Forgiven and Forgiving
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 12/4/2011 AM |
Text: | Proverbs 28:13; Lord's Day 51 |
Psalters: | 288, 84, 142, 83 |
- Forgiveness.
- Forgiveness is God not imputing to our account our sins and sinfulness, i.e., make us pay the penalty they deserve.
- Forgiveness is God?s declaration that our sins have been dealt with so He cannot hold them against us any more.
- Forgiveness is great and broad.
- The reason God forgives.
- The ground of forgiveness is NOT found in us in any way, as if we pay our debt to God.
- The only ground for forgiveness is Jesus Christ, His work and righteousness (Col. 1:14; Acts 13:38).
- The way forgiveness is known and experienced is through godly sorrow and a forsaking of the sin.
- Godly sorrow is sincere admission of guilt for offending God.
- Right confession is based on a continuing knowledge of our natural face (James 1:23-25).
- True confession is more than apology; a change in the way we think (Lk. 15:17; II Tim. 2:25,26).
- Genuine confession admits precisely and specifically.
- Sincere confession involves an acceptance of the consequences (Luke 15:19).
- They way to forgiveness includes a forsaking (text) of the wrong.
- The marks of having found forgiveness.
- Forgiven souls love Jesus.
- Forgiven souls are humble (Eph. 3:8; I Tim. 1:15).
- And those who are forgiven will be forgiving (Matt. 18:23ff).
- Their focus is on how God for Christ?s sake forgave them, and they strive to do the same.
- Jesus shows that our experience of forgiveness is in the way of our forgiving those who sin against us.
- Forgiving one another is a ?firm resolution from the heart? - a decision, not a feeling.