Forgiveness / Mercy

HOW IMPORTANT IS FORGIVENESS?

To BOTH

(Offender & Offended)

DAILY

Please be sure to read about what **Mercy** has to do with forgiving others, later in this article!

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Matthew 6:12

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:4

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:
that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

But if ye do not forgive,
neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:25-26

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6:14-15

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

Forbearing one another,
and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:13

Re: Our Enemies

Be ye therefore merciful,
as your Father also is merciful.

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned:
forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Luke 6:36,37 KJV

Re: Our Brothers/Brethren

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Luke 17:3‭-‬4 KJV

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord,
how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21-22

Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way;
first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:23-24

We are to make ‘right’ anything that we have done or said, as much as is possible.

Make ‘right’. Whether by deed or word, or both.

Apologize, set things aright.

To ignore this step, is a stumbling block to another.

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Matthew 18:7 KJV

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you,
if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 18:35 KJV

Don’t Take Offense

And then shall many be offended,
and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Matthew 24:10 KJV

“…BE offended…”

It’s up to each person if they choose to TAKE Offense.

Don’t be Offended!

Don’t Offend!

If God’s Word gives offense, that’s between them & God.

“…and shall betray one another…”

Interestingly, ‘BETRAYAL’ is done by someone we care for, feel a ‘connection’ with, etc.

*Friends, Family, *Brethren, etc. [*or who we thought were]

That’s why it hurts so much.

BETRAYAL:

Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations.

But the end of all things is at hand:
be ye therefore sober,
and watch unto prayer.

And above all things
have fervent charity among yourselves:
for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:7-8 KJV

**Mercy**

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him,
and comfort him,
lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

2 Corinthians 2:7-8 KJV

For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

2 Corinthians 2:9-10

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his devices.

2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV

Be ye angry, and sin not:
let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27

This is my commandment,
That ye love one another,
as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:12-13 KJV

“Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do.” ~ Jesus Christ
(Luke 23:34)

“Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” ~ Stephen
(Acts 7:60)

“I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.” ~ Paul

(2 Timothy 4:16)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 KJV

#Mercy

When the Righteous call out to God,
God hears their prayers.

Jesus said;

But I say unto you,
Love your enemies,
bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you;

Matthew 5:44 KJV

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Luke 23:34 ~ Jesus Christ

And [Stephen] said,

Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

And cast him out of the city,
and stoned him:

and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet,
whose name was Saul.

Acts 7:56-58 KJV

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying,

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down,
and cried with a loud voice,

Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.

And when he had said this,
he fell asleep.

Acts 7:59-60 KJV ~ Stephen

Did you catch that?

… stoned him:

and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet,
whose name was Saul.

(Acts 7:58)

At my first answer no man stood with me,
but all men forsook me:

I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

2 Timothy 4:16 KJV ~ Paul {Previously called Saul}

Then said Jesus, “Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do.” That was for all who crucified him. Including you and me.

Why did Jesus, Stephen, and Paul; in the grips of impending death,

make THAT their Last Prayer??

To forgive them and lay it not to their charge?

Forgiveness
Mercy
Grace
Love

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

For as ye in times past have not believed God,
yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Even so have these also now not believed,
that through your mercy
they also may obtain mercy.

Romans 11:29-31 KJV

But love ye your enemies,
and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;
and your reward shall be great,
and ye shall be the children of the Highest:
for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful,
as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 6:35-36

Amen.