Explore new horizons of a living faith
These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
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Introduction
Through Jesus we can find forgiveness and a new start. We can be free from an overwhelming sense of guilt; we can be clean after feeling defiled for so long; we can live with our consciences.
After becoming a Christian we realise we have done wrong and that we continue to do wrong. We wonder how God could accept someone like us who chooses their own way over the way of love and faith.
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The forgiveness of God is amazing and complete. A lifetime of wrong doing can be wiped away, because the price has been paid.
- What is forgiveness? - Forgiveness is when our sin is not counted against us.
- Jesus’ forgiveness seen - Jesus forgives a condemned criminal.
- Forgiveness through Jesus - Our forgiveness required Jesus’ death.
- Forgiveness received - Forgiveness comes through confession.
We are forgiven when those we have harmed through our fault change their attitude to us.
- How is the fault of the writer described?
- How does the Lord’s attitude change with forgiveness?
- How does this interaction compare with a situation where someone has done wrong to you, and sought forgiveness?
Psalm 32:1 Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
Through Jesus we have both forgiveness and cleansing. The Lord deals with our past and makes us pure before Himself.
Here is the example of one man who found forgiveness. This is Luke 23
- What did the second criminal consider about his own life?
- How did the two criminals differ in their attitudes towards Jesus?
- What assurance did Jesus give to the second? What does that say about his state with God?
- What is your attitude to God when looking for forgiveness?
Luke 23:39-43 39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"
40 But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
43 And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Saul was someone who persecuted Jesus’ followers and yet found forgiveness. Read his story.
Forgiveness costs the one forgiving. Our forgiveness by God does not come cheaply, it cost Jesus His life. It does not matter how much evil we have done, He forgives because everything has been dealt with by the Cross of Christ.
- Can you remember forgiving someone who had really hurt you? How easy or difficult was it?
- What was needed for us to be forgiven?
- What has God given us beyond forgiveness?
Colossians 2: 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
It is one thing to be offered forgiveness but how do we receive it? Forgiveness is not automatic. We cannot presume upon people to forgive, it is the same with God. One of the greatest obstacles to being forgiven is that we would prefer to live in denial that we have done anything wrong. 1 John 1
- How do we approach God and others?
- What does it mean to walk in the light?
- If forgiveness is offered, why do people claim to have no sin?
- What does it mean to be cleansed of ALL wickedness?
- On what is forgiveness based - how do we know if we are forgiven?
1 John 1:7-10 .7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
God not only forgives our sins, He also cleanses us from all the wrongs we have done. It seems that when we ask forgiveness on one issue, He wipes the slate clean!
This prayer of confession is not complicated. An example would be - “Dear Father, I got it all wrong, I did ..... I am sorry. Please forgive me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Page appears in Bible Explorer titled - Forgiveness
CAN I FIND FORGIVENESS?
