Forgiveness: Making Peace with the Past
()
About this ebook
Douglas Connelly
Douglas Connelly (MDiv, University of Michigan; MTh, Grace Theological Seminary) is the pastor of Davison Missionary Church in Davison, Michigan, and an adjunct professor at Spring Arbor University. He is the author of several books, including The Bible for Blockheads, The Book of Revelation for Blockheads, and Amazing Discoveries That Unlock the Bible.
Read more from Douglas Connelly
Heaven: Finding Our True Home Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I Am: Discovering Who Jesus Is Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Book of Revelation Made Clear: A User-Friendly Look at the Bible’s Most Complicated Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bible for Blockheads---Revised Edition: A User-Friendly Look at the Good Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBible Prophecy Made Clear: A User-Friendly Look at the End Times Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Twelve Disciples Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lord's Prayer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJohn 1-12: Part 1: The Living Word of God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ezekiel: Visions of God's Glory Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEncountering Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGood and Evil Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Armor of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNames of God: Glimpses of His Character Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDaniel: Spiritual Living in a Secular World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFollowing Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJohn 13-21: Part 2: The Way to True Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHeroes of Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMeeting the Spirit Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Messiah: The Texts Behind Handel's Masterpiece Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAngels: Standing Guard Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsElijah: Living Securely in an Insecure World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Forgiveness
Related ebooks
Meeting God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Growing Older & Wiser Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Prayer: An Adventure with God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Heroes of Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNew Testament Characters Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Acts 13–28: Part 2: God's Power at the Ends of the Earth Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Lord's Prayer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDecisions: Seeking God's Guidance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnxiety: Finding Comfort and Reassurance from God Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Spiritual Gifts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRevelation: The Triumph of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAbiding in Christ Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5John 13-21: Part 2: The Way to True Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEvangelism: A Way of Life Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Questions Jesus Asks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGalatians: Why God Accepts Us Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEsther: Character Under Pressure Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Victor’S Heart: Unlocking the Chambers of Love, Forgiveness, and Trust to Obtain Abundant Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Godly Home: How to Build Relationships in Every Room Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStanding for God in a Perverse Generation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGenesis 25-50: Part 2: Jacob & Joseph Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEphesians In-Depth Bible Study Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Fine Arts of Christian Service: Biblical Insights for Fruitful Christian Service Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHow To Deal With Lust Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Am a Servant Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHebrews: Race to Glory Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Mark 1-8: Part 1: Who Is Jesus? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Christian Character: Understanding the Ways of the Master Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMoses: Calling and Character Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUnderstanding The Lord's Prayer Bible Study Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
Straight to the Heart of Genesis: 60 bite-sized insights Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTill We Have Faces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Speak French for Kids | A Children's Learn French Books Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Straight to the Heart of John: 60 bite-sized insights Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings101 Questions You Need to Ask in Your Twenties: (And Let's Be Honest, Your Thirties Too) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Japanese Perspectives on the Death of Christ: A Study in Contextualized Christology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGetting Started in French for Kids | A Children's Learn French Books Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat Do We Do With the Bible? Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Love in the Void: Where God Finds Us Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Living His Story: Revealing the extraordinary love of God in ordinary ways Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God: An Anatomy - As heard on Radio 4 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sexual Disorientations: Queer Temporalities, Affects, Theologies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God With Us: The Meaning Of The Cross And Resurrection - Then And Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This Incredible Need to Believe Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Body Becoming: A Path to Our Liberation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Total Money Makeover Updated and Expanded: A Proven Plan for Financial Peace Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The God Delusion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Renovation of the Heart (20th Anniversary Edition): Putting on the character of Christ Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5East of Eden Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hero’s Journey Guidebook: Mapping the Story of Your Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy We're Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Discipleship in a World Full of Nazis: Recovering the True Legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Theological Turn in Youth Ministry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEarly Christian Letters for Everyone: James, Peter, John And Judah Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Forgiveness
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Forgiveness - Douglas Connelly
FORGIVENESS
Making Peace with the Past
8 STUDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS
DOUGLAS CONNELLY
Contents
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF FORGIVENESS
PART ONE: HOW GOD FORGIVES US
PART TWO: HOW WE FORGIVE OTHERS
Leader’s Notes
Notes
About the Author
More Titles from InterVarsity Press
Getting the Most Out of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a choice. It’s choosing to absorb the hurt. It’s paying the debt ourselves. It’s extending grace to someone who deserves the opposite.
Forgiveness is also a door to peace and joy. But it’s a small door, and it can’t be entered without stooping—or kneeling. Sometimes, the door of forgiveness is very hard to find.
The truth is we all need to be forgiven. The Bible makes it painfully clear that every one of us has built up an enormous debt of sin to God. The payment of that debt required nothing less than the sacrifice of God’s own Son, Jesus. The Father is now free to forgive us. Someone else has paid the penalty we deserve.
Christians rejoice in the forgiveness we receive from God, but the rub comes from other people. When we hurt the people we love, how do we go about restoring the relationship? When we suffer the pain of betrayal or injury or rejection from someone else, how do we deal with the anger and resentment we feel? This study guide will help us find some answers.
The answers we discover won’t be easy answers. Living out God’s truth will require a great deal of courage and humility. But if we will follow Jesus in learning to extend grace, if we will cultivate a forgiving spirit, we will find a greater sense of peace and freedom than we have ever known before.
This study guide follows two themes—God’s forgiveness of us and our forgiveness of others. Begin at the place where you sense the greatest need in your own life. Then move to the other studies. As you understand more about God’s gracious forgiveness of you, your own capacity to forgive will be expanded and strengthened.
So bring your broken heart, your shattered dreams, your desires for revenge, your guilt and shame. Let God transform life’s worst experiences and your deepest failures into a powerful witness of his grace and love.
Suggestions for Individual Study
1. As you begin each study, pray that God will speak to you through his Word.
2. Read the introduction to the study and respond to the personal reflection question or exercise. This is designed to help you focus on God and on the theme of the study.
3. Each study deals with a particular passage—so that you can delve into the author’s meaning in that context. Read and reread the passage to be studied. The questions are written using the language of the New International Version, so you may wish to use that version of the Bible. The New Revised Standard Version is also recommended.
4. This is an inductive Bible study, designed to help you discover for yourself what Scripture is saying. The study includes three types of questions. Observation questions ask about the basic facts: who, what, when, where and how. Interpretation questions delve into the meaning of the passage. Application questions help you discover the implications of the text for growing in Christ. These three keys unlock the treasures of Scripture.
Write your answers to the questions in the spaces provided or in a personal journal. Writing can bring clarity and deeper understanding of yourself and of God’s Word.
5. It might be good to have a Bible dictionary handy. Use it to look