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Forgiven

to

Forgiving

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Jay Adams

Calvary Press

Box 805, Amityville, NY 11701

1–800–789–8175 / calvarypress.com

ISBN: 1–879737-12–4

Cover Design: Anthony Rotolo

Publisher’s Special Thanks to:

Pastor Dave Dykstra and Jean Horjus of Monroe Bible Chapel in Franklin, New Jersey who greatly encouraged us to republish this very helpful book, and to the author Dr. Jay Adams for his gracious permission to do so.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Christian Counselor’s New Testament by Jay E. Adams, ©1977 by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company. Other quotations are from The Modern Language Bible: The Berkeley Version in Modern English (MLB), ©1945, 1959, 1969 by Zondervan Publishing House, used by permission; and the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

© 1994, by Jay E. Adams. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

For information address Calvary Press Publishers,

Box 805, Amityville, NY 11701

Contents

Foreword

Preface

Introduction

1 What is Forgiveness?

2 What Does This Mean to You?

3 Forgiveness is Conditional

4 Forgiveness after Forgiveness

5 When You Are the Offender

6 Other Errors Concerning Forgiveness

7 Forgiveness Isn’t All

8 What About Unbelievers?

9 Keeping the Promise

10 For Whose Sake?

11 Repentance, Confession, & Forgiveness

12 Forgiveness at Work

13 The Church as a Forgiving Community

14 Obstacles to Forgiveness

15 Dangerous Shortcuts, Ploys, & Evasions

16 Forgiveness: Horizontal F3 Vertical

17 The Power of Forgiveness

18 Final Forgiveness

19 Continuing Consequences

20 Guilt, Love, Joy, & Forgiveness

Conclusion

to

Brandon Jay

with joy and hope

Foreword

At a time when the church is rediscovering the importance of forgiveness and restoration, From Forgiven to Forgiving, is a practical approach to reconciling relationships and entering into a deeper walk with the Lord.

Before we can enter into any lasting relationship with another, we must learn how to forgive since we all hurt one another. The Bible says, “forgiving one another.…” It does not simply say, “forgiving others,” but “forgiving one another.” It is a mutual cooperative venture. Not only do we need to forgive, we also need to receive forgiveness. It is the indispensable sign of a Christian.

Each of us stands daily in need of the forgiveness of God; therefore, we need to hear what God has to say to us about that. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” It is clear then that unless we forgive, we are not forgiven.

This is an aspect that seems to have been forgotten in our churches today. And, as forgiveness is usually a painful process, it is one that is quite often ignored.

From Forgiven to Forgiving, takes the reader through every ...