COMPROMISE ON FORGIVENESS
1. The New Testament is composed of some very interesting words.
2. This morning I want us to look at a word that is familiar to each one of us.
3. This is a word that we hear about on a regular basis and frequently use.
4. Before I tell you what this word is I want to provide a little background about it.
5. In classical Greek this word was used to describe the “release of water.”
6. Most of us have at one time or another cupped our hands.
7. We put our hands together to hold some water.
8. What happens to the water in our hands when we take our hands apart?
9. The water is released. It’s gone. What was once in our hands is no longer there.
IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT WE HAVE A WORD THAT IS TRANSLATED FORGIVENESS.
A. This is the word that we want to study.
B. At this point we already know two things about the word forgiveness.
C. First, people other than the writers of the New Testament used the term.
D. Second, secular writers sometimes used this word to describe the release of water.
E. Secular writers also used this word to describe some other things.
F. The word we know as forgiveness was used to describe divorce.
G. When a couple split up the wife was “sent away from” her husband.
H. Just as the water becomes separate from our hands, so husbands & wives separated.
I. The word often translated “forgiveness” was applied to meetings.
J. After meetings were concluded the people were “dismissed” (sent away).
K. There was a separation.
L. In other secular writings the word we know as “forgiveness” was used of debts.
M. At some point in life most of us incur debt.
N. It may be debt from a boat, house, car, credit card, school, or something else.
O. When people were freed from a debt writers used the word we know as forgiveness.
P. People were “separated” (disconnected) from their debt.
2. Secular writers used this word in a wide variety of ways.
3. The term we know as “forgiveness” was used to mean “throw away, release, and relinquish.”
4. It meant to “discharge someone from a legal relationship” (EDNT, 1:181).
5. SECULAR WRITERS
WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS TERM. WHEN
WE LOOK AT THE LXX (SEPTUIGANT) – THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT –
WE FIND THAT THIS WORD IS ALSO USED HERE.
A. In
Gen. 18 we learn some things about
B. These cities as well as other communities in this area were wicked.
C. God was prepared to destroy them.
D. Abraham began to intercede.
E. This great man of God said, “God, what if there are 50 righteous people?”
F. Notice God’s response – Gen. 18:26 – READ.
G. God said that He would “spare” the whole city if 50 righteous people were there.
H. The word “spare” is the word often translated “forgiveness” in the New Testament.
I. This “forgiveness” was like what I previously described.
J. God would separate these people from the punishment.
K. God would keep these people apart from any destruction that occurred.
6. Another place in the Septuagint where this word is found in Deut. 15:1, 2.
A. These
verses seem to be related to the Hebrew’s time in
B. The Hebrew people had been enslaved in bondage.
C. They knew what it was like to be a servant.
D. They understood what it felt like to be chained to something.
E. Thus, in the law there was an interesting provision.
F. Deut. 15:1-2 – READ.
G. Every seven years the Hebrews had their debts forgiven.
H. The people were “released” (separated from)—forgiven—of their obligations.
7. If we put this into today’s society we could use this analogy.
8. Someone buys a new motor home.
9. They take out an eight year loan on the unit.
10. When they reach the 7th year they don’t have to make any more payments.
11. Even though it was an 8 year loan, the lender forgives the debt.
12. WHEN WE UNDRESTAND HOW THE WORD BEING DESCRIBED WAS USED OUTSIDE THE NEW TESTAMENT AND IN THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WE HAVE THE RIGHT FOUNDATION FOR UNDERSTADING WHAT THIS WORD MEANS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
A. The New Testament frequently talks about forgiveness of sins.
B. What does the New Testament mean when it speaks of “forgiveness”?
C. Let’s begin to answer this question by looking at some other words.
D. Those who are forgiven are described in a variety of ways.
E. Several of these words are described in 1 Pet. 1.
i). In 1 Pet. 1:9 Peter spoke of “salvation.”
ii). According to 1 Pet. 1:9 those who are forgiven have a saved soul.
iii). Forgiveness
means that people have a new hope (1 Pet.
iv). Forgiveness
means that people are holy (1 Pet.
v). Those
who are forgiven are redeemed (1 Pet.
vi). Their “souls” have been “purified” because they have obeyed the truth (verse 22).
vii). Those who are forgiven have been “begotten again” (verse 23).
F. Forgiveness is an important word.
G. In addition to what Peter said there are other terms that are related to it.
H. The Bible uses the word reconciliation.
I. Those who are forgiven are reconciled to God.
J. Another word related to forgiveness is justification.
K. The word righteous is associated with the people who have experienced forgiveness.
L. When we combine all of this information what do we have?
viii). We have a problem and a solution to the problem.
ix). The problem is sin.
x). When people are old enough to know what is right and wrong they sin.
xi). People who are accountable for their actions break God’s laws.
xii). When people break God’s laws they offend God.
xiii). When we offend the laws in society we are deserving of punishment.
xiv). Our prisons are full of people who are paying for their crimes.
xv). When people break God’s laws a payment must be made.
xvi). God cannot and will not overlook sin.
M. When we sin some form of payment must be made.
N. The Bible teaches that this payment can come from one of two sources.
O. We have a soul that we can use to pay for our wrongs.
P. There is a part in each one of us that is eternal.
Q. This part of our being continues to survive after we leave this earth.
R. Some use this part of their person to pay for their sins.
S. Those who choose this form of payment “die in their sins.”
T. That is, their soul is taken to a place of punishment and never released.
U. Each one of us can make this type of payment for our sins if we so choose.
V. This is a bad choice but this is a possible choice.
W. Behind door # 2 is a much better option.
xvii). Someone must pay for our sins.
xviii). If we do not want to pay the price someone else will. Someone else has.
xix). This person is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
xx). The Lord died on a cross. His life and blood were given for us.
xxi). He died so our soul can live eternally with God and avoid punishment.
X. When people take advantage of the Lords’ death they are forgiven.
xxii). What are people forgiven of?
xxiii). The answer is sin.
xxiv). Listen
to Acts
xxv). The word “remission” (forgiveness) in Acts 2:38 is the word that we are studying.
xxvi). What does this word mean?
xxvii). It means that there is a “release” from sin.
xxviii). It means that there is a full separation from sin.
xxix). Just as this word described a man who sent away his wife,
xxx). So in Acts 2:38 the idea is that sins are sent away from us.
xxxi). How far are our sins sent away from us?
xxxii). Do you remember the scripture reading (Ps. 103:12)?
xxxiii). As far as the east is from the west, so God has removed our sins.
Y. Because people are fully disconnected from their sins Peter said w/he did in 1 Pet. 1.
xxxiv). We are saved, we have a new hope, and we are holy.
xxxv). We are redeemed, purified, and are begotten again.
xxxvi). This is why the Bible says we are justified, sanctified, and reconciled.
Z. It grieves me to find that people compromise the truth about forgiveness.
AA. Some ask to be forgiven but then wonder if God has really forgiven them.
BB. Others ask to be forgiven of something over and over.
CC. Others think that on the one hand God has forgiven them.
DD. On the other hand they secretly wonder if God will not again bring up the matter
xxxvii). When our sins are forgiven they are buried.
(a). Someone once compared this to a lake.
(b). Our sins are thrown into a deep lake and there are signs around the lake.
(c). The signs say, “no admittance, fishing, or treaspassing.”
EE. The word frequently translated “Forgive” is a marvelous word.
FF. Do we remember how this lesson started?
GG. I asked us to think about water in our hands & then opening our hands.
HH. Replace the image of water with our sins.
II. Before becoming a Christian we have all of our sins. Every single one of them.
JJ. When we become a child of God the hands are opened.
KK. Our sins don’t simply drop to the floor.
LL. They are taken as far as the east is from the west.
MM. Then, those hands that held those terrible sins are washed.
NN. They are made so pure the Bible says that they are holy.
OO. The cleansing is so complete God says that we are reconciled to Him.
PP. We are justified (like someone who has never sinned).
QQ. This forgiveness is available when we take advantage of Jesus’ death.
RR. Forgiveness is possible. It is possible today. It is possible right now.
SS. Has each one in this
room been forgiven of their sins?