Bible Text: Matt. 18:23-35

INTRODUCTION

The expectation of God concerning us after we have been saved and set free from sin is to bear fruit. Forgiveness is an aspect of our fruitfulness as Christians. One thing that will keep many people, including spirit-filled believers out of heaven is the sin of un-forgiveness. The sin of un-forgiveness is one of those terrible sins that many Christians still indulge in, even after they might have received forgiveness for their own sins.

1.      WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?

• To Pardon, or show mercy to somebody; no longer having hard feelings towards an offender, to no longer have the wish to punish somebody for an offence committed or to no longer demand repayment of a debt. (Advance leaner’s dictionary)
• In the original Greek text, forgiveness means: To ‘release’, to ‘send away’, or to ‘let go’. It is a word often used in relation to ‘debt’. – Matt. 6:11-15

2. THE PRICE OF UN-FORGIVENESS

There are two kinds of forgiveness in the Bible.

2.1  FORGIVENESS OF AN UNBELIEVER

• Forgiveness of an Unbeliever – Lk. 7:40-47 when an unbeliever offends us, whether he acknowledges it or not, we are commanded in the Bible to forgive him or her. Why? (Lk. 23:34)
• How many times are we to forgive them? (Matt. 28:21-22).

 2.2  FORGIVENESS OF A CHRISTIAN BROTHER/SISTER

Steps necessary

• Loving confrontation (Lk. 17:1-4; Matt. 18:15-17). Why does God ask believers to confront one another? Loving confrontation demands wisdom as to the appropriate time and appropriate method so that the matter does not escalate.
• Loving repentance (James 5:16). What is repentance? How can we genuinely repent?

• Loving release (Lk. 17:14; Rom. 13:8; I Cor. 13:5)

CONCLUSION

Whichever way, the Bible says, offences must always come. When offences come, God expects us to be quick to forgive whether the person(s) concerned acknowledge(s) it or not. This will save a lot of the agonizing consequences of un-forgiveness. ‘Let’s bow down our heads now and pray’.

 MEMORY VERSE: Luke 17:4