1
The Grace Of
Forgiveness
Eph. 4:32
2
Eph. 4:31
• Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you,
with all malice:
3
• Bitterness = a heart ready to
take offence at any word or act;
the opposite of kindness and
longsuffering
• Wrath = worse than anger;
outburst of rage fed by
bitterness
4
• Anger = a strong feeling of
displeasure brought about by a
wrong or a supposed wrong
• Clamor = the out crying of
anger; opposite of calmness and
gentleness
5
• Evil speaking = to utter words
against God or man; the
opposite of the Golden Rule
• Malice = the desire that another
person be hurt; ill-will toward
another;
6
• It can fester and smolder in the
heart/mind of man until it
destroys ones peace of mind
and soul
7
Eph. 4:32
• And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you.
8
I. Why Should We Forgive?
• 1. Because we have been
forgiven
• The fact that we have received
mercy should teach us to give
mercy
9
Mt. 18:33-35
• Shouldest not thou also have
had compassion on thy
fellowservant, even as I had pity
on thee?
10
• And his lord was wroth, and
delivered him to the tormentors, till
he should pay all that was due unto
him. So likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also unto you, if ye from
your hearts forgive not every one
his brother their trespasses
11
• 2. We often stand in need of
forgiveness
• From the Lord
• From our fellow man
12
Mt. 6:14-15
• For if ye forgive men their
trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you: But if ye
forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.
13
• 3. That we may experience the
joy known only to the forgiving
heart
• There is no joy in ill-will - spite
14
• 4. That others may have joy
• The greatest need of the world
is forgiveness
• Hearts hunger for it and rejoice
when it is forgiven
15
• 5. It is Christ-like
• Lk. 23:34
• “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive
them; for they know not what
they do. And they parted his
raiment, and cast lots.”
16
II. How We Should Forgive
• 1. From the heart
• Mt. 18:35
• “So likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also unto you, if ye
from your hearts forgive not
every one his brother their
trespasses.”
17
• To forgive is to forget
• Heb. 8:12
• “For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins
and their iniquities will I
remember no more.”
18
• 2. Without limit (No degrees of
forgiveness)
• Mt. 18:21-22 “Then came Peter to
him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive
him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto
him, I say not unto thee, Until seven
times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
19
• 3. As Christ forgives
• He forgives the darkest sins;
completely; freely
20
Eph. 4:32
• And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you
21
III. The Evil Of Unforgiveness
• It strangles the best within us –
crucifies the higher self
22
• It breaks the heart to pieces,
wrecks one’s health etc.
23
Saxifrage plant Rock breaker
Google Images
24
• It crushes friendships
• “Like a prison-wall, it isolates us
from humanity and from God,
giving to life a loneliness. --- God
does not forgive the
unforgiving” Frank L. Cox
25
Conclusion
• Joseph forgave his brothers and
did them good
• David forgave Saul who was
trying to kill him
• Our Lord and Savior forgave his
bitter enemies
26
2 Pet. 3:9
• The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should
come to repentance