| Teacher: Rusty Kennedy Series: Forgiveness |
Rusty's Notes
Forgiveness is a word that has many definitions (ideas) attached to it.
We have been solely talking about forgiveness from a Biblical perspective and specifically concerning the relationship between God and man.
If you take the Bible as a whole work that is intended for today… you get a mess.
It is when you can appropriate all 66 books in their proper context that you can begin to make sense of what God has intended for us as believers today.
Forgiveness –
Forgiveness is a promise![1]
- When our God forgives us, He promises that He will not remember our sins against us anymore.[2]
- God can’t forget (like you and I can).
- God can choose not to remember.
- To “not remember” is simply a graphic way of saying, “I will not bring up these matters to you or others in the future. I will bury them and not exhume the bones to beat you over the head with them. I will never use these sins against you.”
All–sufficient. The work that Jesus did was definitive. We no longer need to offer blood sacrifices in acknowledgment of our sin. We need only have faith in Jesus Christ and accept what He has done on our behalf. The writer of Hebrews says that God took away the first means of blood sacrifice that He might establish the second means, the sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus was the only one necessary. The phrase that is used is a powerful one: “once for all” (Heb. 10:10).
Confession
1) Give praise; give thanks (song, prayer, thought)
2) Acknowledge; to agree; to speak the same, admit, or own up.
- Neither of these definitions are defined as verbal.
3) – To announce, inform, propose, to explain or give evidence to.
- This definition is typically verbal.
Looking at verses after the cross:
– 8 references to the word “confess” in HCSB
- 6 of 8 verses refer to “confess” Jesus as Lord – (Romans 10:9 - 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.[3])
– 4 references to the word “confesses” in HCSB
- 4 of 4 verses refer to “confess” Jesus as Lord
– 1 reference to the word “confessing” in HCSB
- 1 of 1 verses refer to “confessing” Jesus as Lord (Acts 19:18 - 18 And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone.[4])
– 1 references to the word “confessed” in HCSB
- 1 of 1 verses refer to “confessed” Jesus as Lord (Hebrews 11:13 – verbally stated they were foreigners.)
- 2 of 8 verses refer to “confess” in relation to sins.
- I John 1:9 - 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[5]
- James 5:16 - 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.[6]
- Do we have to confess today?
Repentance -
- feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin.
- regret or be conscience, stricken about a past action, attitude, etc.
- to feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you want to do what is right. (Merriam-Webster)
- Does repentance come from God or individuals?
- Individuals – Acts 8:22 - 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.[7]
- God – Acts 11:18 - 18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!” [8]
- Acts 17:30-31 - 30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” [9]
- 2 passages on “repentance” I want to bring to your attention for clarification purposes.
- Romans 2:4 - 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?[10]
Acts 26:19-23 - 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have obtained help that comes from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place — 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.” [11]
- Do we have to repent today?
- Revelation 3:19-20 - 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. [12]
What does forgiveness, confession & repentance look like for me today?
[1] Adams, J. E. (1989). From forgiven to forgiving (p. 12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Adams, J. E. (1989). From forgiven to forgiving (p. 12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 10:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 19:18–19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (1 Jn 1:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 5:15–16). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 8:22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 11:18). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 17:30–31). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 2:4). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 26:19–23). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Re 3:19–20). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
We have been solely talking about forgiveness from a Biblical perspective and specifically concerning the relationship between God and man.
If you take the Bible as a whole work that is intended for today… you get a mess.
It is when you can appropriate all 66 books in their proper context that you can begin to make sense of what God has intended for us as believers today.
Forgiveness –
Forgiveness is a promise![1]
- When our God forgives us, He promises that He will not remember our sins against us anymore.[2]
- God can’t forget (like you and I can).
- God can choose not to remember.
- To “not remember” is simply a graphic way of saying, “I will not bring up these matters to you or others in the future. I will bury them and not exhume the bones to beat you over the head with them. I will never use these sins against you.”
All–sufficient. The work that Jesus did was definitive. We no longer need to offer blood sacrifices in acknowledgment of our sin. We need only have faith in Jesus Christ and accept what He has done on our behalf. The writer of Hebrews says that God took away the first means of blood sacrifice that He might establish the second means, the sacrifice of Jesus. The sacrifice of Jesus was the only one necessary. The phrase that is used is a powerful one: “once for all” (Heb. 10:10).
Confession
1) Give praise; give thanks (song, prayer, thought)
2) Acknowledge; to agree; to speak the same, admit, or own up.
- Neither of these definitions are defined as verbal.
3) – To announce, inform, propose, to explain or give evidence to.
- This definition is typically verbal.
Looking at verses after the cross:
– 8 references to the word “confess” in HCSB
- 6 of 8 verses refer to “confess” Jesus as Lord – (Romans 10:9 - 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.[3])
– 4 references to the word “confesses” in HCSB
- 4 of 4 verses refer to “confess” Jesus as Lord
– 1 reference to the word “confessing” in HCSB
- 1 of 1 verses refer to “confessing” Jesus as Lord (Acts 19:18 - 18 And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone.[4])
– 1 references to the word “confessed” in HCSB
- 1 of 1 verses refer to “confessed” Jesus as Lord (Hebrews 11:13 – verbally stated they were foreigners.)
- 2 of 8 verses refer to “confess” in relation to sins.
- I John 1:9 - 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[5]
- James 5:16 - 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.[6]
- Do we have to confess today?
Repentance -
- feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin.
- regret or be conscience, stricken about a past action, attitude, etc.
- to feel or show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you want to do what is right. (Merriam-Webster)
- Does repentance come from God or individuals?
- Individuals – Acts 8:22 - 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.[7]
- God – Acts 11:18 - 18 When they heard this they became silent. Then they glorified God, saying, “So God has granted repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!” [8]
- Acts 17:30-31 - 30 “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because He has set a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” [9]
- 2 passages on “repentance” I want to bring to your attention for clarification purposes.
- Romans 2:4 - 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?[10]
Acts 26:19-23 - 19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. 20 Instead, I preached to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem and in all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple complex and were trying to kill me. 22 To this very day, I have obtained help that comes from God, and I stand and testify to both small and great, saying nothing else than what the prophets and Moses said would take place — 23 that the Messiah must suffer, and that as the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.” [11]
- Do we have to repent today?
- Revelation 3:19-20 - 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. 20 Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. [12]
What does forgiveness, confession & repentance look like for me today?
[1] Adams, J. E. (1989). From forgiven to forgiving (p. 12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Adams, J. E. (1989). From forgiven to forgiving (p. 12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 10:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 19:18–19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (1 Jn 1:9). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Jas 5:15–16). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 8:22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 11:18). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 17:30–31). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 2:4). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ac 26:19–23). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Re 3:19–20). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
RSS Feed