Helpfinder Sampler - Flipbook - Page 11
• RO MA N S 4 :7 | “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put
The out
Bible
us to forgive others when they have wronged us and to seek forgiveof commands
sight.”
nessForgiveness
when we have
wronged
others. When we do this, we follow the example of God, who
brings great joy.
extends to us the ultimate forgiveness—pardon for our sins. Forgiveness is the pathway
AC T S 2 :3When
8 | Peter
“Each
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and turn
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be
to•freedom.
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andsins
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Thenbitterness
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resentment
that
Forgiveness
of sins
you to receive to
thethem.
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what itofmeans
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life. precede forgiveness. Confession takes the lid off, opens the
Confession
window,
revealing
is within—sin
faith.
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N S 1 0 :9the
- 1 0door,
| If you
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either
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dead,
youacknowledging
will be saved. For
it is by believing
your heart
acknowledge
themade
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sin,God,
it is and
embarrassing
anddeclaring
sometimes
painful
to take
that you are
rightof
with
it is by openly
your
faith that
you the
are
lid off.
Ironically, many find it almost equally embarrassing to reveal their deep-seated
saved.
faith. Perhaps the embarrassment is in letting others see deep into our lives. Perhaps it
Forgiveness is only way you can have the assurance of eternal life in heaven.
is a reticence to reveal something personal, whether good or bad. But confession is a
necessary
partbe
offorgiven?
knowing God,
asking
forgiveness,
being
freedtofrom
sin. It is also
Can any sin
There
must
be some and
sin too
great
be forgiven.
a necessary part of knowing others and having others know us.
• J O EL 2 :3 2 | “But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (See note on
page 801.)
What
is involved in true confession?
F
M A R K 3 :2 8 - 2 9 | “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who
•
• 2 C H R O N I C L E S 7 :1 4 | “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble
blasphemesand
the Holy
will never
be forgiven.
a sinwicked
with eternal
themselves
praySpirit
and seek
my face
and turnThis
fromistheir
ways,consequences.”
I will hear from
RO MA N Sand
8 :3 8will
| Nothing
can ever
us from
• heaven
forgive their
sins separate
and restore
their God’s
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HelpFinder
Forgiveness
on the magnitude
of the
sin, butme
theday
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the forgiver’s
A L M 5 1 : 3 -is
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| I recognize
my rebellion;
it haunts
and night.
you,
• PS
love.you
No alone,
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complete
and unconditional
does actually
and
have
I sinned;
I have
done what
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sight.The
. . . Bible
The sacrifice
you
mention one unforgivable sin—an attitude of defiant hostility toward God that prevents us
desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
from accepting his forgiveness. Those who don’t want his forgiveness are out of its reach.
• PS A L M 3 8 : 1 8 | I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
What
activate
God’s
O H N I1 :do
9 | to
But
if we confess
ourloving
sins to forgiveness?
him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
• 1 Jcan
C Hto
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N I C L E S us
7 :1from
4 | “If
people . . . will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
• 2and
allmy
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hear from
heaven
and
will forgive
theirhis
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and
Feeling
for your
sin,ways,
showing
before
God,
seeking
God and
forgiverestore
their land.”
(See
on page
389.) from sin—these are ingredients of confession to
ness, turning
to God
in note
prayer,
turning
1 J O H N 1 : 9 | But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us.
• God.
• 2 S A M UE L 1 2 :1 3 | Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Does confession involve more than sorrow for sin?
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you.”
• M AT T H EW 1 0 : 3 2 | “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also
Confessing sin is the first step to forgiveness.
acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”
Why
a terrible
A L M 1 1God
1 : 1 | want
Praiseto
theforgive
Lord! Ime
will for
thank
the Lordsin?
with all my heart as I meet with his
• PSwould
NUM B Epeople.
R S 1 4 : 1 9 | “In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the
• godly
sins
of this people.”
Confession
includes praise to God for his mercy as well as his desire and ability to forgive.
Confession
gladly
acknowledging
God’s love isalso
his includes
motivation
for his
forgiveness. Jesus as Lord and publicly claiming allegiance to him.
Do I have to forgive others who hurt me?
Do
to God
to others?
M ATconfess
T H EW 1 8 : 2our
1 - 2 2sins
| Peter
cameor
to him
and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive
• we
E ZR A 1 0 :1who
1 | sins
“Confess
your
sinSeven
to thetimes?”
Lord, the
God
your ancestors,
andreplied,
do what
he
against
me?
“No,
notofseven
times,” Jesus
“but
• someone
(See
note on page 425.)
demands.”
seventy times
seven!”
without
we should
without
counting
how
1 C H Ras
O NGod
I C L Eforgives
S 2 1 :8 |usDavid
saidlimit,
to God,
“I haveforgive
sinnedothers
greatly.
. . . Please
forgive
my guilt
• Just
many
times.
for
doing
this foolish thing.”
U K confess
E 2 3 :3 4 sin
| Jesus
said,
“Father,
forgive
them,
for they
to God
first,
for only
God can
forgive
sin.don’t know what they are doing.”
• LWe
L OES
S S5I A:1N6S |3 :Confess
1 3 | Make
for other
each other’s
faults,
and other
forgive
AM
yourallowance
sins to each
and pray
for each
soanyone
that youwho
may be
• JCO
offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
healed.
Jesus
forgave
those
who mocked
killedespecially
him. There
wasothers
a totalare
absence
of to
It can be
healing
to confess
sin to him
one and
another,
if the
committed
repentance
at the
cross; instead
people
mocked
But seek
Jesusrestoration.
forgave them
praying for you,
encouraging
you,the
and
supporting
youhim.
as you
It isanyalso
important
to confess
to was
those
who
have
wronged.
way
because
he knewsin
this
part
of you
God’s
greater
plan.
1:15- 16 our
| It seems
youGod?
lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have
Why
do we confess
sins to
• P HILEMON
back forever.
is noDavid
longer
like a slave
to you. He
more
than against
a slave, the
for he
is a
S AMUEL
12:13 |He
Then
confessed
to Nathan,
“I is
have
sinned
Lord.”
• 2him
beloved replied,
brother,“Yes,
especially
to Lord
me. Now
will mean
much more to you, both as a man
Nathan
but the
hashe
forgiven
you.”
and as a brother in the Lord.
• 1 JOHN 1:9 | If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us.
Forgiveness can lead to reconciliation in relationships.
Confession precedes forgiveness. Confession indicates our desire to have our sins forgiven.
P ETER
Don’ttorepay
Don’t retaliate
withforgive
insultsthem.
when people insult you.
• 1If we
have3:9
no |desire
haveevil
our for
sinsevil.
forgiven,
God will not
pay
them12back
with a blessing.
That
is what
has called
you to thing.”
do, andThe
he will
2 S AMUEL
24:10| “Please
forgive my
guilt,
Lord,God
for doing
this foolish
• Instead,
grant
you his blessing.
next morning
the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad. . . . “This is what the Lord
When
sayone
hurtful
things
about you, God
you to
says. . people
. . Choose
of these
punishments,
and Iwants
will inflict
it respond
on you.” by blessing them.
While God always forgives when we confess, we will usually still have to live with the
Howconsequences
can I forgive
someone who has hurt me deeply? What happens when
of our actions.
I forgive?
Does
God truly
forgive
confess
to him?
6:1415 | “Ifsin
youwhen
forgivewe
those
who sinitagainst
you, your heavenly Father will
• MATTHEW
•
•
•
forgive
if you refuse
to forgive
Father
will not
forgive
your
P
S ALM you.
32:5 But
| Finally,
I confessed
all myothers,
sins toyour
you and
stopped
trying
to hide
mysins.”
guilt. I said
to myself,
“I will
confess
myyou
rebellion
to the Lord.”
And you
forgave
my guilt
is gone.
MARK
11:25
| “But
when
are praying,
first forgive
anyone
youme!
areAll
holding
a grudge
against,
so 28:13
that your
Fatherwho
in heaven
will
forgive
yournot
sins,
too.” but if they confess and
P
ROV ERBS
| People
conceal
their
sins will
prosper,
Being
unwilling
forgive
shows mercy.
that you
have
understood
or benefited from God’s
(See
notenot
on page
583.)
turn from
them,to
they
will receive
forgiveness.
With sin comes guilt. It’s part of the baggage that sin brings. Confession is the act of recogniz-
and admitting
God, paving
for who
God persecute
to work in you!”
you. Confession wipes
MATTHEW
5:44 | those
“Lovesins
yourtoenemies!
Praythe
forway
those
• ing
the slate clean
so thatpraying
you can
reconciled
to God
chanceyou
to live
forthe
him.
Forgiveness
means
forbethose
who hate
andand
hurthave
you.another
This releases
from
destructive emotions of anger, bitterness, and revenge.
What if I don’t feel forgiven?
• EP HES IAN S 4:32 | Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
S 3:27 | Our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. (See note
• ROMAN
just as God
through Christ has forgiven you.
on page 1015.)
God’s forgiveness is the motivation and the model for your forgiveness of others. If God
When
God forgives
you,can
your
record
is wiped
clean.
He looks
at you
if you’ve
never
sinned.
has
forgiven
you, how
you
refuse
to forgive
someone
who
has as
wronged
you?
And
your
forgiveness, like God’s, is a gift of grace, free to the recipient yet costly to the giver.
In addition to forgiveness, what are other benefits from confession?
• ROMAN S 12:19 | Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
S ALM 32:5 | Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said
• PFor
the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Punishing evildoers is God’s job, not yours, and God can be trusted to administer justice.
God
removes
Therefore,
youyour
can guilt.
remove yourself from the endless cycle of revenge and retaliation by
P S ALM 51:12 | Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.
• forgiving.
God
restores
your| joy
obedience.
HES
IAN S 4:31
Getand
rid willing
of all bitterness,
rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well
• EP
as all types
behavior.
5:16 of| evil
Confess
your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be
• JAMES
healed.
The earnest
prayer
of a righteous
has great
produces
An
unforgiving
attitude
not only
ruins yourperson
relationships,
butpower
it alsoand
poisons
your wonderful
soul. The
person
results. most hurt by unforgiveness is you.
God transforms you from the inside out.
Can forgiveness stop sin’s consequences?
What
really14mean
toDavid
be forgiven?
AMUELit12:13| Then
confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
• 2 Sdoes
replied,
“Yes,
theare
Lord
forgiven
you.as
. . you
. Nevertheless
. . .him
yourwithout
child will
COLOS S IAN
S 1:2123 but
| You
holyhas
and
blameless
stand before
a
• Nathan
die.” (See
note(See
on page
282.)
note on
page 1079.)
single
fault.
consequences
of sinyour
are often
irreversible.
When
God
forgives
rarely
IS AIAH
1:18 | “Though
sins are
like scarlet,
I will
make
themus,
as he
white
as eliminates
snow.”
• The
the consequences of our wrongdoing. These consequences should be a powerful reminder
Forgiveness means that God looks at you as though you have never sinned. You are
for us when we face temptation again.
blameless before him.
CHRON ICLES 21:11- 13 | “These are the choices the Lord has given you. . . . Decide what
• 1ACTS
8:22- 23 | “Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are . . .
•
answer I should give the Lord who sent me.” “I’m in a desperate situation!” David replied.
held captive by sin.”
(See note on page 374.)
Forgiveness frees you from slavery to sin.
Considering the consequences before we sin can be enough incentive to help us avoid the
10:22 | Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting
• HEBREWS
sin altogether.
him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean,
and our
bodies
washed
with pure
Is there
a limit
tohave
the been
number
of times
wewater.
should forgive a person?
fromperson
the guilt
of sin.you seven times a day and each time turns again
LUKE 17:4 | frees
“Evenyou
if that
wrongs
• Forgiveness
and asks forgiveness,
you
must
forgive.”
(Seefor
notethose
on page
941.)
5:44 | “Love
your
enemies!
Pray
who
persecute you!”
• MATTHEW
Forgiveness
Does
love have
paves
a limit?
the way
Neither
for harmonious
does forgiveness!
relationships, even with your enemies.
F
Forgiveness
Forgiveness continued
See also Mercy & Grace; Salvation
page A135
A133
HelpFinder
page A134
A132
