FORGIVENESS (Part 1)

INTRODUCTION

One of the names of our God is the Forgiving Father

What is the true meaning of forgiveness?
Forgiveness is defined by Psychologists as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. Forgiveness is the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.

What does forgiveness mean spiritually?
Forgiveness may also mean forgiving yourself and feeling real sadness and remorse (not just guilt) about your own behaviour. “When we really feel this [about something we did], we’re not likely to do it again, “After we have felt remorse it’s essential to let it go.

Forgiveness, according to the Bible, is correctly understood as God’s promise not to count our sins against us. Biblical forgiveness requires repentance on our part (turning away from our old life of sin) and faith in Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:9; Psalm 86:5.

What are the 3 types of forgiveness?
There are three (3) types of forgiveness namely: exoneration, forbearance and release.

⦁ Exoneration: According to Oxford dictionary, exoneration is the action of officially absolving someone from blame or suspicion; vindication. It could also mean the release of someone from a duty or obligation. Psalm 32:1.

⦁ Forbearance: Forbearance is to refrain or abstain from; desist from; to keep back; withhold. Forbearance is akin to patience and self-control. Colossians 3:12–13. Refraining from the enforcement of something could be a debt, a right we have, an obligation that has come due and needs to be paid, etc.

Forbearance could be explained as showing patience, even though a thing is owed to us. It is holding back or restraining the self from doing something that is normal to do. It is controlling oneself when provoked or offended. Ephesians 4:32.

Other words for forbearance are: patience, tolerance (one can tolerate a person and not tolerate what he has done, one could forbear with him while he is trying to repent), self-restraint (which is holding back the self from doing a thing that one may come to regret), “command of temper” (do we lash out when something happens, rather than control ourselves?), endurance, longsuffering, clemency, mildness (one is mild rather than harsh in judgment or reaction), mercy or merciful, pardon. Matthew 6:14.

⦁ Release: According to Collins dictionary, release is to allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free; allow (something) to move, act, or flow freely. Matthew 6:15.

What God says about forgiveness?
⦁ Our God is ever forgiving us because of the love he has for us: Psalm 86:5

⦁ He expects us to forgive others: Mark 11:25

⦁ We are blessed when our transgressions are forgiven: Psalm 32:1

What did Jesus teach about forgiveness?
This act of forgiveness shows that any act can be forgiven. Luke 23:34. Jesus also taught us in John 20:23.

What does the Bible say about forgiving the unforgivable?
Jesus wants us to forgive the unforgivable severally. According to Luke 17:3-4.

I am to forgive 70 times 7
Jesus expects our forgiveness to be unlimited i.e. there should be no limits to our forgiveness.
Matthew 18:21-22.

What is the ability to forgive?
Forgiveness is often defined as an individual, voluntary internal process of letting go of feelings and thoughts of resentment, bitterness, anger, and the need for vengeance and retribution toward someone who we believe has wronged us, including ourselves. Hebrews 8:12.

CONCLUSION:
Forgiving is not easy. Forgiveness may not always be easy, but it can be easier with a few exercises and the right mindset. First, keep in mind that forgiveness is something you do for yourself to sever your emotional attachment to what happened. Proverbs 17:9.

Where there is a glory there is a story. Where there is a story, there is either gory or shame. The kingdom of God is about the power and the glory of God. Matt 6:13; 1 Chron 29:11. Every man no matter his age or level has a story. Every man no matter his age or level has either a story of glory or shame.

Our God is the king of glory. His kingdom is a kingdom of only glory and not shame. No man of shame brings glory to God. A child of God is a child of glory. The purpose of our salvation is to bask in, dwell in and show forth the glory of our God. 1 Peter 2:9