This presentation is an overview on the subject of forgiveness. It is a gift to oneself primarily and not something that you give to others. It provides exceptional health and emotional benefits.

1. Forgiveness
–The Gift Rarely Given
Lowenfield Alleyne

2. 2 Timothy
2:24‐26
(KJV)
24 And the servant of the Lord must
not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those
that oppose themselves; if God
peradventure will give them
repentance to the acknowledging of
the truth;
26 And that they may recover
themselves out of the snare of the
devil, who are taken captive by him
at his will.

3. 2 Timothy
2:24‐26
(CEV)
24 and God’s servants must not be
troublemakers. They must be kind
to everyone, and they must be good
teachers and very patient.
25 Be humble when you correct
people who oppose you. Maybe
God will lead them to turn to him
and learn the truth.
26They have been trapped by the
devil, and he makes them obey him,
but God may help them escape.

4. What We Will
Cover
The Offense
 Offenses & Expectations
The Offender
The Offended
Unforgiveness
 Illustration
 Physical Effects
Forgiveness
 Definition
 Value of….
 Forgiving is Not….
 Forgiving is….

5. OFFENSE
 The Greek word for offense is
skandalon and it is defined as
follows:
 properly, "the movable stick or
tricker (`trigger') of a trap, trap‐
stick; a trap, snare; any
impediment placed in the way and
causing one to stumble or fall" (a
stumblingblock, occasion of
stumbling):
 metaphorically, "any person or
thing by which one is (`entrapped')
drawn into error or sin“
‐THAYER'S GREEK LEXICON

6. Isaiah 8:14
(KJV)
14 And he shall be for a
sanctuary; but for a stone
of stumbling and for a rock
of offence to both the
houses of Israel, for a gin
and for a snare to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7. Matthew
13:41
(KJV)
41The Son of man shall
send forth his angels,
and they shall gather out
of his kingdom all things
that offend, and them
which do iniquity;

8. Offenses &
Expectations
The closer the individual is to
you the greater the offense
The higher your expectation
of an individual the greater
the offense

9. The Offender
The individual that has
committed an offense.
The one that is perceived
to have committed an
offence

10. The
Offended
Offended persons fall into two
categories:
1. Those who have been
treated unjustly
2. Those who believe that they
have been treated unjustly

11. Exercise
List (with 1 being the closest, and 5 being
the most distant relationship)
the names of five people who have
offended you:
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________

12. Unforgiveness Imprisons individuals
Severs relationships
Widen breaches
Handicaps
Stunts growth
Hurts you

13. Illustrations

14. Quote
When you don’t forgive
someone, in some way that
person is in jail, and you are the
warden. You’re incarcerated,
too, because you have to make
sure the prisoner stays there.
—KERNEY FRANSTON

15. Unforgiveness
 a giant metaphorical hook
 you first, the offender next.
 you’re always carrying the hook
and the offender.
 let the offender off the hook first.

16. The Bible &
Anger
Job 5:2 (KJV)
2 For wrath killeth the foolish man,
and envy slayeth the silly one.
Job 18:4 (KJV)
4 He teareth himself in his anger:
shall the earth be forsaken for thee?
and shall the rock be removed out
of his place?

17. Exercise
Think about the person who is
number one on your list. What
emotion do you feel?
__________________________
How do you physically feel when
you think about the person?
__________________________

18. Physical
Effects of
Unforgiveness
 greater levels of anxiety and
depression.
 at higher risk of cardiovascular
disease and cancer.

19. Definition of
Forgiveness
 non‐verbal concept
 Best defined through experience.
 dissolving negative feelings by use
of compassion.

20. 2
Corinthians
2:10 (KJV)
10To whom ye forgive any thing, I
forgive also: for if I forgave any
thing, to whom I forgave it, for your
sakes forgave I it in the person of
Christ;

21. Value of
Forgiveness
 liberates a person from intense
and protracted suffering.
 secure and more optimistic place.
 enables people to forgive
themselves.
 promotes higher self‐esteem,
physical health, vitality and a
happier life.

22. Forgiving is
not…
 Just Forgetting
 Excusing
 Saying “what you did was ok”
 Pardoning
 Reconciliation
 Telling the offender “I forgive you”

23. Forgiving is a
Gift
 It is a gift to oneself.
 It is a gift to the offender.
 The offender doesn’t need to
know.
 It is given freely.
 It doesn’t depend on the offender
being remorseful.

24. Exercise
Write a prayer for all persons on
your list, asking God for His help
and wisdom.
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________

25. Quotations
“Do I not destroy my enemy when I
make him my friend?”
‐ Lincoln
“He who cannot forgive others
breaks the bridge over which he
himself must someday pass.”
‐ Lloyd Herbert

26. Romans
12:20 (KJV)
20Therefore if thine enemy hunger,
feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:
for in so doing thou shalt heap coals
of fire on his head.

27. Questions