Conditions for Conferral by God & Reception by Man

In this part of the sermon: Pastor Martin opens by reading Ephesians 4:31-32 and Colossians 3:12-14, then immediately addresses prevalent unbiblical counsel regarding forgiveness, such as forgiving oneself…

Examples of current unbiblical counsel (forgiving oneself, dead relatives, or God) are used to highlight the widespread confusion and error regarding the nature of forgiveness.

You must learn to forgive your dead relatives who wronged you. you must even be willing to forgive God now as hard as it may seem for some of you to believe it these exhortations are only a sampling of some of the current counsel being given with respect to the duty and the privilege of Christian forgiveness In the books that set forth that counsel You will find such words as I have used You must learn to forgive yourself Though I challenge you to find one phrase in the Bible

3:13 - 4:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He reviews the central place of forgiveness in biblical revelation and provides a biblical definition of both divine and human forgiveness, emphasizing the four-pronged promise…

The act of human forgiveness is described as a four-pronged promise, including not volitionally thinking about the sin, not bringing it up, not speaking of it to others, and not allowing it to hinder relationship, clarifying its comprehensive nature.

What is she doing? She is making a four-pronged promise. She is saying, first of all, I will not volitionally or consent to think about this issue again. Now granted, the thing that needed to be forgiven may have gone into the hard drive of the soul.

8:31 - 8:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He reviews the central place of forgiveness in biblical revelation and provides a biblical definition of both divine and human forgiveness, emphasizing the four-pronged promise…

The analogy of a 'delete button' for thoughts of past offenses that 'pop up on the screen of the mind like spam' illustrates the volitional commitment not to dwell on forgiven sins.

And at times may pop up on the screen of the mind. Or it may come into the screen like spam. You haven't asked for it, you haven't sought for it, and there it is. but to know that when it's there you push the delete button that's the promise of forgiveness I'll work the delete button as often as I need to and once it's there on the screen of the soul I will not gaze upon it I will not bring it to it no, if it's there I've made a commitment that I will not consent to think about this thing again Secondly, I will not bring up the issue with you.

8:53 - 9:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Be passionately concerned with the question of the conditions for God's forgiveness, as it is a matter of life and death.

The distinction between a 'never-dying soul' and 'never-dying existence' (soul-body entity) is made to emphasize the eternal consequences of dying in an unforgiven condition.

This question and its biblical answer is of crucial importance for the well-being of your own never-dying existence. Notice I didn't say never-dying soul. Because it's not just your soul that's never-dying, it's your existence as a soul-body entity. You will be somewhere, body and soul, forever.

13:54 - 14:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin surveys passages from Luke 24 and the book of Acts, demonstrating that the apostles consistently preached repentance and faith as the non-meritorious, God-given conditions…

Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost, interrupted by the Holy Spirit's powerful conviction, is used as an example of people being 'pricked in the heart' and asking 'What shall we do?', illustrating the immediate need for repentance.

Well, turn to the book of Acts and we'll see. On the day of Pentecost, Peter's preaching and he had an experience that I hope I'll have before I die. The Holy Spirit comes in such power in the midst of his preaching that he gets broken off before he can finish. People can't hold it in any longer.

26:03 - 26:24 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: David's adultery, murder, and subsequent repentance in 2 Samuel 12 and Psalm 32 serve as a vivid illustration of God's conditional forgiveness for His children, where forgiveness…

David's spiritual condition during his unrepentant period (adultery and murder) is described, referencing Psalms 51, 6, and 32, to illustrate the internal agony and broken communion with God that results from unconfessed sin.

And when the prophet comes, and I want you to see that it's one of, to me, one of the most thrilling passages in all of my Bible. 2 Samuel chapter 12. here's the man after God's own heart,

42:16 - 42:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If we are to forgive even as God forgives, and God's forgiveness initially and continually is conditional forgiveness. You beginning to get the picture? What's that mean about our sinning against one another? And our con…

God's heart is pictured as a door 'bowed with the pressure' of His yearning to forgive David, illustrating His readiness to forgive once David repents, and that the 'locks were on David's side.'

What's the picture? Here's the picture, and I hope you see it. When David sins with the wretched sins of his adultery and murder and his backsliding over these many months, The heart of God is yearning as His heavenly Father to forgive Him. Longing to forgive Him.

45:34 - 45:55 Read in full sermon

The point: If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault between you and him alone, with the aim of gaining your brother.

The passage of Matthew 18:15 is 'rewritten' according to unconditional forgiveness theology to expose its absurdity and how it contradicts Jesus' actual teaching on confrontation and reconciliation.

Jesus said unto him I say unto you not seven times but until seventy times seven now let's rewrite this according to the unconditional forgiveness theology if your brothers sin against you go tell him the good news that you have unconditionally forgiven him and there is now no barrier to your relationship end of issue right Wayne you sinned against me I'm to unconditionally forgive you so I come to you and I say Wayne you know you sinned against me I know you sinned against me but I want to tell you something I unconditionally

55:22 - 56:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Deal graciously with others in forgiveness, desiring that God deal with you in the same way, as taught in the Lord's Prayer.

Pastor Martin shares his personal experience of fear when arriving at a theological position (conditional forgiveness) that he initially thought was unique, and his relief upon finding support in other commentators, illustrating the carefulness of his study.

study of the word in my own understanding and I got scared when I came to a certain position and I couldn't find any commentary, any book on forgiveness 10 o'clock the other night I came running down to my wife I said honey, honey I found it, found it in one of my books a well known book on forgiveness I found someone saying what I had come to And then I found a 19th century commentator. I said, well, Lord, I'm not alone. I'm scared to death when I come up with something nobody else has seen. But I want to give you a couple of those quotes tonight, and I hope they'll be helpful.

69:24 - 69:57 Read in full sermon