“We Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins”
Series: The Apostles’ Creed, These Things We Believe
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
God Forgives Our Sins
Why do we need to be forgiven?
1. Sin separates us from God
2. Sin spoils relationships
3. Sin brings suffering
4. Sin leads to restless living
5. Sin enslaves
The Meaning of Forgiveness
To "Carry Away," Ephesians 1:7
To "Wipe Away," Acts 3:19
God Provides Ongoing Forgiveness
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
We Model God's Grace by Forgiving Others
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35)
1. He Was a Debtor (18:23-27)
2. He Was a Creditor (18:28-30)
3. He Became a Prisoner (18:31-34)
Why We Find it Difficult to Forgive Others
1. We mistake forgiveness for giving people a pass on their bad behavior.
2. We don't see evidence that the person is really sorry for what they have done to us.
3. We mistake forgiveness for restoration.
4. We don't "feel" like forgiving.
5. We fail to realize that withholding forgiveness only harms us not the other person.
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