Discipline #4 - Living in the Power of Forgiveness

June 8, 2025
Discipline #4 - Living in the Power of Forgiveness

THE FOURTH DISCIPLINE  Walking in the Spirit of Forgiveness 

Notes For Video #5: 

“PRINCIPLE”  

The forgiveness of sin given freely to us in Christ, through His atoning death and justifying work, opens a fountainhead of grace that flows to us without measure. That graciousness is a summons to every believer, saying, “Freely you have received so freely give” – a call which cannot remain unanswered except at the expense of blockage bondage and withering of the soul.  

“PRACTICE” 

I offer a confession of my embarrassing self-discovery, at the hand of the Holy Spirit, of the smallness of my own soul seen in my unperceived yet real unforgiveness toward a guy name Jose. In the context of my awakening to righteousness, I share the insights I gained into Jesus’s great story lesson on the unforgiving servant found in Matthew 18.   

“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seven- ty times seven’.” (Matt. 18:21,22)  

TEXT: “I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (Matt. 18:32,33)  

A. There is__________POWER_______in being forgiven and in being forgiving.   B. The spirit of forgiveness releases“forgivingness,”which releases___GRACE____________in its fullest dimensions.   We never learn to live until we have learned how to give... We never learn how to give until we learn how to forgive. We never learn how to forgive  until we learn how greatly we’ve been forgiven.  

1) Dallas Willard called “Forgiveness” The Agape’ Life:” 

 

2) RECEIVING THE FAMILY RESEMBLANCE: 

  3) WELCOME ENEMIES? 

 

FORGIVENESS! 

a) Jesus’ response was “Stop counting Peter”. This isn’t how forgiveness works!  1. It’s a way of ___________. (life)    2. He is calling us to____________(live) in the Spirit of_____________. (forgiveness)    3. Jesus is saying that under the law, they kept score.    In the __________(new) way of living forgiveness is a way of ___________. (life) 

This weeks S.O.A.P Passage: Matthew 18; 21 -35: 

Bible Study Questions for Discussion and Reflection:  

  References: 

Hayford, Jack. Living the Spirit Formed Life: Growing in the 10 Principles of Spirit-Filled Discipleship. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2001. Spiritual Life - Chritianity.  Heather Anne Thiessen, M.Div., Ph.D, "Questions for Reflection and Discussion - Matthew 18:21-35," Matter of Interpretation: Like books. Like, "of the Bible" …, June 29, 2018, https://hermeneutrix.com/2018/06/29/q....  Willard, Dallas. "Fulfilling the Promise of the New Life." (1961). https://dwillard.org/articles/fulfill....