FORGIVENESS - TO GIVE OR RECEIVE

What is the process to forgiving someone? How do we receive God's forgiveness? What does the Bible say about the process of forgiveness? In this 3 person panel discussion on forgiveness, the panel explores this topic and share some important steps to receiving God's forgiveness, and why and how we offer our own forgiveness to others.

A STORY OF FORGIVENESS

RWANDA GENOCIDE ~STORY OF FORGIVENESS. In this presentation, Pastor Mark Finley shares an incredible story of forgiveness during the Rwandan genocide, also known as the genocide against the Tutsi, which occurred in 1994 when members of the Hutu ethnic majority in the east-central African nation of Rwanda murdered as many as 800,000 people, mostly of the Tutsi minority.

RECEIVING AND SHARING FORGIVENESS

In this presentation, Pastor Dough Batchelor of Amazing Facts addresses the question of "How do we receive forgiveness? How do we forgive others?"

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What Does Forgiveness Really Mean?

Forgiveness is the process of recognizing we’ve been hurt but choosing to release ourselves from that pain—as well as the desire to seek revenge or wish ill upon those who hurt us. Instead of holding a grudge, we let go of bitterness. It’s like a gift we give ourselves, and also the wrongdoers—even though they may never ask for it or admit they were wrong. Forgiveness reflects both great strength and great love.

This gift of forgiveness originates in the very heart of God. He sent Jesus to bring us “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14, NKJV).

What does this verse mean? It’s talking about how Jesus came to this earth and willingly died for us. Here’s why He did it. In the beginning of earth’s history, God created two perfect human beings (Adam and Eve) who, when given the chance, chose to disobey God. They turned away from Him to gain knowledge (to know both good and evil). The consequence? Death. They became mortal (Genesis 2:16–17).

And we’re now living the consequences of their actions in a world of both good and evil and in a constant flow of choices between the two.

But God didn’t want us to be separated from Him forever. He didn’t want one mistake (even a big one) to be the end of His relationship with us. So He designed a plan for us to be forgiven and reconciled to Him, if we so choose. He sent His Son Jesus to this earth.

Jesus, by His death on the cross, took on the wrongs we’ve committed against Him—and others. We deserve the pain and penalty, but He chose to absorb it for us. Now here is the big question - Do you need to Forgive someone or accept Christ's forgiveness? Why not invite Christ to help you to begin the process of healing to forgive someone who has wronged you, or accepting the forgiveness offered to you by someone you have wronged and the forgiveness of Christ. We would love to work with you through any of the above. Contact us

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HOW DOES GOD FORGIVES US?

God forgives us by choosing to pay our deserved penalty—death—and taking upon Himself the pain that sin causes. He doesn’t hold that pain against us.

When Jesus knew His crucifixion was happening soon, He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was feeling that pain. It weighed on Him so heavily that He sweat drops of blood and felt like He would be crushed by it (Luke 22:44; Matthew 26:38).

When He took our sins upon Himself (1 Peter 2:24), He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). He was absorbing the pain of separation that sin causes between humans and God.

But even then, He murmured the words that reach down and embrace us today:

Father, forgive them
Luke 23:34

That forgiveness is available to each one of us—no matter who we are or what we’ve done.

I DESIRE BIBLE STUDY

GOD'S PLAN OF FORGIVENESS

The penalty of sin is death, as God explained to Adam and Eve before they disobeyed Him (Genesis 2:16–17; Romans 6:23). In order to forgive humans, Jesus would have to take on that penalty.

In doing this, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate act of love (John 15:13). Forgiveness was going to cost Him His very life (Matthew 26:28). But that’s how far God will go just for the chance to reconcile with us.

This was all part of the plan to save humans from evil and bring them back into connection with Him. He loves us so much that there’s nothing He won’t do for us, though always preserving our freedom of choice.

But until that occurred, God gave the people a model. He set up an example of this process through the animal sacrifices the Israelites did in the Old Testament.

A person who sinned had to bring an animal—often a lamb or goat—to the building in the Israelite camp known as the sanctuary. That person would place a hand on the innocent creature to symbolize the transferring of sin to it (or to Jesus), confess the sins, and slit its throat. (See Leviticus 4:27–35.)

Yes, it was an awful ritual.

Death is always awful. But it shows us what we asked to learn about back in the Garden of Eden—evil. Our choice to know about both good and evil means that we now see it all. Yet God is still willing to save us from it.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins
Hebrews 9:22, ESV

For a time, animal sacrifices served that purpose because they symbolized and pointed forward to Jesus’ death—which would pay the penalty of eternal death and provide forgiveness and eternal life (Romans 6:23).

We could compare these sacrifices to a postdated check.

If you wrote a check to buy an item but didn’t have enough money in your account, the seller might allow you to put a future date on the check. That check is a promise of your payment, although it won’t be cashed until later.

Likewise, the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were like God’s postdated checks for the penalty of sin.

Whenever people brought their animal sacrifices to the sanctuary, they came burdened with the guilt of their sins. But after the sacrifice, they could leave with a clear conscience and experience God’s transforming guidance.