If someone were to ask you what is the principal factor of the Christian faith, how would you respond? What is the best medicine for guilt and can it be shared with anyone else? Well open your bible take a few notes and listen in today as we return to our ongoing study through the gospel of Mark in the latter portion of the eleventh chapter in a message Pastor Fisher calls “Truly Forgiven”. So, open your bibles and listen in, as we pray along with our teacher.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Genesis 50:16 – 21 (KJV)
Gen 50:16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, Gen 50:17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Gen 50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. Gen 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Gen 50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Mark 11:25 – 33 (KJV)
Mark 11:25 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. Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Mark 11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, Mark 11:28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? Mark 11:29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Mark 11:30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. Mark 11:31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? Mark 11:32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. Mark 11:33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Transforming Power Statements:
#1) Universal forgiveness is the greatest factor of true salvation due to the fact that no other characteristic of salvation would even be possible if God did not first forgive sinners of their transgressions in order to clear the way for further fellowship to be developed; this is why God gave Jesus His Son as a ‘propitiation’ {an offering that completely satisfied God wrath against sin} for the sins of all who trust in Jesus and believe that God has raised Him from the dead.
#2) Since God has provided at immeasurable expense the death of His Son as full payment for the sins of His people i.e. believers in Messiah, Jesus, God has also ordained that those who believe and are saved by Christ also forgive in like manner, and become agents who also propagate this forgiveness to all the nations of the world.
#3) Being forgiving is proof of being forgiven and is contrary to the fallen reasoning of the unsaved and must be cultivated even in the saved through prayer and the ministry of the Holy Spirit who leads us to obedience to the Word of God which commands that we forgive others as God has forgiven us for Christ’s sake.
