The Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost. It is Jesus' favorite title of Himself. I chosen this title because Jesus loved this title of Himself. We ought to never forget that Jesus is fully God and fully man: two natures in One Person. He is the God-man, the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity. May we mediate on His life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension that we may be conformed to the image of the divine Son of Man! This blog web site will be a Christian defense of the Reformed doctrines of the Incarnate Son of Man. May all glory be to His name!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Brother, I Forgive You: Do You Forgive Me Brother?


CONTENTS

1.      Forgive Each Other:  A Little Study of Matthew 6:12

2.      Forgive as Evidence of Faith:  A Little Study of Matthew 6:14

3.      Forgiveness from the Heart:  A Little Study of Matthew 18:35

4.      Repentance and Forgiveness:  A Little Study of Luke 17:3-4

5.      Forgiveness of Sin:  A Little Study of John 20:23


CHAPTER 1:  FORGIVE EACH OTHER: A LITTLE STUDY OF MATTHEW 6:12

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

1.          We are to forgive those who are indebted to us, because it is a command in the Our Father.

2.          We are either to forgive unilaterally or when someone repents of their sins before God in truth and righteousness.

3.          We are to walk in light of this prayer request as Christians, because it came from the lips of the Lord Christ the Redeemer.

4.          We are to be people who do not harm others, but if we do harm others in some way we would be easy to forgive.

5.          We are to forgive brothers and sisters in Christ, because they are Christians and being conformed to Christ’s image.  This relationship does not exist with an unbeliever.

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”


CHAPTER 2:  FORGIVE AS EVIDENCE OF FAITH:  A LITTLE STUDY OF MATTHEW 6:14

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

1.          This command of Christ is not prescriptive (that is, necessary for salvation), but it is descriptive (that is, evidence of who we belong).

2.          Every believer sins, because of our nature; however, it does not give us the right to sin more.  Because God through Christ forgives you, forgive your brother in Christ freely.

3.          Christ freely died for you, because it means after the Spirit applies the work of Christ to you, you are forgiven by His blood.

4.          We must forgive as instruments of light in this world, because forgiveness is of the Divine Christ.

5.          We are to forgive sin, transgressions and iniquity, because Christ freely forgives us in Christ.

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”


CHAPTER 3:  FORGIVENESS FROM THE HEART:  A LITTLE STUDY OF MATTHEW 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”

  1. Since God the Father forgives us we are to forgive our brother, because Christ commands it.

  1. All forgiveness must be from the heart, because if it is devoid of the heart it is inauthentic forgiveness.

  1. A right heart before God understands that He forgives us every day of our constant sins (known or unknown), because God is gracious.  We are called to be instruments of graciousness and mercy.

  1. If we do not forgive by the heart we have become a hypocrite because everyday we accept forgiveness by the hand of Christ.

  1. Corrupt hearts find a way to not forgive, because it is the essence of bitterness; however, we are called to forgive our brothers when they sin.

“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses”

CHAPTER 4:  REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS:  A LITTLE STUDY OF LUKE 17:3-4

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

  1. Repentance is closely linked to forgiveness, because it is the way God forgives us through Christ the Lord and Redeemer.

  1. We must take this doctrine to heart, because the pre-condition is repentance; however, it must be done to fulfill all righteousness.

  1. Repentance and rebuking go together, because you can’t have repentance without a first rebuke, and after rebuke comes repentance.

  1.  After rebuking and repentance comes a forgiveness born in the heart from God, because God places it there as an act of kindness.

  1. No matter how many times a brother sins against you, forgive, because Christ forgives us during the day in times without number (as it seems).

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”


CHAPTER 5:  FORGIVENESS OF SIN:  A LITTLE STUDY OF JOHN 20:23

“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

1.       The retaining of the Gospel is judgment, because any for whom it is retained or rejected is evidence of eternal judgment.

2.       The acceptance of the Gospel is known as the remission of sin, because those for whom it is accepted God forgives.

3.       God forgives all who accept the Gospel, because they were chosen in being made alive in a spiritual sense.

4.       God does not forgive any who have their sins retained, because there is no repentance unto life.

5.       No brother is commanded to forgive unilaterally but only when repentance is seen, because God forgives us in the same way; however, if a Christian desires to do so, he is free to.

“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”

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