Is Kingdom Living Relevant in a Modern World?

Sunday, April 10, 2022

Matthew 6:14,15; 18:21-35

Introduction

Forgiveness is the Foundation for Kingdom Living

• What Forgiveness is NOT

1. EARNED: we didn’t earn God’s forgiveness; people shouldn’t have to earn ours 
2. FORGETTING: deep hurts can rarely be wiped out of one's awareness.

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25

“For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer. 31:34

1. CONDONING: forgiveness does not necessarily excuse bad or hurtful behavior. 

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” Gen 50:20a

1. DISMISSING: forgiveness involves taking the offense seriously, not passing it off.
2. PARDONING: a pardon is a legal transaction that releases an offender from the consequences of an action, such as a penalty. Forgiveness is a personal transaction that releases the one offended from the offense.
3. RECONCILIATION: reconciliation takes two people, but an injured party can forgive an offender without reconciliation.

• What Biblical Forgiveness Is

v.14,15 – “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Forgive – means to send away or put away; to cancel a debt, legal term is to pardon

Forgiveness is first vertical – God has forgiven us and then forgiveness is horizontal – us forgiving others. 

Jesus gives a parable concerning this truth (18:21-35). The truth in the parable is that our sin against God is so much greater than someone’s sin against me.

v.32-35 – “Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers (tormentors), until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from the heart.”

If I can grasp and understand that truth, I will walk in freedom! But if I don’t, then I open myself up to the tormentor of my soul. I allow the devil and his minions access to my soul.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

“For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13

“A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.” Proverbs 19:11

• Conclusion

Since we all need forgiveness, we should always be forgiving!