Living by Faith: Forgiveness, Blessing, and Spiritual Wisdom

Old Testament forgiveness operated under a different reality because people were looking toward the cross, while believers now look back at the finished work of Christ. New Testament forgiveness starts with this revelation: God has already forgiven through the cross, and forgiveness must be received rather than earned by repeated apologies. The Holy Spirit now lives in believers, so forgiveness can flow from a renewed heart instead of becoming a hollow statement with no change inside. God forgave sinners while they were still sinners, and that same character frees believers to forgive people regardless of whether they ever apologize.

Unforgiveness mainly traps the person holding it. Bitterness toward a parent, a grandparent, or somebody who may not even know they caused harm does not punish the offender. Forgiveness is a free gift that releases the heart to move on, because Christ has already given forgiveness freely.

Christ’s return was proclaimed from the beginning, not invented years after the resurrection. Jesus spoke of His return while He was on earth, angels declared it at His ascension, and communion itself proclaims His death “till He comes.” The New Testament keeps Christ’s return right out in the open, with hundreds of references calling the church to live with that expectation.

God’s blessing is not something believers must sit around and wait to receive someday. Ephesians says God “has blessed us” with every spiritual blessing in Christ, has chosen His people, and has made them accepted in the Beloved. Faith must agree with what God has already said, even when circumstances look rough. Faith does not deny a need, but faith refuses to make need the engine that moves God. Faith takes a step, sends the application, fills the live well before the fish are caught, and expects God to respond.

Alcohol itself is not forbidden in Scripture, but drunkenness is. Wine appears as a blessing, yet intoxication breaks down the will, alters the mind, and can open the door to destructive fruit. Christian liberty must also consider whether an action becomes a stumbling block for somebody fighting a real battle.

God laughs because God is full of joy. God’s laughter is not surprise, because nothing catches Him off guard. God’s joy reflects the goodness of a Father who delights in His children and whose kingdom will be full of joy.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Forgiveness flows from the cross New Testament forgiveness begins with what Christ has already done, not with what an offender has done. The Holy Spirit gives believers the ability to release wrongs from a changed heart. Forgiveness does not call evil good, but it refuses to let another person’s sin keep ruling the injured heart. [05:43]
• 2. Unforgiveness only keeps hurting you Bitterness can remain alive long after the person who caused the wound is gone, unaware, or unreachable. That kind of anger becomes a prison for the one carrying it. Forgiveness breaks the grip of that prison because it hands judgment back to God and frees the heart to move forward. [07:21]
• 3. Christ’s return was always proclaimed Jesus spoke of His coming again before He ascended, and angels confirmed that promise immediately afterward. Communion also keeps the church looking ahead, because it proclaims Christ’s death until He comes. Hope in Christ’s return is not a late idea but part of the foundation of New Testament faith. [11:41]
• 4. Faith receives what God has said God has blessed believers in Christ, so faith must learn to agree with His word before circumstances line up. Need may be real, but faith takes action because it trusts God’s character and promise. Faith puts water in the live well before the fish are caught. [25:52]
• 5. Liberty must not enslave others Scripture does not forbid alcohol, but Scripture plainly warns against drunkenness and its destructive fruit. Anything that controls the mind and weakens resistance to temptation has become dangerous. Christian freedom is never a reason to ignore another believer’s struggle or create a stumbling block.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:43] - Old and New Testament Forgiveness
• [05:29] - Forgiveness Through the Holy Spirit
• [06:30] - Forgiving Without an Apology
• [09:38] - When Did Christ’s Return Begin?
• [11:41] - Angels Promise Christ’s Return
• [13:19] - Communion Until He Comes
• [14:12] - God Has Already Blessed You
• [18:40] - Faith Before Circumstances Change
• [21:27] - Taking a Step of Faith
• [29:07] - Is Drinking Alcohol a Sin?
• [33:32] - The Warning Against Drunkenness
• [37:46] - Does God Have a Sense of Humor?
• [40:43] - God Is Full of Joy

1. In Ephesians 4:31-32, what attitudes and actions are believers told to put away, and what attitudes are they told to put on instead? [05:14]
2. What reason does Paul give for forgiving one another in Ephesians 4:32?
3. According to Acts 1:10-11, what were the disciples doing when the angels spoke to them, and what promise did the angels make about Jesus?
4. According to 1 Corinthians 11:26, what two truths does Communion proclaim: one about Jesus’ death and one about His future return? [13:19]

1. Ephesians 4:32 says believers forgive “even as God in Christ forgave” them. How does receiving God’s forgiveness change the way a believer can respond when another person never apologizes? [06:50]
2. Why might bitterness continue to harm a person even when the offender is unaware of the hurt, has passed away, or cannot be reached? [07:03]
3. How do Acts 1:10-11 and 1 Corinthians 11:26 show that Christ’s return was part of the church’s hope from the beginning, rather than an idea added later? [12:00]
4. Ephesians 1:3 says God “has blessed us” in Christ. How should believers hold onto that truth while still honestly facing real needs, disappointments, and difficult circumstances? [18:27]

1. Is there a person whose actions still have a hold on your heart through anger, resentment, or bitterness? What might it look like to release that person to God, even if they never apologize? [07:31]
2. When you think about God’s forgiveness toward you, do you tend to act as though you must earn it again after every failure, or receive what Christ has already done? What would it look like to walk in gratitude and repentance without living under condemnation? [07:57]
3. How does the promise that Jesus is coming again affect the way you handle pressure, discouragement, or unfinished situations in your life right now? [13:39]
4. Where have your circumstances made it difficult to agree with what God says about being blessed, chosen, and accepted in Christ? What Scripture-based statement could you begin to speak and believe this week? [17:23]
5. Is there a wise, practical step of faith you have been delaying—such as making a call, submitting an application, asking for help, beginning a needed conversation, or serving where God has placed you? What is one step you can take this week? [23:02]
6. When it comes to alcohol or any other freedom, how can you honestly evaluate whether it is beginning to control your mind, weaken your judgment, or become a stumbling block for someone else? [33:10]
7. What would change in your daily life if you more deeply believed that God is full of joy and delights in His children? How could you reflect that joy in your home, work, or relationships this week? [39:36]