1. You cannot forgive in your own strength.
2. Forgiveness is neither a feeling nor forgetting, nor excusing.
3. Sin creates a debt that must be paid (1 Pet 2:24; Matt 6:12)
- Will you take payments? (demand payments)
- Or make payments? (put away desire to make others suffer)
4. Forgiveness is a decision modeled after God’s forgivness (Col 3:13; 1 Cor 13:4-5)
The Four Promises of Forgiveness
“In response to God’s love for me and in reliance on his grace, I forgive you. Specifically, with God’s help…
- I promise I will not dwell on this incident.”
- I promise I will not bring up this incident and use it against you.”
- I promise I will not talk to others about this incident.”
- I promise I will not allow this incident to stand between us or hinder our personal relationship.”
The four promises as summarized in The Young Peacemaker:
Good Thought
Hurt you not
Gossip never
Friends forever
5. God’s forgiveness inspires our forgiveness (Matt 18:32-33).