Forgiven To Be Like Christ

Are we becoming like Jesus or like what the local religion says Jesus is like?

Rom 1:16 ¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek

Acts 2:37 ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

• Psalm 130:4 God is feared revered as there is forgiveness with him

• • He alone can release us from the liability from sin, not feast doing sacrifice offering church going or sermon hearing money giving but by His power, His mercy – thru His Spirit
  • That being the wrath of Gods judgments to come
  • Its from God, by God, thru God to God

• Some would say that if your forgiven all will be sunshine and marshmellows

• • Its not so Look at Paul his thorn in His side
  • How would God then correct us if we mess up & make mistakes
  • How would we know mercy without suffering
  • How would we recognize God and thank Him for things
  • From faith to faith look at Paul his problems
  • He had faith and that took him to the next level
  • He persevered and good works were produced
  • II Corinthians 12:7 Pauls thorn in the flesh
  • Kept him humble
  • God used and allowed that from Satan to teach Paul and us
  • I heard that if you have no afflicitions God has no use for you
  • Those that seemed to be afflicted the most God used the most
  • Look at Moses, David, Paul, Jesus, Elijah & Elisha
  • The missionary lady I work with arms broke etc

• It’s the forgiveness that Jesus gives us that heals us

• • Gives us His peace
  • Enables us to be able to receive grace and power thru Holy Spirit to do good to each other as we want them to do to us
  • Do they always do it?
  • Do they condemn us for being us
  • To follow the commandments
  • To love one another
  • Can also block us and harm us like the servant in Matthew 18:23 he couldn’t pay the debt, begged mercy, was forgiven then did not forgive another and was punished

• Forgiveness and justification

• • Paul uses justification, forgiveness puts us in state of permanent grace
  • Removes the guilt of the past
  • Has conditions of which repentance is the main one
  • Perogative of God not obligated to anything to us
  • God is interested in your character
  • Not your charcteristics—like what you wear, eat have earrings

• Therefore what do we know about forgiveness

• • Accepting the wrong of another
  • Not holding a grudge
  • Attempting reconciliation to be made right
  • Not necessarily in agreement not to get what we deserve but mercy
  • Repentance
  • Something without we can not obtain Gods mercy
  • That which comes from the heart deep down
  • Restoring a right relationship with each other and God
  • Jesus said its our duty 7 times 70 and keep on

• • To love as Jesus love and forgive as Jesus forgave
  • Psalm 32 v1 Confessing of sins brings forgiveness
  • Forgiveness brings joy
  • We find in God a hiding place
  • Preservation from trouble
  • Songs of deliverence
  • There’s a balance between what happens to us due to sin and due to testing to grow our faith---you reap what you sow—true look at UCFM Message board and leaders example

• So to be forgiven one must repent-- it must be by the offender

• • Go and ask forgiveness
  • What if he doesn’t—the offended still has to forgive
  • In this way we get Gods forgiveness as it is conditional on our forgiveness of others
  • If you are angry at another, you commit murder in spirit and that’s a sin
  • Have to repent to your brother so God can forgive you
  • Interesting to note that John Baptist, Jesus and Peter:
  • All started preaching saying REPENT. Be baptised, cleans your sins
  • Outward sign of what happened in our hearts and minds and spirit
  • Mt 4:17; Mark 1:15 by Jesus
  • Mt 3:2 by John the Baptist
  • Mark 6:12; Acts 20:21 by the apostles
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• What’s important about repenting or turning away

• • Builds character
  • Re 3:19 as many as I love I reprove and chasten
  • Leads to being like Christ caring for people and each other
  • We will not always get it right
  • God gives us time to turn to Him for salvation from Him
  • He is just and loving----but will judge and punish
  • If we turn to Him He alone will save us thru His son Jesus
  • Leads us to faith that God is on control no matter
  • Greater zeal to proclaim faith in Jesus and the Cross
  • To know who you are in Christ as His child
  • Without the cross, there is no hope for mankind
  • Without the Passion, there is no salvation
  • Cant escape the judgment to come God is just
  • God provides a way out
  • We have to turn from our own work to His work
  • In humility strict obiedence
  • God doesn’t promise a rose garden but delivers delicious aromas
  • No dream voyage, just joyful arrivals
  • That’s repentence—turning from your ways to His ways

So what type person are you forgiving or unforgiving. Do you need to confess some anger, some hostility toward another, do it now so you can get right with God and accept his salvation on His terms and be justified as the tax collector

• • Who saw himself as not worthy
  • Realized forgiveness a divine favor cant do something to earn it outside of repentance
  • Gods forgiveness is removal of sin
  • Debt is cancelled PTL
  • Lay it at the cross—We have a Friend in Jesus AMEN