IF GOD FORGIVES, YOU FORGIVE

2 Cor 2:10 “If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,” “Y al que vosotros perdonáis, yo también; porque también yo lo que he perdonado, si algo he perdonado, por vosotros lo he hecho en presencia de Cristo,”

INTRO:

I.            WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?

A.      “the act of pardoning somebody for a mistake or wrongdoing”

B.      “a bad feeling for something you have done with the intention in not doing it again”

C.      “pardoning somebody without any strings attached to that forgiveness”

II.            WHAT IS NOT FORGIVENESS

A.      Wanting to forgive or be forgiving in return for something

B.      Forgiving but not forgetting

C.      Doing penitence for forgiveness

III.            THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD OUR FATHER

A.      He is willing to here the cry of those that realize that they have sinned against him

B.      Forgives: iniquity, transgression and sin

                                                1)      Ex. 34:7
que guarda misericordia a millares, que perdona la iniquidad, la rebelión y el pecado, y que de ningún modo tendrá por inocente al malvado; que visita la iniquidad de los padres sobre los hijos y sobre los hijos de los hijos, hasta la tercera y cuarta generación.” “maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

C.      He is longsuffering and of great mercy

                                                1)      Num 14:18 “‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’” “Jehová, tardo para la ira y grande en misericordia, que perdona la iniquidad y la rebelión, aunque de ningún modo tendrá por inocente al culpable; que visita la maldad de los padres sobre los hijos hasta los terceros y hasta los cuartos.”

D.     He will hear the repentance of the sinner

                                                1)      1 Kings 8:34 “tú oirás en los cielos, y perdonarás el pecado de tu pueblo Israel, y los volverás a la tierra que diste a sus padres.” “then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers.”

E.      Will hear those that humble themselves before him

                                                1)      2 Chron 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” “si se humillare mi pueblo, sobre el cual mi nombre es invocado, y oraren, y buscaren mi rostro, y se convirtieren de sus malos caminos; entonces yo oiré desde los cielos, y perdonaré sus pecados, y sanaré su tierra.”

IV.            OUR ATTITUDE IN THAT FORGIVENESS

A.      What God forgives, He forgets

                                                1)      Micah 7:19 “El volverá a tener misericordia de nosotros; sepultará nuestras iniquidades, y echará en lo profundo del mar todos nuestros pecados.” “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

B.      If He forgives, we should forgive

                                                1)      Mat 6:14,15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” “Porque si perdonáis a los hombres sus ofensas, os perdonará también a vosotros vuestro Padre celestial; mas si no perdonáis a los hombres sus ofensas, tampoco vuestro Padre os perdonará vuestras ofensas.”

C.      How many times should we forgive?

                                                1)      Mat 18:22 “Jesús le dijo: No te digo hasta siete, sino aun hasta setenta veces siete.” “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

V.            HINDRANCE IN FORGIVING

A.      Not having a true relationship with God

                                                1)      True repentance is realizing we have sinned against God and when we have his forgiveness than we can forgive others

B.      Strongholds

                                                1)      Not willing to forget

1.      We hold in bondage those that we don’t forget

                                                2)      Resentment - a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as a wrong, insult, or injury

                                                3)      Bad experiences

                                                4)      Self-righteous spirit

CONCLUSION: