The Way of Forgiveness

• We

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live like Jesus and love like Jesus without learning to

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in the way of forgiveness.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” —Luke 23:34 (NIV)

• Loving well isn’t the same as loving

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Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. —Matthew 6:12 (NIV)

• People of the kingdom are people who forgive

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they have been forgiven.
• When I need forgiveness, forgiveness feels so

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. But when I must give forgiveness, forgiveness seems so

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12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. —Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

• Forgive as the

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you (v.13).
• Christ’s forgiveness of us is the

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upon which we forgive others.
• Forgiveness is not saying that what was done to us was not a

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.
o It is not saying that what was done to us was “

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.”
o It is not saying that we

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it.
• Forgiveness says the

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.
o Forgiveness is

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for precisely those things which are a big deal, that are not “okay” and that we did not deserve.
• Forgiveness is not saying that I don’t have a right to be angry, or a right to revenge, it is

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these rights and giving them to God.

• Forgiveness is a

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. We forgive:
o Slowly.
o With a little

.
o In

.
o With

left over.
o A

at a time.
o

or not at all. If you’re waiting for “them” to acknowledge how wrong they were, that day may never come.
o With a fundamental feeling of forgiveness for

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.
• Forgiveness is a

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If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. —Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

• I will

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to forgive.
• I will give God what I

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.
• I will trust Him to

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and

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my heart and remove the poison of bitterness from my life.
•

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the Holy Spirit to search your heart regarding your relationships.
•

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forgiveness (for yourself).
•

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forgiveness to others and yourself.
• Purposefully

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those who have wrongfully treated you.