.

Through sincere prayer we are

brought into connection with the
mind of the Infinite. We may have no
remarkable evidence at the time that the
face of our Redeemer is bending over us in
compassion and love, but this is even so.
We may not feel His visible
touch, but His hand is upon us in
love and pitying tenderness. {Pr
102.3}
• 103
 THE SPIRIT OF
FORGIVENESS
 What is forgiveness?
 It is the action of forgiving (the
weak can never forgive.
Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong). Mahatima Gandhi.
 Synonyms: (Action of forgiving)
REMISSION
 (Readiness to forgive) MERCY
FORGIVE
To pardon, to waive any negative feeling or desire for punishment.
• To accord forgiveness.
MERCY: Relenting, forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.
( she took mercy on him and quit embarrassing him)
 A tendency toward forgiveness, pit or compassion.
•
JESUS TAUGHT
US TO FORGIVE
• In Mathew chapter 6:12 6:12
And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors.

• PAUL ALSO IS SAYING IN COLOSIANS THE

SAME THING
• Colossians 3:13 Forbearing
one
another, and forgiving one
another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as
Christ forgave you, so also [do]
ye.
 And be ye
• Ephesians4:32

kind one to another,

tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
even as God for
Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.
•
HOW TO SEEK PEACE AND FORGIVENESS
• MATHEW18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and
tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou
hast gained thy brother.
• 18:16But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or two more,
that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

• 18:17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell [it] unto the church: but if he
neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a
publican.

• 18:18Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be

bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.
• 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
• 18:22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until
seventy times seven.
• 18:23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which
would take account of his servants.
• 18:24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which
owed him ten thousand talents.
• 18:25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be
sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be
made
• 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and
worshipped him, saying, Lord, have
patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
• 18:27Then the lord of that servant was
moved with compassion, and loosed him,
and forgave him the debt.
• 18:28But the same servant went out, and
found one of his fellowservants, which
owed him an hundred pence: and he laid
hands on him, and took [him] by the
throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
• 18:29And his fellowservant fell down at
his feet, and besought him, saying, Have
patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
• 18:30And he would not: but went and cast
him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
• 18:31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came
and told unto their lord all that was done.
• 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked
servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
• 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy
fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
• 18:34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was
due unto him.
• 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye
from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
•
 If I regard
• Psalms 66:18

MAKE THY HEART CLEAN

iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear
[me]:
• Mathew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and
there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
• 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first
be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles
• 5:25
thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the
officer, and thou be cast into prison.
 • When we come to ask mercy and
WHY SHOULD WE FORGIVE? blessing from God we should have
a spirit of love and forgiveness in
our own hearts. How can we pray,
“Forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors,” and yet
indulge an unforgiving spirit?
Matthew 6:12. If we expect
our own prayers to be
heard we must forgive
others in the same
manner and to the same
extent as we hope to be
forgiven. {Pr 103.1}
• . He has upon his heart the burden of the souls of his neighbors. He
must have the help of Jesus. How careful he will be to walk
circumspectly, that his prayers may not be hindered,
that no cherished sin may separate him from God.
While helping others, such a worker is himself obtaining spiritual
strength and understanding, and in this humble school he may
become qualified to enter a wider field.
 As laborers for God, we need a more sacred nearness to him,
and
a closer fellowship with one another, that our
prayers and efforts may not be hindered.
HS119-1
 A machine may be perfect in all its parts, and
yet there be much friction and wear in its
movements; but apply oil, and it performs its
work quietly and well. So with us. It is necessary
to have the oil of grace in our hearts, in order to
prevent the friction that may arise between us
and those for whom we labor. HS119-2
• We pray, "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
that trespass against us." Do we do our part to answer this
prayer? We are to make every effort in our power to remove
every stumbling-block from before the feet of our brother.
But too often our prayers are hindered by our pride of heart,
by our refusal to confess faults and to remove wrong
impressions. Let us remember that our prayers are not
acceptable to God while we suffer a fellow-worker to
misapprehend us. If we are not to blame for the
misunderstanding that exists, we can perhaps make an
explanation that will remove the misunderstanding. If we
are to blame, if we have left a wrong impression on a
brother's mind, we are certainly under obligation to do all in
our power to remove this impression. {AUCR, April 15, 1903
par. 7}
The lessons which Christ has given us are to be studied and into our
religious life of every day. He says: “If you forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive thy trespasses.”
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you.” Mathew 5:44
• Those who harden their hearts to forgive……. “their prayers are
thus hindered, their faith is paralyzed and unkind thoughts are,
unholy suspicions, alienate them from their brethren. Thus
GOD is dishonored, and SOULS ARE IMPERILED. RH Chapter 767
 A few words of explanation might change entirely the views of those who have
been at variance, cherishing bitter feelings. We cannot be obedient to the law of
God until we put out of the mind all differences, until we allow our hearts to be
softened and subdued by the Spirit of Christ. Our prayers are hindered by our pride
of heart, by our refusal to confess faults and to remove wrong impressions. {TDG
19.3}
 We are to make every effort in our power to remove every stumbling block from
before the feet of our neighbor or our brother. My son [Edson], make every
concession that it is possible for you to make. Do not leave on a suffering mind a
misconception that an advance in humiliation and tenderhearted interest would
remove. Satan will be sure to come to that mind with the temptation to
misconstrue and to make a mountain out of a molehill. A mind that easily stumbles
over hurt feelings will conjure up mistaken ideas of all kinds. {TDG 19.4}