Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before we do that I wanted to ask you a question.
It’s getting the time of year up here in northern Minnesota when the weather is starting to cool down and each of us need to prepare for winter. For twenty years we have always burned wood in our home. I really enjoy wood heat because it is really warm and soothes your bones.
When Andrew and I decide to get our firewood for the winter we have a method that we follow before we go out to cut wood. We have to mix a gallon of gas with oil. We bring in two chains so I can sharpen them on the grinder. We file down the depth gauges on the chains. We oil the sprocket on the bar and put one of the chains back on a chainsaw. We make sure we have a chainsaw tool and bar oil available for the trip. We make sure that the trailer is ready to go and the lights are functioning properly. When those things are completed we are ready to go cut some firewood for the winter.
Many of us have a method to doing something in our lives but there is also a method in the scriptures to obtain forgiveness with God and others. A method is a particular procedure for accomplishing or approaching something.
The first step on the road to forgiveness is to accept fault for the things that you’ve done wrong to others or to God. It’s accepting the fact that you have sinned. The Apostle Paul readily admitted that he was the chief of sinners not only in his own life but publicly in the scriptures. The first step of forgiveness is understanding that we’ve done the wrong thing and being convicted in our hearts and our minds.
The next step toward forgiveness is to confess faults to God or other people who are upset with what you have done to them. Look at the example of Josephs brethren.
Genesis 50:17-18 – So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
Notice in this passage that they simply needed to ask for forgiveness and apologize to Joseph for what had happened and after they admitted fault, he forgave them completely. When the prodigal Son returned home, his dad didn’t need anything else but a confession to forgive him. After that he didn’t hold anything against him, and completely reconciled with him.
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
Repent means feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin. to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct;
If you can’t apologize and make up with somebody who is upset with you, God does not even want your gift at the altar until you take care of the issue.
This is one of the main issues in false forms of Christianity today. People like to throw all kinds of money in the offering plate but they refuse to apologize to others that they have wronged. God demands reconciliation first before any gift is presented to a church. If you cannot reconcile with others you are turning away from everything that Christ died and stands for.
Matt 5:23-24
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
The third step of forgiveness rests on the offended party. If they profess Christianity they are to forgive you in the same way Christ has forgiven them for their sins.
Eph 4:32
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Forgiveness with God is conditional, because if you can’t forgive others when they apologize, you yourself will not be forgiven by God.
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.
Matthew 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.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful and forgiving with us on this Earth. If you cannot forgive the way that God forgives us, God is not going to forgive you at the judgement.
Matt 18:23-35
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 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.
Whether you have sinned against God or others, you must be capable of feeling sorry in your heart for what has happened and expressing an apology to them. Without that, true forgiveness cannot take place. True forgiveness will result in reconciliation between the parties involved. Following Gods method results in complete reconcilliation.
Thank the Lord Jesus Christ for reconciling us unto himself.
Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tommorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤
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