News from King’s Baptist Church

We are asking if forgiveness is necessar y, or possible

True forgiveness is neither an armistice nor an amnesty Bu t forgiveness is saying with u tter tru thfulness, “The wrong is no w righted I no longer count this against you ”

Jesus spoke abou t forgiveness, and he taught that we need to take it seriously In recent years many specialists have researched what forgiveness is, and what forgiveness does They have disco vered that there is a link between forgiveness and health In o ther words, when we forgive o ther people, our bodies experience change, such as reduced hear t rate and lo wer blood pressure Those who forgive and those who are forgiven are f reed f rom the burdens o f guilt or shame, bitterness and resentment, and they experience an increase in their peace and well-being

We who follo w Jesus Christ are encouraged and challenged by this We are encouraged because we kno w the forgiveness o f God is real and present We are challenged by the life and teaching o f Jesus His o wn example was to say, “Father forgive them, they do no t kno w what they are doing ” His o wn teaching was to say, “For if you forgive o thers their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, bu t if you do no t forgive o thers their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (see Matthew 6:14–15) This is a big ask, bu t, as the scientists are learning, forgiveness benef its us all May you kno w the comfor ting presence and the lifechanging po wer o f God and the jo y o f forgiveness received and given in your life Alistair

You are invited to join us on Sunday mornings at 10.30 am. Information abou t our o ther events can be found on our website, www.ki ngs ba pt istc hurc h.co.uk