Porter Podcast

Matthew 28: 19-20 
Pastor Nick Sandefur

2 Timothy 3:14-17

1 Corinthians 12

Acts 2 : 41-47
Senior Pastor Nick Sandefur 

Matthew 6: 25-34

John 1

Luke 6 36-38

Series:  The Character of God

Forgiving & Just

Exodus 34:1-7

God’s character does not change.   

“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:6-7a  

There are 2 ways that He shows His faithfulness:

1) He dwells with His people. 

2) He willingly forgives His people.

He is a FORGIVING God

Forgiveness:  nā·śā = to lift a burden, to be transported, to raise the head of someone with eyes turned downward, to honor someone

“for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. 

He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”

2 Chronicles 30:9b

Iniquity:                    ʿā·wōn = breaking a law

Rebellion:                pě·šǎʿ   = rejecting authority   

Sin:                             ḥǎṭ·ṭā·ʾāh = immoral/evil

He is a God of JUSTICE 

He will not leave: pā·qǎḏ = to count, to record.

According to Deuteronomy 24:16 and Ezekiel 18:20, children were not penalized for their parents’ sins. 

The justice/forgiveness tension is reconciled through penal substitution = a substitute taking a person’s penalty.

God does not set aside justice to make room for mercy. Rather justice and mercy embrace at the cross.  

Romans 3:23-26   

Lessons for Us:

Do not neglect the full character of God. God will judge and punish sin. 

Revelation 20:11-15  

Forgiveness does not mean that justice is not served. Justice makes it possible for forgiveness to exist.  

Romans 12:19   

Colossians 3:13

Understanding God’s character as revealed in Jesus gives us the model for our lives.

Exodus 34: 6-7, 40: 34-38

Series: I John

Love the People of God

I John 3 & 4

I have written these things to you who believe in the name 

 of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

I John 5:13    

3 Assuring Signs

·      You believe the right things.

·      Your life is changing.

·      You love the people of God.

I John 3:10-20

Mankind’s default response is not love.

Love is not self-generated; it is a work of the gospel in our lives.  

Love is verbal, but it is also tangible.

Two primary characteristics of love are selflessness and sacrifice.

I John 4:7-21

“God is love” does not mean the emotion of love is always God or that love is God’s only attribute-- it reminds us that love is the core of God’s being.    

Because our Creator is love, mankind instinctively knows the rightness of love.  

As we mature in faith, we should see love growing. 

We are not saved because we love, we love because we are in Him and He is in us.

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,

 may be able to comprehend with all the saints

what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge,

 so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19

My confidence in His love gives me confidence in my eternity. 

how do you know that you know?  

·      You know because you are becoming like Christ. 

·      You know because you love.

·      You know because you believe.