Counseling: Forgiveness Flashcards
(40 cards)
How should we forgive others?
As we have been forgiven by God.
What does it mean, when we say God is faithful?
God is faithful to himself and his own nature. He will never violate his own nature.
How do we know it is in God’s nature to forgive?
Ps 86:5
Are there sins that cannot be forgiven by God?
No, every sin can be forgiven by God.
Ex 34:6
Ps 32:1-2,
Ps 103:3,
Ps 10-12
Psalm 32 uses three synonymous words to describe sin, what are they, and for what purpose are they used
Sin
Transgression
Iniquity
It is to emphasize that the sin God forgives is ALL sin, not just a particular sin.
Why is it important to communicate the truth of God and his nature to people, who live in sin?
Because some people think that their sin is beyond redemption, and that God will not forgive them, but judge them instead, and so they avoid God.
When has God decided to forgive us?
He was ready to forgive you while you were still His enemy & before you were ready to ask for or receive forgiveness
Ps 86:5, Rom 58,10
Stories that illustrate God’s forgiveness?
- Prodical Son
2. Peter denies Christ
How does the prodigal son, illustrate God’s readiness to forgive?
When the son returns to the father, even before the son could apologize, and ask for forgiveness, the father runs to the son and embraces him.
Does God forgive us because we deserve it?
He forgives out of His mercy and grace and not because you deserve His forgiveness
Rom 5:6-8
Eph 2:4-7
Col 2:13-14
What does Paul mean in Eph 2:4-7, with the phrase “when we were dead in our trespasses”?
When we were still following the course of this world, the prince of this world. While we were still the sons of disobedience
Does God deal with us according to our sins, once we are forgiven?
When God forgives you, He no longer deals with you according to your sin
Is 43:25
Is 44:22
Ps 32:1
Ps 51:9
Ps 103:10
As Christians, should we deal with others based on their offenses against us?
No, God doesn’t deal with us according to our sins or trespasses against him
When God forgives us, does he still charge the guilt or our sin to our account?
NO, he no longer charges the guilt of our sin to our account
Ps 32:2
Rom 3:24-25
Rom 4:8
Rom 8:1
2 Cor 5:19
Does God hold our sin against us after he has forgiven us?
When God forgives you, He removes your sin from you & from His presence and promises not to remember it against you any longer, but to have compassion on you.
Ps 103:12
Is 38:17
Mic 7:19
Heb 10:14-18
Should we give counselees verses to memorize for the sake of memorization?
No
We memorize verses for the purpose of being able to apply it and teach it.
Counselees should be able to explain it to others. The purpose of counseling is to make disciples that are going to multiply themselves
Does God ever withhold forgiveness?
No
God never withholds forgiveness, when sins are confessed in a sincere, bilbial manner
What does it mean, when we say “We need to first build a bridge of theology, that can bear the weight of command”
Before we tell people what to do, like “you need to forgive them”, we first have to educate the person and help develop their theology around the topic of forgiveness.
Once they know what God’s forgiveness looks like, and how God has forgiven them, and we have talked about how God expects them to respond to HIs forgiveness by forgiving others, then we can look at them forgiving others
We can say something like “Now that you know what God’s forgiveness looks like, what should your forgiveness look like?”
How should we respond to God’s forgiveness?
- We need to forgive others just as God in Christ has forgiven us (Eph 4:32; Col 3:13, Mk 11:25)
- Bear with one another (Col 3:13)
- Willingly grant forgiveness whenever another confesses sin to you
- Forgive any type of sin, no matter how severe or devastating it might seem to be.
- We forgive on the merit of Grace, not on the merit of the person
- Expect a renewed relationship with the one who is forgiven
- Forgive completely and not remind the forgiven person of his sin in an accusing manner, even though it may not be appropriate to release the offender from all the consequences of his sin.
- Always be ready to forgive (Mk 11:25)
What does it mean when we say that we are no longer obligated to the flesh
it means we are no longer obligated to hold a grudge, to slander people, to hate people, because of what they have done to us.
In Christ, we are free to forgive them, as now we are obligated to the spirit
In our flesh, we may desire to do these things, but we are not obligated to do them, we are free in Christ
Books in the bible to use to talk about forgiveness
Ephesians
Colossians
and Philimon as a case study of working through the principles of forgiveness that are talked about in Ephesians and Colossians
Are all sins the same?
Sins can be differentiated by the consequences and effects they have on others, in this sense, not all sins are the same, a white lie, doesn’t effect people the same as say the murder or rape.
However, in the courtroom of God, a sin is a sin, if you violate a part of the law, you have violated the whole of the law, and so even the sin of lying, is deserving of death.
So in God’s courtroom, their is no difference between pretty and ugly sinners.
How does the love of self influence a person’s reaction to an offence committed against them?
When our love of self is low, then so is our need to be offended by trespasses committed against us
Principles of forgiveness
- It is an act of obedience to the Lord and must be granted from the heart (Matt 18:35, luke 17:3-10; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13)
- 4 expectations
a. ) Not keep a record of wrongs suffered (grudge)
b. ) Not Gossip about a person’s sins to others (slander)
c. ) Not dwell on the offense yourself (rumination)
d. ) Restore fellowship with the forgiven person or the offender, as far as is biblically possible
