Three Heart Attitudes

• Philemon Background

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Philemon 4-11 • I thank my God, making mention of you always in my

prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ-- I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Heart Attitude # 1

Duty Obligation

It is agony and,nothing in you wants to forgive.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Philemon 15-16 • For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that

you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Heart Attitude # 2

Trust in God’s Greater Plan

– This is one of those “aha” moments when you realize you don’t have all the information on the situation.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Genesis 45:3-5• “Please come near to me." So they came near. Then he

said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Philemon 8-9

• Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love's sake I rather

appeal to you.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Heart Attitude # 3 Heart Attitude # 3

LOVELOVE

• Love is the one identifying trait of those who follow Jesus Christ.

Three Heart Attitudes Leading to Forgiveness

Heart Attitude # 1 – Duty / ObligationHeart Attitude # 1 – Duty / Obligation

Heart Attitude # 2 – Trust (God’s greater plan)Heart Attitude # 2 – Trust (God’s greater plan)

Heart Attitude # 3 – Love Heart Attitude # 3 – Love

Two Demands of Forgiveness

Philemon 17-19• If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you

would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay - not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides .

Two Demands of Forgiveness

Demand # 1

Cancel the Debt

New Testament Concept

Greek Word: aphiemi

Literally: “Open the hand and let go”

If we don’t let go – it will come back to bite us and …

… put us into bondage.

They must think it’s pretty funny that humans don’t have enough sense to let go of something that will

lead us into captivity and bondage!!

Two Demands of Forgiveness

Demand # 2

– Restore the Offender to a Position of Love and Respect

Two Demands of Forgiveness

Philemon 17-19• If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you

would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay - not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides .

Two Demands of Forgiveness

2 Corinthians 5:16

“From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.”

The Contemporary English Version says it like this,

“We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be.”

Two Demands of Forgiveness

Demand # 1 – Cancel the Debt / Let it go

Demand # 2 – Restore the Offender to a position of love and respect

A Word of Caution

“Whoa! Hold on there, partner!”

One Foundational Truth

Faith in the Right God

• The God of Love

• The God Who is Glad

• The God Who works in our behalf

One Foundational Truth

Philemon 3-5• Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the

Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints

Review: Forgiveness Flows From• Three Heart Attitudes

#1 – Duty

#2 – Trust (in God’s greater plan)

#3 – Love

• Two Demands#1 – Cancel the debt / Let it go

#2 – Restore the Offender to love / respect

• One Foundational Truth#1 – Belief in the God of Love and Gladness

One Last Thought

You can apply this to the people who hurt you: Your family Your friends The ChurchPeople at work Even God

But …….

the hardest of all to forgive is …