Matthew 18:35 This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Genesis 50:15-19 15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.”
16 So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’
transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.”
Joseph wept when their message came to him. 18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
3 Radical Things Jesus
Said About Forgiveness
1. Remove the Limits
Matthew 18:22 “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
2. Relinquish Revenge
Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
Proverbs 20:22 Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you .
Matthew 5:43–48 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
3. Refuse Superficial Forgiveness
Matthew 18:35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Superficial “forgiveness” is
1. We can forgive in words only…
2. We can forgive conditionally.
3. We can forgive selectively
4. We can forgive with superiority
5. We can try to forget without forgiving
The Kicker principle: There is no loophole
Matthew 6:14-15 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."