Lesson 5 of 6: Why Do I Forgive?

Why Do I Forgive?

Pastor David: Hello. Today, we begin lesson five on our six part series on forgiveness. Each part is a different question. The first part was, what do I forgive? The answer, everyone sins against you. That's what you forgive. Everyone sins. Part 2, who do I forgive? Forgive everyone, no matter who, and do it quickly. Part three: when do I forgive? Forgive in good times and bad. Be quick to forgive. And then, in lesson four, where do I forgive? You forgive right where you are, wherever that is, always in the name of Jesus Christ. So today, why do I forgive? Well, the why we forgive is because we've all sinned, and we all need forgiveness. And there are a couple of scriptures that make it very profound as to why we have to forgive. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14, 15, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:" Well, we need that, so forgive other people. But in verse 15 of Matthew chapter 6, Jesus said, "But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses." So why do I forgive? Because I need to be forgiven. According to what we just read in Matthew 6, 14 and 15, if we forgive others, God will forgive us. But if we don't forgive others their sins against us, God said he won't forgive us for our sins. That's pretty profound. In Mark, chapter 11, verse 26, Jesus said, "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven, forgive you your trespasses." Remember in Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." That includes you and me. When we sin, we need forgiveness. When other people sin against us, we need to forgive them. Be quick to forgive. As we Learned in Revelation 2, 5, be quick to forgive. But remember the most important reason why do I forgive? You don't want anything between you and God. Keep your relationship clean and pure, and open between you and God. He wants to talk to you every day. He wants to love on you and bless you every day. He wants to have a relationship with you every day. Ask for forgiveness of your own sins every day. Remember, Job did it every morning, early in the morning, and as a result, God gave him a hedge of protection around him and all his household, and all that they had on every side in Job chapters one and two. So much so, that Satan complained and said, you won't let me touch him because you put a hedge of protection around him, not just him, but his whole household. Because Job was obedient every morning and asked God, please forgive me and all my household of all our sins. I encourage you to do the same. Why do I forgive? We need God's forgiveness. Jesus provided it through Himself. He provided it in Romans, chapter 5 as we read before verses 12 through 21. Sin entered the world because of the sin of Adam and Eve. And with sin came death. Then came the law through Moses, but grace, grace came for you and me through Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Why do I forgive? Because we all need to be forgiven. We've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We all need forgiveness. We need to forgive others. As we just read in Matthew 6:14-15 and Mark 11:26, we need to forgive others so that God will forgive us. So be quick to forgive and always forgive. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen. Amen.