FORGIVENESS

Bible Study

written by

Pastor Janice L. Williams

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THE FOLLOWING BIBLE TRANSLATIONS WERE USED FOR THIS BIBLE STUDY:

• KJV = KING JAMES VERSION
• NKJV = NEW KING JAMES VERSION
• NIV = NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION

BIBLE STUDY FOR MARCH 18th-25th, 2009

scriptures printed in red are words spoken by JESUS

 
 

       I AM FORGIVEN  

I FORGIVE YOU

PLEASE FORGIVE ME

FORGIVENESS

One dictionary defines forgiveness as: 

• allowing for a degree of imperfection
• stop being angry about, or resenting somebody or somebody's behavior
• pardon or excuse somebody for a mistake, misunderstanding, wrongdoing, or an inappropriateness
• cancel an obligation, such as a debt

Jesus said in Matthew 6:14, 15 NKJV

• 14/ "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
• 15/ "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your tresspasses. 

 How can we learn to forgive others who have

 hurt us badly?

Psalm 147:3 NKJV

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

JESUS LOVES YOU!!!

 Let's look at some more word definitions, scriptures, and comments, to keep in mind for this Bible Study:

• pagan * an unbeliever, or someone believing in a less popular questionable religion
• tax collectors * Also called publicans, in Jesus time, were usually Jewish people who paid the Romans for the right to collect taxes.  They were hated by other Jews who thought of them as traitors to their country and to their religion.
• mandate * An official command, or instruction from an authority.
• ascertain * to find out something with certainty. 
• clamor * to demand something noisily or desperately
• wrath * great anger: fury often marked by a desire for revenge.
• malice * the desire to cause harm to someone, or to see them in pain.

Luke 23:33, 34 NIV

• 33/ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-- one on his right, the other on his left.
• 34/ Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,  for they do not know what they are doing."

Colossians 3:12, 13 NIV 

• 12/ Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
• 13/ Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Matthew 6:12 KJV

• 12/ And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Mark 11:25, 26 NKJV

• 25/ "And whenever you stand praying, if you have   anything against anyone,  forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
• 26/ "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Psalm 34:18, 19 NIV

• 18/ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
• 19/ A righteous man may have many troubles but the LORD delivers him from them all;

Hebrews 4:15, 16 NIV

• 15/ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way,  just as we are--yet was without sin.
• 16/ Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I John 1:9 KJV

• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

One way we can learn is by example.  The greatest example of love and forgiveness the world has ever been shown is; through the rejection, abuse, disrespect, hatefulness, pain, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary, Jesus crying out as he hung on that cross,  "Father forgive them;  for they know not what they do."  (Luke 23:33, 34 KJV)

We can also learn to forgive others who have hurt us by receiving instruction in the Bible, which mandates us as God's children to forgive.

Jesus demonstrated with His life, His teaching and instructions for us to forgive those who trespass against us.  He even taught us to pray for our heavenly Father to forgive us for the wrong things we've done only as we forgive others for the wrong things they've done to us (Matthew 6:12 & Mark 11:25, 26 scriptures above)

We can go to our heavenly Father and ask Him for spiritual, emotional, and mental healing from pain other's have inflicted on us (Psalm 34:18, 19 & Psalm 147:3 above).  We can also ask Father God to help us to forgive those who have hurt us  when we don't seem to be able to forgive them on our own (please see Hebrews 4:15, 16 above).

Jesus said in Matthew 18:15 thru 17 NIV

• 15/ "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
• 16/ But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
• 17/ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would even a pagan or a tax collector. 
•  [ Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector, means to have no personal dealings with him/her.  However,  first we must guard our heart to make sure we do not allow bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness, to enter in.  Then privately, in love, we can pray in the name of Jesus,  for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to touch the heart of the person that offended us.   Jesus stated in Matthew 5:44 KJV  "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; ]

Matthew 18:21, 22 NIV

• 21/ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?"
• Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

In the above scripture we can ascertain that by using the number seventy seven (seventy times seven KJV), Jesus is saying forgive always, or that we are to forgive others an unlimited number of times even for the same offense done over and over again.  We are not to hold unforgiveness or bitterness in our heart.  In Luke 6:37 KJV, Jesus says "Forgive and you shall be forgiven.

Ephesians 4:31, 32 KJV states

• 31/ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
• 32/ And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's

  sake hath forgiven you.

BE ENCOURAGED EVERYONE.  BE COMFORTED AND STRENGTHENED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO ENABLES US TO BE DOERS OF GOD'S WORD, EVEN AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR GREATEST MOMENTS OF PAIN.

God Bless You

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BE SURE TO CHECK BACK WEDNESDAY 

 MARCH 25th-APRIL 1st, 2009 

FOR THE NEXT WEEKLY BIBLE STUDY

JESUS LOVES YOU!!!