Sermon Notes from 6/11/23 Visit to First Baptist Church of Victoria

Ephesians 4:31-32

Our faith embraces forgiveness.

Do you accept your forgiveness in Christ?

Do you appreciate it?

If so, we should extend it like Christ does.

We have two choices when offended:

1. Forgiveness

2. Bitterness

Ephesians 4:26 - Be angry and do not sin. Doesn’t mean that you can never be angry, which is a legitimate response. However, we’ve let the sun go down on a lot of anger.

We need to urgently take our anger and bitterness to God, so Satan doesn’t have a foothold in your soul.

Forgiveness is an act of worship.

Seven things forgiveness is:

Canceling a debt owed to you

Removing the control of your offender

A gift (to yourself and your offender)

Forsaking revenge (Romans 12:19)

Leaving ultimate justice to God

An ongoing process

Wanting good for your offender

Forgiveness is not:

Denying or diminishing sin

Enabling sin

Requiring an apology

Covering up sin

Forgetting (sometimes is impossible to forget, even though forgiveness is real)

Trust (forgiveness is a moment, but trust is earned and over time)

Reconciliation (both parties have to be involved)