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. Living
Hope Fellowship Church
Basic Bible Study Course
SALVATION
(LESSON
#18), PART # 4-1
MERCY
AND FORGIVENESS
1.
JESUS CAME TO SAVE THE LOST
2. WE NEED MERCY
3. HOW DO YOU GET MERCY AND FORGIVENESS?
A HEAR
B ACKNOWLEDGE
C CONFESS
D GODLY SORROW
E REPENT
F DETERMINATION
G ASK
H HUMBLE
I WE ARE REQUIRED TO FEAR GOD
J FORSAKE SIN
K FORGIVE OTHERS
L LOVE THE TRUTH
4. PRAISE GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND FORGIVENESS
5. JOY
Definitions
(Webster's Dictionary)
REPENT:
to feel so contrite over one's sins as to change, or decide
to change, one's ways.
REMISSION:
forgiveness; pardon, as of sins or crimes.
FORGIVE:
to give up resentment against or the desire to punish; stop
being angry with; pardon. to give up all claim to punish or
exact penalty for an offense; overlook. to cancel or remit.
BLOT:
to erase or cancel.
ACCEPT:
to take (what is offered or given), receive (something) willingly,
to believe in, to agree to, to respond in the affirmative.
THREE
VERY IMPORTANT SCRIPTURES YOU SHOULD MEMORIZE:
For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God: Romans 3:23.
(3) If
thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
(4) But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be
feared. Psalm 130:3-4.
By mercy
and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD
men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6.
MERCY
AND FORGIVENESS
1. JESUS
CAME TO SAVE THE LOST
For the
Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10. (Matthew 18:11 says almost the same thing.)
For the
Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save
them. And they went to another village. Luke 9:56.
Read
Hebrews 7:25, John 3:16-17, Isaiah 59:1, John 10:9.
Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God. Hebrews 12:2.
2. WE
NEED MERCY
Why do
we need mercy? God's Word is true. God says in his Word that
the result of sin is death, unless we repent and get saved.
All have sinned and all need forgiveness. Read Romans 3:10.
For the
wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23.
For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23.
(7) But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth
us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (10) If we say that
we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not
in us. 1 John 1:7-10.
(1) My
little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous: (2) And he is the propitiation
for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins
of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2.
And the
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17.
Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews
4:16.
(18)
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and
passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage?
he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth
in mercy. (19) He will turn again, he will have compassion
upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast
all their sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19.
Read
Psalm 86:13, Hebrews 8:12, Psalm 103:8, Acts 17:26.
For we
must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians
5:10.
He could
have destroyed us for our sins, but has made a way of escape
through faith in his son Jesus and what he did to reconcile
us back to God at Calvary.
(15)
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
(16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. Romans 9:15-16.
God does
not change (Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8). Do not put off
to a later date, despise, or reject God's mercy. Read 1 Timothy
1:12-16 and Romans 5:8.
Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5.
(22)
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because
his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23.
3. HOW
DO YOU GET MERCY AND FORGIVENESS? What is required?
A. Hear.
All have sinned and therefore all need forgiveness. Not everyone
acknowledges that they are sinners. How can God forgive you
if you don't know you need forgiveness and then ask God for
it? God sends preachers to preach the gospel, but you can
hear the Word preached and still not get saved. Read Romans
10:13-17. God has given to every man the measure of faith
(Romans 12:3) so all have the ability to get saved, if they
will believe it (Hebrews 4:2). Read 1 Corinthians 1:21.
B. Acknowledge.
God wants us to recognize that we have sinned. The Word is
preached so that you will know what is sin and that sin brings
death. Read Hosea 5:15.
C. Confess.
Confess your sins to Jesus and ask him to cleanse you of them.
If you have heard the Word of the gospel and believe it is
the truth, CALL upon Jesus for mercy and forgiveness of sins!
Read Acts 2:21 and 1 John Chapter 1. Read again Romans 10:9-10.
D. Godly
sorrow is required. Joel 2:13 says for us to rend our hearts,
and not our garments, and turn to God. An outward show of
tearing clothes, as was done in those days, is not sufficient
to show God that we are humble or repentant. He wants us to
have sorrow in heart for the sins which we have done. When
you turn to God, you change your ways. Remember, faith without
works is dead (James 2:26).
E. Repent.
Read Romans 2:4, Mark 1:15, Luke 24:46-47. Refer to Lesson
#4 on repentance.
F. Determination
is required. Just as in the days of Jesus on the earth, people
today will try all kinds of ways to stop you from getting
what you need from Jesus. They are being used by the devil.
Read Matthew 20:29-34. These two blind men didn't let people,
pride, pressure, or anything stop them from calling on Jesus
for mercy. Matthew 20:31 says, "And the multitude rebuked
them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried
the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David."
In verse 34 they received their sight and followed Jesus!
Those who need healing, salvation, a miracle, or something
else from God, need to seek God for their need.
But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6.
G. We
are required to ASK God for mercy if we want it. PRAY to God.
Psalms 86:5 says the Lord is plenteous in mercy to all that
call on him. Luke 11:10 says if you ask you will receive.
(58)
I entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto
me according to thy word. (59) I thought on my ways, and turned
my feet unto thy testimonies. (60) I made haste, and delayed
not to keep thy commandments. Psalm 119:58-60.
H. We
must humble ourselves to God to obtain mercy. He is the King
of kings and we are servants.
(9) And
he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) Two men
went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the
other a publican. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus
with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
(12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not
lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his
breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than
the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:9-14.
I. We
are required to fear God in order to obtain mercy from him.
The Bible says for us to sin not in 1 John 2:1 and tells us
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus. An advocate is
a person who pleads another's cause. Jesus is sitting at the
Father's right hand making intercession for us. Thank God
for mercy! We should fear God. He has power to send both our
soul and body to hell. Because of his mercy and forgiveness,
we can learn to obey God by reading his word, fasting, and
praying. We can learn to overcome the devil and quit sin.
Read Psalm 85:9, Jude 1:5, 1 Peter 4:18.
Men and
brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever
among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation
sent. Acts 13:26.
(22)
And of some have compassion, making a difference: (23) And
others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating
even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 1:22-23.
Behold,
the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them
that hope in his mercy; Psalm 33:18.
And spared
not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher
of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of
the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:5.
(11) For
as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy
toward them that fear him. (12) As far as the east is from
the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:11-12.
(3) If
thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
(4) But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be
feared. Psalm 130:3-4.
J. We
are required to FORSAKE SIN.
He that
covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13.
Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah
55:7.
K. We
are all required to FORGIVE OTHERS in order to obtain mercy
and forgiveness for ourselves. Read Luke 6:37 and James 2:13.
Matthew
6:12. (This is part of the prayer the Lord gave as an example
when the disciples asked him if he would teach them to pray.)
And forgive
us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12.
(14)
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. (15) But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15.
(21)
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (22)
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
but, Until seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22. Read Matthew
18:21-35.
(25)
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. (26) But if ye do not forgive, neither
will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25-26.
Take
heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee,
rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. Luke 17:3.
(12)
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels
of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if
any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave
you, so also do ye. (14) And above all these things put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Colossians 3:12-14.
And be
kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians
4:32.
(10) To
whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave
anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it
in the person of Christ; (11) Lest Satan should get an advantage
of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2 Corinthians
2:10-11.
L. You
must LOVE THE TRUTH. Jesus is the truth.
Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6.
And with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:10.
By mercy
and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD
men depart from evil. Proverbs 16:6.
M. RESTITUTION.
Read Exodus 22:1-25 and Luke 19:8-9.
4. PRAISE
GOD FOR HIS MERCY AND FORGIVENESS
(16)
But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy
mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge
in the day of my trouble. (17) Unto thee, O my strength, will
I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Psalm
59:16-17.
When
God forgives you of sin, thank him for setting you free from
the bondages of sin and guilt, and serve him with the joy
of the Lord.
(1) Bless
the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his
holy name. (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all
his benefits: (3) Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who
healeth all thy diseases; (4) Who redeemeth thy life from
destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender
mercies; Psalm 103:1-4.
Read
all of Psalm 150, Psalm 94:18, Ephesians 1:7, Ezra 9:13.
Sing
unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his
salvation. 1 Chronicles 16:23. Read Psalm 96:2.
I have
not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared
thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy
lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Psalm 40:10.
(2) And
he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
(3) The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield,
and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge,
my saviour; thou savest me from violence. (4) I will call
on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved
from mine enemies. 2 Samuel 22:2-4.
Thou hast
forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all
their sin. Selah. Psalm 85:2.
And that
he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double
to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee
less than thine iniquity deserveth. Job 11:6.
Deal
with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy
statutes. Psalm 119:124.
Thank
and praise God for dealing with us with mercy instead of what
we deserve!!!
5. JOY
But I
have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
Psalm 13:5.
Now the
God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost. Romans 15:13.
Thou
wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:11.
Read Psalm
32:1-11. Impute means charge or accuse. Therefore, when we
are forgiven and Jesus' blood covers our sins, God will not
accuse us of sin.
(1) And
in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though
thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou
comfortedst me. (2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust,
and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and
my song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Isaiah
12:1-3.
I will
greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my
God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself
with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10.
And Moses
said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the
salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for
the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them
again no more for ever. Exodus 14:13.
What
will keep the joy of the Lord from you? Read Isaiah 59:1-3.
CLICK
HERE to go to Lesson 18 Part 4-1 Exam.
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