Reading: The Power of Forgiveness - Slides

Restoring Relationships
Transforming Justice

Lecture 18

The Power of Forgiveness

God’s Path to Restoration

There are three steps on God’s path to restoration.

God’s Path to Restoration

There are three steps on God’s path to restoration.

Step 1 - Confront the situation and any wrongdoing involved. 

God’s Path to Restoration

There are three steps on God’s path to restoration.

Step 1 - Confront the situation and any wrongdoing involved. 

Step 2 - Acknowledge or confess our sin/wrongdoing to those affected by it. 

God’s Path to Restoration

There are three steps on God’s path to restoration.

Step 1 - Confront the situation and any wrongdoing involved. 

Step 2 - Acknowledge or confess our sin/wrongdoing to those affected by it. 

Step 3 – Extending forgiveness.

God’s Path to Restoration

Jesus taught that whenever someone comes to us and acknowledges that they wronged us, we are to forgive them. 

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them. Luke 17:3-4

God’s Path to Restoration

Jesus taught that whenever someone comes to us and acknowledges that they wronged us, we are to forgive them. 

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22

God’s Path to Restoration

God freely forgives us when we confess our sins to Him because Jesus Christ satisfied God’s justice on our behalf at the cross. 

God’s Path to Restoration

God freely forgives us when we confess our sins to Him because Jesus Christ satisfied God’s justice on our behalf at the cross.

God expects us to treat others the same way we have been treated.

 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

God’s Path to Restoration

We cannot earn or deserve God’s forgiveness; therefore, we have no right to impose such requirements on those who wrong us. 

God’s Path to Restoration

Our ability to forgive in such a powerful way flows from the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

God’s Path to Restoration

When we forgive in this manner, we act as an ambassador of Jesus Christ - forgiveness is a defining feature of the heavenly kingdom.

 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34a

God’s Path to Restoration

When we refuse to forgive, we open ourselves to spiritual bondage, bitterness, wildfire accelerants and other Wildfire forces until we choose to forgive. 

Matthew 18:23-35

Beware of Un-Forgiveness

This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart. Matthew 18:35

4 Promises of Forgiveness
by Ken Sande

What does it mean to forgive?

1. I will not dwell on this incident;

2. I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you;

3. I will not talk to others about this incident; and

4. I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship. (Subject to appropriate godly boundaries.)

God’s Path to Restoration

Whatever we confess to the Father, He forgives. Whatever is confessed to us, He will empower us to forgive. 

God’s Path to Restoration

Forgiveness is like a powerful river that rushes in to extinguish the conflict wildfire.

God’s Path to Restoration

Forgiveness washes away the bitterness of conflict and makes way for relationship restoration to begin.

God’s Path to Restoration

The three words that can change your conflict story – I forgive you.

Curious Questions

In your conflict story, is there someone you need to forgive?

Have you withheld forgiveness and become bitter toward anyone?

May the Lord grant us the grace to forgive others as He forgives us.

Lecture 18

The third step on God’s path to peace is forgiveness. 

God commands us to forgive others just as He has forgiven us through Jesus Christ. 

We do not earn or deserve God’s forgiveness – neither should others have to earn or deserve ours. 

Forgiveness flows from our relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Lecture 18

When we forgive, we imitate Jesus Christ. 

When we refuse to forgive, we open ourselves up to spiritual bondage and other Wildfire forces. 

Forgiveness is like a river that extinguishes the Conflict Wildfire. 

The most powerful words in conflict – I forgive you.