His Forgiveness vs. Ours
OPENING THOUGHT
After correcting a misspelled word with his big eraser, a first grader asked his teacher, “Where do mistakes go when you rub them out?”
Where do our mistakes go when God wipes them out? The Bible says they are sent away never to appear again.
God sent his Son to die for us so that we might be forgiven. This was done by grace, as a gift.
Dan Winkler points out that if you cross out the first three letters and the last three letters of the word forgiveness, you get given. God's forgiveness is the greatest gift we have ever received.
But we are so unforgiving. We bear grudges and hold onto resentment. There is much we can learn from our Father in heaven.
EXPLORING GOD’S WORD
Micah 7:18-20
Micah praises God for his uniqueness. Where does he start? What is the first quality of God he mentions?
The prophet uses two interesting pictures for God's forgiveness in v. 19. Can you find them? How do these illustrate God's forgiveness? Do they hold any special meaning to you?
Exodus 34:1-8
In this passage, the Lord reveals himself to Moses during a very discouraging time in the prophet's life. Israel had just been caught worshipping a golden calf they had constructed while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law.
At least eight attributes of God are mentioned. Can you list them?
Do you think this revelation of God encouraged Moses? Why?
How is it possible that God can both forgive iniquity but “by no means clear the guilty”?
What was Moses’ response to this revelation? How should we respond to God's forgiveness?
Ephesians 1:3-10
Where is “every spiritual blessing” to be found? How do we get there? (cf. Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27).
Through what does redemption come?
God's forgiveness is given “according to the riches of his grace” (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). What is grace? Why is it important to acknowledge that salvation comes by grace?
Matthew 6:9-15
Should God's children pray for forgiveness?
What kind of behavior could nullify our prayers for forgiveness?
Colossians 3:12-17
Is it possible to be in a long term relationship with someone without getting hurt sometimes?
Are our brothers and sisters in Christ supposed to be perfect?
What should we do when we're hurt by a fellow Christian?
To what lengths did the Lord go to forgive us?
What example should we follow in forgiving others?
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Pictures of God’s Forgiveness
Grinding our iniquities into the dirt (Mic. 7:19).
Casting our sins into the depths of the sea (Mic. 7:19).
Covering our transgressions (Ps. 32:1).
Blotting out a stain (Ps. 51:9).
Removing transgressions as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).
Washing blood-soaked garments (Isa. 1:18; Ps. 51:7).
Casting sin behind the back (Isa. 38:17).
A dissipating cloud (Isa. 44:22).
Paying a debt (Matt. 6:12; Isa. 40:2).
Healing disease (Isa. 53:5).
Freedom from slavery (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 6:7).
Not taking an account of sin in the ledger (2 Cor. 5:19).
Nailing sin to the cross (Col. 2:14).
Bearing our sins away (like the scapegoat) (1 Pet. 2:24).
Forgetting wrongs (Heb. 8:12).
