world is forgiveness Hearts hunger for it and rejoice when it is forgiven

5. It is Christ-like Lk. 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

II. How We Should Forgive 1. From the heart Mt. 18:35 “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

To forgive is to forget Heb. 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”

2. Without limit (No degrees of forgiveness) Mt. 18:21-22 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

3. As Christ forgives He forgives the darkest sins; completely; freely

Eph. 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you

III. The Evil Of Unforgiveness It strangles the best within us – crucifies the higher self

It breaks the heart to pieces, wrecks one’s health etc.

Saxifrage plant - Rock breaker Google Images

It crushes friendships “Like a prison-wall, it isolates us from humanity and from God, giving to life a loneliness. --- God does not forgive the unforgiving” Frank L. Cox

Conclusion Joseph forgave his brothers and did them good David forgave Saul who was trying to kill him Our Lord and Savior forgave his bitter enemies

2 Pet. 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance

References Material by Frank L. Cox