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Forgiveness (2)         Matthew 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.”       The wounds and bitterness in our hearts prevent us from seeing the good in each other and instead focus only on the wrongs we've experienced.   The more we see these wrongs, the more inclined we are to judge, criticize, and even condemn each other.   What we often fail to realize in these judgments, criticisms, and condemnations is that we are imposing our self-righteousness on each other.   For instance, when we fail to forgive our spouses who have wronged us and instead hold onto the wounds and bitterness in our hearts, we approach them with judgment (even if only in our minds), criticism, and condemnation every time they make a mistake, asserting, 'You are wrong, and I am right.'   In...

Forgiveness (1)       Ephesians 4:32 – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”     I find it difficult to forgive.   Although I intellectually understand that I should forgive my spouse who has wronged me, my heart refuses to forgive.   Honestly, there are times when I don't even want to forgive her.   Especially when I think about how she treated me, it makes me so angry, and sometimes I even feel the desire to treat her the same way.   Yet, I endure.   The Bible says, 'Love is patient' (1 Cor. 13:4), so I try to be patient again and again.   However, she continues to hurt my heart.   Despite everything, she does not seek forgiveness from me.   No, it seems like she doesn't even feel the need to ask for forgiveness.   Perhaps she doesn’t even realize that she has hurt my feelings.   Consequently, she acts as if nothing happened, both in w...

‘Your sins are forgiven’       [ Matthew 9 : 1-8]     How do you view The Problem of Pain and Suffering?  The Bible Isaiah 38:17 talks about pain and suffering like this: “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish.  In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”  The Bible says that the great pain and suffering that God allows us is to give us peace.  I don't quite understand.  How can we find peace through great pain and suffering?  It is none other than that, God makes us to repent all our sins through great suffering (vv. 2-3, 5) so that He can put all our sins behind His back and gives us peace.  Why is God doing this?  The reason is because God loves us (v. 17).  C. S. Lewis, in his book “The Problem of Pain,” says that the problem of pain is deeply related to the problem of permanent (continued) human sin.  At the same time, h...

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/forgiveness-is-spiritual-warfare  

Forgiveness  "Forgiveness focuses not on the offender's sin  but on how God (in His wisdom and goodness) may be using the offense for His glory. (Lou Priolo, "Resolving Conflict")

Forgiveness ... "Forgiveness focuses not on the offender's sin  but on how God  (in his wisdom and goodness) may be using the offense  for His glory."   [Lou Priolo, "Bitterness"]

Forgiveness  "When we owe so much to a forgiving God, we dare not withhold forgiveness from others (Matt.18:35; cf. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47)."   (RAYMOND B. DILLARD, THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ELIJAH & ELISHA: FAITH IN THE FACE OF APOSTASY")

Love & Forgiveness   "Love binds a family together, but forgiveness is the glue that holds it together.   Bitterness or unresolved anger rooted in unforgiveness is the dynamite that blows marriages and families apart."   (NEIL T. ANDERSON & CHARLES MYLANDER, "SETTING YOUR MARRIAGE FREE")

"If I continue to cling to my guilt ..." "If I continue to cling to my guilt, to act as if there could be no forgiveness for someone like me, I am denying the reality of the ransom that is mine through God's lavish grace."   (Iain M. Duguid, "The Life and Ministry of Jesus" in "The Triune God")

Forgiveness   "The Christian is instructed to forgive others in the same manner that god forgives us.   How does God forgive us?   The Scriptures say that if we confess our sins, God will forgive our sins.   Nothing in the Old or New Testaments indicates that God forgives the sins of people who do not confess and repent of their sins."  ("The Five Languages of Apology" by Gary Chapman/Jennifer Thomas)