HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 136
page A134
Forgiveness continued
• R O MA NS 4 :7 | “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put
out of sight.”
Forgiveness brings great joy.
• A C T S 2 :3 8 | Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Forgiveness of sins allows you to receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit
allows you to tap into the very power of God to help you battle temptation and to guide
you through life.
• R O MA NS 1 0 :9 -1 0 | If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart
that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are
saved.
Forgiveness is only way you can have the assurance of eternal life in heaven.
Can any sin be forgiven? There must be some sin too great to be forgiven.
• J O E L 2 :3 2 | “But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (See note on
page 801.)
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• MA R K 3 :2 8 -2 9 | “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but anyone who
blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences.”
• R O MA NS 8 :3 8 | Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.
HelpFinder
Forgiveness is not based on the magnitude of the sin, but the magnitude of the forgiver’s
love. No sin is too great for God’s complete and unconditional love. The Bible does actually
mention one unforgivable sin—an attitude of defiant hostility toward God that prevents us
from accepting his forgiveness. Those who don’t want his forgiveness are out of its reach.
What can I do to activate God’s loving forgiveness?
• 2 C H R O NI C L E S 7 :1 4 | “If my people . . . will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and
restore their land.” (See note on page 389.)
• 1 J O H N 1 :9 | But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us.
• 2 S A MU E L 1 2 :1 3 | Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you.”
Confessing sin is the first step to forgiveness.
Why would God want to forgive me for a terrible sin?
• NU MB E R S 1 4 :1 9 | “In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the
sins of this people.”
God’s love is his motivation for his forgiveness.
Do I have to forgive others who hurt me?
• MAT T H E W 1 8 :2 1 -2 2 | Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive
someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but
seventy times seven!”
Just as God forgives us without limit, we should forgive others without counting how
many times.
• L U K E 2 3 :3 4 | Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
• C O L O S S I A NS 3 :1 3 | Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who
offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
Jesus forgave those who mocked him and killed him. There was a total absence of
repentance at the cross; instead the people mocked him. But Jesus forgave them anyway because he knew this was part of God’s greater plan.