Bible study on forgiveness

HOW FORGIVING ARE YOU?

Pastor Adeboye Memorise: “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Ps 130:4) Read: Ephesians 4:24-32

Unforgiveness makes a believer to be rebranded as a wicked fellow by the Lord (Matt 18:23-34). The one who was once justified and declared righteous is now classed as wicked. May you never be so branded! The wicked is a believer who has dumped the works of righteousness for the works of the flesh, while still attempting to run the Christian race. Another lesson from the above passage is that God forgives us because we asked Him. Until you ask for forgiveness, your sins are retained. This spiritual principle negates the error of some teachings that the blood of Jesus Christ continues to wash away your sins after you are born again, even without confessing them. This is a misinterpretation of 1 John 1:7. Any sin you fail to acknowledge and confess before God after becoming a believer will automatically be recorded against you. As long as you satisfy Heaven’s conditions of desiring to remain in the light of Christ and you take necessary steps to do so, and continue to fellowship with the brethren, you will be open to cleansing from Calvary’s flow anytime you mistakenly fall into sin and genuinely repent. Are you sweeping any sin under the carpet? It will turn you into a sinner! Confess it fast. A true believer will not go to bed with an unconfessed sin, or delay in confessing sins because the rapture can take place at any moment. Another lesson here is that God forgave us so that we too can forgive others. And He continues to forgive us whenever we err so that we too can continue to forgive those who offend us. If you fail to forgive anyone who offends you, you have automatically negated God’s purpose for forgiving you. God led only by example and He expects you to follow His steps. One proof of being a child of God is your ability to forgive others like He forgave you. If you still struggle with forgiving your offenders, something is very wrong with you. It is either you are not born again, or ignorant, or your foundation as a Christian is defective. Forgive because you were forgiven. Your readiness to forgive determines God’s readiness to forgive you. How ready are you to forgive your offenders?

If you want to wait until your offender deserves to be forgiven, you may never forgive anyone. God forgave you not because you deserved it, but for mercy’s sake.