Dr. Robert Jeffress

Robert Jeffress - Good Grace Relationships (Part 1)

April 16, 2026 | 27:29

Pathway to Victory provides practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through clear, Biblical teaching.

#Goodness #Relationships #Peopleinyourlife #Hurting #Betrayal #Jesus #Sin #Forgiveness #Grace #Offense #Affirmation #LoveofGod #Love #LoveyourNeighbor #UnconditionalLove #HeavenlyFather #RobertJeffress

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Good Grace Relationships (Part 1) | April 16, 2026

Alaska is unlike any other place on earth
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And this is your chance to witness god's masterpiece
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And america's priceless treasure.
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June 13-20, 2026.
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You know i can hardly wait to show you alaska.
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I've been there before
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And every time i witnessed those massive glaciers
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And towering mountains,
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I'm reminded of how incredibly creative our god is.
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Picture this, waking up to snow-capped peaks
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Outside your window.
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Then, heading to your refreshing breakfast,
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Knowing that all your meals are prepared for you.
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The world class service means that you can truly relax.
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We'll explore charming villages together.
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We'll stroll alongside the still waters
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Of the mountain stream.
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And yes, we'll see god's artistry at every turn.
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Reserve your spot
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On the 2026 pathway to victory cruise to alaska
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By calling 888-280-6747
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Or visit ptv.org.
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♪ music ♪
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From the pulpit of the first baptist church
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Of dallas, texas,
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This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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Hi, i'm robert jeffress
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And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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Few people are lucky enough to make it through life
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Without being wronged by someone else.
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Maybe a friend breaks your trust
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Or a business partner takes advantage of you.
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What's the biblical response in those situations
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When you feel violated?
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Today, i'm going to explain what the bible says
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About grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
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My message is titled:
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Good grace relationships
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On today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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Some christians use grace
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As a spiritual get-out-of-jail free card.
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Others pile on so many rules,
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They have no grace for themselves or others.
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In "grace gone wild!"
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Dr. robert jeffress shows you
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What biblical grace actually looks like
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And how practicing it leads to true freedom and lasting joy.
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Discover how grace can transform your marriage,
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Your relationships, and your walk with god.
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Request "grace gone wild!"
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When you give a generous ministry gift
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To "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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"business and friendship don't mix."
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Laura's husband had warned her.
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How she wishes she had listened to dave's advice
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Five months before she partnered
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With her best friend janet in a small at-home business.
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The business called lasting memories
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Was a concept for teaching women how to make scrapbooks
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And it was specially designed for stay-at-home mothers
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Who wanted to earn some extra cash.
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Laura and janet had been friends since grade school
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And they loved the idea of working together in a venture
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That utilized their artistic bent
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And required little startup capital.
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They immediately opened a joint checking account
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Depositing $500 each.
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After the first month of operation,
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They sat down at laura's kitchen table
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To analyze their profits and losses.
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Their initial $1,000 investment
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Had dwindled to $400.
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However, since any business
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Requires non-recurring startup costs,
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They weren't too discouraged.
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After the second month,
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They not only recouped their initial investment,
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But they've added another $1,000 to their balance.
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Things were definitely looking up.
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When laura opened up the bank statement
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For their third month of operation,
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She was surprised to see
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That the balance the bank showed
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Was $300 less than her own records.
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She examined the statement more closely
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And noted three separate atm withdrawals
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For $100 each.
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Knowing that she had not used her card,
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She quickly telephoned janet.
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Perhaps janet's atm card had been stolen.
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No, janet said, "there were some miscellaneous expenses
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For the business that required cash.
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I'm sorry i forgot to tell you."
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Laura asked if janet would give her the receipts
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Since laura was responsible for bookkeeping.
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"you don't trust me?" janet snapped.
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"well, of course, i trust you,
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But we agreed we needed to keep good records," laura said.
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Laura had not even considered anything was wrong
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Until that unwarranted outburst.
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A week later,
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When she casually mentioned the receipts,
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Janet said she had misplaced them.
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The next month,
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There were two more unauthorized withdrawals.
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Laura didn't want to think the worst about her best friend,
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But how could she ignore the mounting evidence
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That her friend was embezzling their funds?
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One day laura received a phone call
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From an officer at their bank informing her
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That one of her company's checks had bounced.
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"i don't understand how that could have happened,
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But i'll be right over to see what needs to be done."
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An hour later, laura received a jolt
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For which she was not prepared.
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In examining the most recent batch of canceled checks
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For lasting memories,
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She came across one made out
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To first national mortgage company for $1,500
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And signed by janet.
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Laura didn't even call ahead of time,
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But drove as quickly as she could to janet's house.
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Ignoring any pleasantries,
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Laura confronted janet with the check.
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"i'm so sorry."
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Janet began to sob.
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"jeff had his hours cut in half three months ago,
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And we were too ashamed to tell people
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We were hurting financially.
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At first, i used the withdrawals to pay for food.
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But then, there was no money for the mortgage payment
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And i panicked.
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I always meant to pay it back.
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Please forgive me."
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Forgive her?
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Of course, laura would forgive her longtime friend,
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But what about their business
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That was now $1,000 in the hole?
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Someone had to make up the deficit and do it quickly.
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Should laura dissolve their business immediately?
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Should the two families meet and work out a repayment plan?
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Should they continue their venture
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But remove janet's name from the bank account?
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Laura dreaded talking to her husband about the problem
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And hearing the inevitable, "i told you so."
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So she confided in debbie,
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Her small group leader at church.
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Debbie was wise beyond her years in spiritual matters
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And reminded laura of a story from the bible.
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"do you remember the parable," she said,
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"that jesus told about a slave
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Who owed a debt he could never repay?
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After begging for mercy from his master,
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The slave was forgiven by his master.
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Then, the slave went out and found a fellow slave
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Who owed him a small amount of money,
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But he refused to forgive his fellow slave.
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When the master heard about it,
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He called the first slave in and said,
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'how could you have been forgiven so much?
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Refuse to forgive such a little debt?'
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In the same way," debbie said,
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"we who have been forgiven by god
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Have an obligation to forgive others."
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"does that mean i shouldn't insist
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That janet repay the money?" laura ask.
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"well, does god insist that you repay your sins
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On the installment plan before he forgives you?"
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Debbie countered.
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"or do you think i should continue in business with janet
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After what she has done?"
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"laura, when god forgave you,
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Did he say, 'i forgive you,
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But i'll never trust you again'?"
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"well, wouldn't it be wise then
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To at least build some controls over our finances
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So this doesn't happen again?"
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"what kind of strings did god place
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On his forgiveness on you?" debbie replied.
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"just as god forgives us unconditionally,
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We are to forgive others."
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Who could argue with logic like that?
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Well, laura's husband, dave, for one.
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He said, "tat kind of argument was fine
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For the sunday school classroom,
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But didn't apply in the business world.
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Refusing to make janet repay her debt
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And continuing their business arrangement with no changes
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Would be like hanging a kick me sign around laura's neck."
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When laura used debbie's analogy
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From the bible about how god forgives us unconditionally,
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Dave snapped, "yeah, but we're not god."
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How does a proper understanding of grace
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Impact our relationship
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With those who have wronged us?
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Does grace require that we unconditionally forgive people
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Who show no remorse for their actions?
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If i do forgive somebody,
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Does it mean that i continue
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To suffer abuse from them
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With no repentance on their behalf?
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And what about people who sin not just against me,
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But against the church?
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Is a church obligated to reinstate a staff member
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Who has been caught embezzling funds?
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Does grace demand that we overlook those in the church
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Who sow dissension in a congregation?
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Forgiveness is an important issue.
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That's why the writer of hebrews warned in hebrews 12:15,
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"see to it that no one of you
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Comes short of the grace of god,
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That no root of bitterness
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Springing up causes trouble,
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And by it many are defiled."
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Sooner or later in your life,
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And probably sooner,
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Somebody's going to wrong you.
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They're going to hurt you deeply.
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And perhaps, the most important choice you make in life
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Is what do you do with that offense.
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Do you hold on to it?
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Do you continue to turn it over
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And relive it in your mind
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Until that hurt metastasizes into a tumor of bitterness?
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Or do you choose to let go of that offense?
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That's what the word forgive literally means.
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It means to let go of an offense.
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I believe that outside of receiving
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God's forgiveness for our sins,
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The most important choice we make in life
00:10:22.144 --> 00:10:24.914
Is whether or not to forgive those who have wronged us.
00:10:24.914 --> 00:10:28.684
And it was out of that conviction about the physical,
00:10:28.684 --> 00:10:31.787
Emotional, spiritual benefits of forgiveness
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That more than two decades ago,
00:10:36.025 --> 00:10:37.626
I wrote a book titled "when forgiveness doesn't make sense."
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Today, it continues in print
00:10:41.330 --> 00:10:43.499
Because it's an issue that every christian struggles with.
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But when i set out to write that book 20 years ago,
00:10:49.839 --> 00:10:51.741
I partnered with the barna research firm
00:10:51.741 --> 00:10:54.510
And we conducted a nationwide survey
00:10:54.510 --> 00:10:56.746
On the subject of forgiveness
00:10:56.746 --> 00:10:59.448
And americans' attitudes toward forgiveness.
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Now, as you would suspect,
00:11:02.284 --> 00:11:03.486
We discovered that non-christians
00:11:03.486 --> 00:11:05.721
Don't have a biblical understanding of forgiveness.
00:11:05.721 --> 00:11:09.158
But what was surprising to us in the survey
00:11:09.158 --> 00:11:11.494
Was that only 25% of those who profess
00:11:11.494 --> 00:11:15.197
To be bible-believing christians
00:11:15.197 --> 00:11:17.299
Actually have a biblical understanding of forgiveness.
00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:20.803
Instead, they have bought in
00:11:20.803 --> 00:11:22.371
To five of the myths about forgiveness
00:11:22.371 --> 00:11:25.307
Including the myth that we can only forgive
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Those who ask to be forgiven;
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Or the myth that forgiveness automatically results
00:11:30.813 --> 00:11:33.983
In the reconciliation of a relationship.
00:11:33.983 --> 00:11:37.620
Today, as we continue our series,
00:11:37.620 --> 00:11:40.189
Grace gone wild,
00:11:40.189 --> 00:11:42.158
About the use and the abuse of god's amazing gift of grace,
00:11:42.158 --> 00:11:47.096
We're going to look at the subject of grace
00:11:47.096 --> 00:11:49.532
And how it should impact our relationship
00:11:49.532 --> 00:11:52.201
With those who wronged us.
00:11:52.201 --> 00:11:54.003
And today, i want to make three simple statements
00:11:54.003 --> 00:11:56.839
About good grace that come directly from god's word.
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Write them down on your outlines, if you will.
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How should grace impact
00:12:03.913 --> 00:12:05.915
How you deal with those who wrong you?
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Number one, good grace.
00:12:07.983 --> 00:12:11.086
Good grace affirms the necessity of forgiveness.
00:12:11.086 --> 00:12:19.128
If you really understand grace,
00:12:15.791 --> 00:12:20.863
You'll understand forgiveness is not optional.
00:12:20.863 --> 00:12:25.668
It is a requirement for every christian.
00:12:25.668 --> 00:12:29.572
Jesus said this clearly in matthew 6:14 and 15.
00:12:29.572 --> 00:12:32.942
He said, "for if you forgive others
00:12:32.942 --> 00:12:35.077
For their transgressions,
00:12:35.077 --> 00:12:37.713
Your heavenly father will also forgive you.
00:12:37.713 --> 00:12:41.016
But if you do not forgive others,
00:12:41.016 --> 00:12:44.987
Then your father will not forgive your transgressions."
00:12:44.987 --> 00:12:50.392
I've heard people try to explain these words away of jesus.
00:12:51.527 --> 00:12:54.296
Well, what jesus really meant was, well,
00:12:54.296 --> 00:12:56.565
What jesus really meant is what jesus really said.
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-amen. -amen.
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He's real clear:
00:13:00.836 --> 00:13:02.638
If you forgive, you'll be forgiven.
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If you refuse to forgive,
00:13:05.474 --> 00:13:07.776
You will not be forgiven by god.
00:13:07.776 --> 00:13:13.048
Period, it's not optional.
00:13:13.616 --> 00:13:16.819
Paul said it this way in ephesians 4:32,
00:13:17.686 --> 00:13:20.723
"be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
00:13:20.723 --> 00:13:23.726
For forgiving one another
00:13:23.726 --> 00:13:25.628
Just as god and christ has forgiven you."
00:13:25.628 --> 00:13:29.632
There is an inseparable link
00:13:29.632 --> 00:13:31.133
Between god's willingness to forgive us
00:13:31.133 --> 00:13:34.270
And our willingness to forgive other people.
00:13:34.270 --> 00:13:37.740
You see that link in that parable that debbie,
00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:41.243
The small group leader, gave to laura
00:13:41.243 --> 00:13:43.946
Reminded her of from matthew 18.
00:13:43.946 --> 00:13:46.448
In our series on the parables,
00:13:46.448 --> 00:13:48.117
We looked at that in depth,
00:13:48.117 --> 00:13:49.485
So i'm not going to rehearse all the details,
00:13:49.485 --> 00:13:51.553
But remember the story?
00:13:51.553 --> 00:13:53.589
A king was having some cash flow problems.
00:13:53.589 --> 00:13:55.824
So he called in everybody who owed him money,
00:13:55.824 --> 00:13:57.793
And he started with the one who owed him the most money.
00:13:57.793 --> 00:14:00.162
It was a slave who happened to owe him 10,000 talents.
00:14:00.162 --> 00:14:04.033
A talent in jesus' day
00:14:04.033 --> 00:14:05.567
Was about 80 pounds of gold, one talent.
00:14:05.567 --> 00:14:09.638
This slave owed 10,000 talents.
00:14:09.638 --> 00:14:12.841
You can imagine how much money that was.
00:14:12.841 --> 00:14:14.643
I did the calculation one time,
00:14:14.643 --> 00:14:16.278
It would be about $16 billion in today's currency.
00:14:16.278 --> 00:14:20.916
Here's a slave who owed a king $16 billion.
00:14:20.916 --> 00:14:24.753
The king said, "pay up
00:14:25.254 --> 00:14:26.789
Or i'm going to put you in prison and execute you."
00:14:26.789 --> 00:14:29.825
And the slave said, "oh, please have mercy on me
00:14:29.825 --> 00:14:32.328
And i'll repay you everything!"
00:14:32.328 --> 00:14:35.097
How in the world was a lowly slave going to repay $16 billion?
00:14:35.097 --> 00:14:39.201
Jesus said the king having mercy on him forgave him,
00:14:40.269 --> 00:14:45.174
Released him of his debt.
00:14:45.741 --> 00:14:48.177
This slave went out.
00:14:48.644 --> 00:14:50.779
As he left the palace,
00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:52.247
Forgiven of a $16 billion debt,
00:14:52.247 --> 00:14:53.983
He happened to remember a friend of his,
00:14:53.983 --> 00:14:57.119
A fellow slave who owed him a payment.
00:14:57.119 --> 00:15:01.190
He owed him a debt.
00:15:01.190 --> 00:15:02.858
The debt was 100 denarii.
00:15:02.858 --> 00:15:05.427
In today's currency, that would be about $16.
00:15:05.427 --> 00:15:08.897
And he went out and found this friend
00:15:09.732 --> 00:15:11.033
Who owed him a measly $16,
00:15:11.033 --> 00:15:12.801
Began to choke him and say,
00:15:12.801 --> 00:15:14.336
"repay me everything or i'm going to have you executed!"
00:15:14.336 --> 00:15:18.574
What did the second slave say?
00:15:18.574 --> 00:15:20.075
"oh, have mercy on me and i'll repay you everything."
00:15:20.075 --> 00:15:22.678
No mercy, no mercy.
00:15:22.678 --> 00:15:24.613
He had him thrown into prison.
00:15:24.613 --> 00:15:26.548
Well, when the master heard about this, the king,
00:15:26.548 --> 00:15:29.351
He was angered and he called the first slave in
00:15:29.351 --> 00:15:31.553
And he said, "how could you?
00:15:31.553 --> 00:15:34.723
Who has forgiven been forgiven so much?
00:15:34.723 --> 00:15:37.026
How could you refuse to forgive such a little debt?"
00:15:37.026 --> 00:15:39.995
And he was so angry the king had him thrown into prison
00:15:39.995 --> 00:15:43.365
Until he repaid everything.
00:15:43.365 --> 00:15:45.901
And then, jesus added the zinger.
00:15:45.901 --> 00:15:48.370
He said, "so shall my heavenly father do to each of you
00:15:48.370 --> 00:15:53.642
If you do not forgive
00:15:54.143 --> 00:15:55.944
Your brother from your own heart."
00:15:55.944 --> 00:15:59.381
Now, understand what jesus was saying.
00:16:00.215 --> 00:16:02.851
He wasn't denying the fact
00:16:03.419 --> 00:16:06.121
That other people have hurt us.
00:16:06.121 --> 00:16:08.524
That first slave that had been forgiven, $16,
00:16:08.524 --> 00:16:12.428
The $16 debt he was holding was a very real debt.
00:16:12.428 --> 00:16:15.164
That fellow slave really owed him that money.
00:16:15.164 --> 00:16:18.067
He had a legal right
00:16:18.067 --> 00:16:20.702
To demand that $16 repayment.
00:16:20.702 --> 00:16:23.939
He had a legal right,
00:16:23.939 --> 00:16:25.207
But he had no moral right to demand it,
00:16:25.207 --> 00:16:28.377
Given the great debt from which he had just been relieved.
00:16:28.377 --> 00:16:33.282
And jesus is saying to you this morning,
00:16:33.282 --> 00:16:35.017
He said, " i'm not asking you to sweep
00:16:35.017 --> 00:16:36.985
Under that hurt you've experienced.
00:16:36.985 --> 00:16:38.987
You don't have to deny it.
00:16:38.987 --> 00:16:40.289
You don't have to play like it did happen.
00:16:40.289 --> 00:16:42.858
Go ahead, acknowledge it,
00:16:42.858 --> 00:16:44.460
That somebody has wronged you,
00:16:44.460 --> 00:16:46.028
But just keep that hurt in perspective
00:16:46.028 --> 00:16:50.866
Because the difference
00:16:50.866 --> 00:16:52.267
Between how much that other person has hurt you
00:16:52.267 --> 00:16:55.104
And how much you have hurt the king
00:16:55.838 --> 00:16:57.773
Is the difference between $16 and $16 billion.
00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:03.479
And only when you understand that great debt
00:17:04.413 --> 00:17:06.815
Of which god has forgiven you
00:17:06.815 --> 00:17:09.184
Are you willing to forgive those who owe you
00:17:09.184 --> 00:17:12.554
For what they've done."
00:17:12.554 --> 00:17:14.289
That's what the bible teaches about forgiveness.
00:17:14.289 --> 00:17:16.825
Good grace affirms the necessity of forgiveness.
00:17:16.825 --> 00:17:22.164
Secondly, good grace recognizes that forgiveness
00:17:23.165 --> 00:17:27.136
Does not erase the consequences of wrongs.
00:17:27.136 --> 00:17:31.240
Good grace recognizes that forgiveness
00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:33.375
Does not erase the consequences of wrong.
00:17:33.375 --> 00:17:37.112
Dave hagler serves as an umpire
00:17:37.746 --> 00:17:41.650
On a recreational baseball league
00:17:41.650 --> 00:17:44.319
In his community.
00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:46.555
And one day, dave was driving
00:17:46.555 --> 00:17:48.257
And a policeman pulled him over for speeding,
00:17:48.257 --> 00:17:50.993
And dave said, "i'm so sorry.
00:17:50.993 --> 00:17:52.294
Please don't give me a ticket.
00:17:52.294 --> 00:17:53.929
You know, i wasn't thinking,
00:17:53.929 --> 00:17:55.230
And, you know, i'll do better next time."
00:17:55.230 --> 00:17:57.032
Policeman wouldn't hear any of it.
00:17:57.032 --> 00:17:58.433
He just said, "if you don't like it,
00:17:58.433 --> 00:18:00.135
Take it up with the court."
00:18:00.135 --> 00:18:02.171
A couple of days later,
00:18:02.171 --> 00:18:03.105
Dave was umpiring the game.
00:18:03.105 --> 00:18:04.573
He was behind home base.
00:18:04.573 --> 00:18:06.575
The first batter that came up
00:18:06.575 --> 00:18:09.545
Was the policeman.
00:18:09.978 --> 00:18:11.780
The policeman recognized dave and said,
00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:14.683
"how did that thing with the ticket turn out for you?"
00:18:14.683 --> 00:18:18.887
Dave said, "all i can say
00:18:18.887 --> 00:18:20.189
Is you better swing at everything."
00:18:20.189 --> 00:18:22.291
(congregation laughing)
00:18:22.291 --> 00:18:24.893
You know, a revenge is sweet even if it's short-lived.
00:18:24.893 --> 00:18:29.464
But when we forgive somebody,
00:18:29.464 --> 00:18:31.266
What we're doing is we're actually releasing them
00:18:31.266 --> 00:18:33.936
Of our right to revenge.
00:18:33.936 --> 00:18:36.705
When we forgive somebody,
00:18:36.705 --> 00:18:37.839
We're letting go of our right
00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:39.975
To hurt somebody else for hurting us.
00:18:39.975 --> 00:18:44.046
And yet, even though we can relieve others
00:18:44.046 --> 00:18:48.517
Of our right to hurt them for hurting us,
00:18:48.517 --> 00:18:51.954
One thing forgiveness can't do
00:18:51.954 --> 00:18:55.090
Is erase the consequences our offender may face
00:18:55.090 --> 00:18:58.627
From other people.
00:18:58.627 --> 00:19:00.262
Here's a great illustration in the bible of that
00:19:00.262 --> 00:19:02.764
In acts chapter 7, verse 60.
00:19:02.764 --> 00:19:05.067
Remember the story of stephen, the first martyr,
00:19:05.067 --> 00:19:07.469
He was being stoned to death?
00:19:07.469 --> 00:19:09.204
And the bible says,
00:19:09.204 --> 00:19:10.138
"then falling on his knees,
00:19:10.138 --> 00:19:11.807
Stephen cried out with a loud voice saying,
00:19:11.807 --> 00:19:15.277
'lord, do not hold this sin against them.'
00:19:15.277 --> 00:19:18.947
And having said this, stephen fell asleep, he died."
00:19:18.947 --> 00:19:23.318
Even in his last moment, stephen the christian,
00:19:23.318 --> 00:19:26.421
Was willing to forgive
00:19:26.421 --> 00:19:28.223
Those who were killing him.
00:19:28.223 --> 00:19:30.058
And he said, "god, don't hold this offense against them."
00:19:30.058 --> 00:19:33.428
That's a wonderful thought.
00:19:33.428 --> 00:19:34.763
That's a sweet thought, stephen.
00:19:34.763 --> 00:19:36.632
But really, stephen didn't have the ability
00:19:36.632 --> 00:19:39.034
To withhold god's judgment from them.
00:19:39.034 --> 00:19:41.603
The fact is god did punish them.
00:19:42.237 --> 00:19:44.306
God held them accountable
00:19:44.306 --> 00:19:46.041
For what they did to stephen.
00:19:46.041 --> 00:19:48.210
And it's the same way when we forgive somebody,
00:19:48.210 --> 00:19:50.279
We can release our right
00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:52.080
To seek vengeance from them.
00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:53.682
But what we can't do is relieve them
00:19:53.682 --> 00:19:56.251
Of the punishment they may face from others.
00:19:56.251 --> 00:20:00.255
For example, when laura said,
00:20:00.255 --> 00:20:01.657
"janet, i forgive you for embezzling the money."
00:20:01.657 --> 00:20:05.494
What she was doing is she was letting go of her right
00:20:06.595 --> 00:20:08.563
To demand repayment for the funds,
00:20:08.563 --> 00:20:11.566
To sue janet in court for the funds.
00:20:11.566 --> 00:20:14.603
She was giving up the right
00:20:14.603 --> 00:20:16.104
To continually remind her of the mistakes she had made.
00:20:16.104 --> 00:20:19.074
But what laura couldn't do through her forgiveness
00:20:19.074 --> 00:20:22.144
Was relieve janet of the guilt she may have felt.
00:20:22.144 --> 00:20:25.681
She couldn't relieve her
00:20:25.681 --> 00:20:27.282
Of the wrath of her husband that janet may face.
00:20:27.282 --> 00:20:30.852
She couldn't even relieve her of the legal action
00:20:30.852 --> 00:20:33.689
That the bank might take against her
00:20:33.689 --> 00:20:36.325
For writing a hot check.
00:20:36.325 --> 00:20:39.261
There's a difference
00:20:39.261 --> 00:20:40.429
Between vengeance and justice.
00:20:40.429 --> 00:20:44.966
The fact is just vengeance,
00:20:44.966 --> 00:20:47.369
And i want you to write this down,
00:20:47.369 --> 00:20:49.071
A great definition:
00:20:49.071 --> 00:20:50.439
Vengeance is the desire to make others suffer
00:20:50.439 --> 00:20:53.208
For the wrongs they've committed against us.
00:20:53.208 --> 00:20:56.478
Vengeance is the desire to make others suffer
00:20:56.478 --> 00:20:59.314
For the wrongs they've committed against us.
00:20:59.314 --> 00:21:01.016
And the bible says, we're to give up vengeance.
00:21:01.016 --> 00:21:04.453
In romans chapter 12, beginning with verse 17, paul says,
00:21:04.453 --> 00:21:07.856
"never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
00:21:07.856 --> 00:21:10.959
Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
00:21:10.959 --> 00:21:13.895
If possible, so far as it depends on you,
00:21:13.895 --> 00:21:18.166
Be at peace with all men.
00:21:18.166 --> 00:21:20.235
Never take your own revenge, beloved,
00:21:20.235 --> 00:21:22.571
But leave room for the wrath of god.
00:21:22.571 --> 00:21:24.639
In other words, let god settle the score for you.
00:21:24.639 --> 00:21:27.242
'for it is written, vengeance is mine.
00:21:27.242 --> 00:21:30.445
I will repay,' says the lord."
00:21:30.445 --> 00:21:33.682
When you forgive somebody,
00:21:34.249 --> 00:21:35.550
You're giving up your right,
00:21:35.550 --> 00:21:37.386
Your desire for vengeance
00:21:37.386 --> 00:21:39.654
To see them suffer for what they've done to you.
00:21:39.654 --> 00:21:42.758
We're to give up vengeance,
00:21:42.758 --> 00:21:43.925
But we can never give up justice.
00:21:43.925 --> 00:21:47.396
Our desire for justice,
00:21:47.396 --> 00:21:48.897
What is justice?
00:21:48.897 --> 00:21:50.298
Write it down.
00:21:50.298 --> 00:21:51.600
Justice is the payment that god or others
00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:54.936
Might seek from our offender.
00:21:54.936 --> 00:21:58.140
Psalm 37:28 says, "god loves justice."
00:21:58.974 --> 00:22:03.779
Somebody has to make things right.
00:22:04.513 --> 00:22:06.348
Somebody does have to settle the score.
00:22:06.348 --> 00:22:08.483
It just can't be us,
00:22:08.483 --> 00:22:10.085
The ones who have been offended.
00:22:10.085 --> 00:22:11.820
We have to let somebody else do it.
00:22:11.820 --> 00:22:15.357
The bible demands that somebody settle the score.
00:22:15.357 --> 00:22:18.460
It can't be the victim,
00:22:18.460 --> 00:22:20.195
But it can be god, or in god's place, government.
00:22:20.195 --> 00:22:23.899
That's the difference between vengeance and justice.
00:22:23.899 --> 00:22:27.402
You know, we can see a great illustration of that difference
00:22:27.402 --> 00:22:30.172
Between vengeance and justice
00:22:30.172 --> 00:22:32.107
In the old testament's story of david.
00:22:32.107 --> 00:22:35.644
Remember later in david's ring?
00:22:35.644 --> 00:22:38.380
There is a man who just dealt him misery
00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:41.616
Until the time he died.
00:22:41.616 --> 00:22:43.452
He was a man named shimei.
00:22:43.452 --> 00:22:46.087
And every time shimei would see king david,
00:22:46.087 --> 00:22:49.458
He would hurl rocks at him,
00:22:49.458 --> 00:22:51.793
Both literal rocks and verbal rocks.
00:22:51.793 --> 00:22:55.597
But he was always slinging rocks at david.
00:22:55.597 --> 00:22:57.532
And while he was doing it,
00:22:57.532 --> 00:22:59.234
He was reminding david of all of the mistakes he made.
00:22:59.234 --> 00:23:02.170
"david, remember that night with bathsheba
00:23:02.170 --> 00:23:04.906
That everybody found out about?"
00:23:04.906 --> 00:23:07.008
Or he would remind him about his own son, absalom,
00:23:07.008 --> 00:23:09.411
Who had led a rebellion against him,
00:23:09.411 --> 00:23:11.012
What a hurtful experience in david's life.
00:23:11.012 --> 00:23:12.981
He was continually reminding him of all of his failures
00:23:12.981 --> 00:23:16.918
While he threw the rocks at david.
00:23:16.918 --> 00:23:19.221
And one day, david's friend had had enough,
00:23:19.221 --> 00:23:21.056
He said, "david, let me handle this for you.
00:23:21.056 --> 00:23:23.758
If it's okay with you,
00:23:23.758 --> 00:23:25.327
I'm going to separate his head from the rest of his body."
00:23:25.327 --> 00:23:28.497
Now, if i were david, i would say, "go at it."
00:23:29.397 --> 00:23:33.535
But david's response was remarkable.
00:23:33.535 --> 00:23:35.670
In 2 samuel 16:11, he said to his friend abishai,
00:23:35.670 --> 00:23:40.275
"leave shimei alone
00:23:40.275 --> 00:23:42.677
And let him curse
00:23:43.111 --> 00:23:44.946
For the lord has told him."
00:23:44.946 --> 00:23:47.516
♪ music ♪
00:23:47.516 --> 00:23:51.486
I hope these delineations of good grace and bad grace
00:23:52.587 --> 00:23:56.825
Helped you navigate your relationships.
00:23:56.825 --> 00:23:59.594
And i'll continue this topic next time
00:23:59.594 --> 00:24:01.930
On "pathway to victory."
00:24:01.930 --> 00:24:03.098
So please, make plans to join us then.
00:24:03.098 --> 00:24:05.967
As we conclude today's program,
00:24:05.967 --> 00:24:07.969
I want to share a note i received from sherry in washington.
00:24:07.969 --> 00:24:11.273
She wrote: "i stumbled upon your radio broadcast
00:24:11.273 --> 00:24:13.975
A few months ago
00:24:13.975 --> 00:24:15.677
As i begin a new job with a 30-minute commute.
00:24:15.677 --> 00:24:18.980
Starting my day with your words
00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:21.149
Has taken me in a new direction
00:24:21.149 --> 00:24:22.817
And understanding for being a child of christ.
00:24:22.817 --> 00:24:26.488
I will keep listening, learning,
00:24:26.488 --> 00:24:28.423
And working toward becoming more christ-like."
00:24:28.423 --> 00:24:32.294
Well, sherry, thank you for that word of encouragement.
00:24:32.294 --> 00:24:35.530
I'm so glad that we can walk alongside you
00:24:35.530 --> 00:24:38.567
On your "pathway to victory."
00:24:38.567 --> 00:24:40.835
And thanks to all of you who support this ministry
00:24:40.835 --> 00:24:43.605
So that we can reach friends like sherry
00:24:43.605 --> 00:24:45.373
And many others.
00:24:45.373 --> 00:24:47.175
Now, please, stay right there.
00:24:47.175 --> 00:24:48.643
I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
00:24:48.643 --> 00:24:50.912
In just a moment.
00:24:50.912 --> 00:24:52.447
The bible tells us we're saved by grace,
00:24:53.315 --> 00:24:56.585
But do you allow yourself to receive grace?
00:24:56.585 --> 00:24:59.554
Do you practice grace?
00:24:59.554 --> 00:25:01.089
Do you abuse god's grace?
00:25:01.089 --> 00:25:03.391
In "grace gone wild!"
00:25:03.391 --> 00:25:04.826
Dr. robert jeffress clears up the confusion
00:25:04.826 --> 00:25:07.529
And shows you how grace leads to joy, not guilt.
00:25:07.529 --> 00:25:11.166
Christians fall into one of two traps
00:25:11.166 --> 00:25:12.867
When it comes to grace.
00:25:12.867 --> 00:25:14.869
Some believe grace means
00:25:14.869 --> 00:25:16.304
There are no boundaries in living.
00:25:16.304 --> 00:25:18.673
Others pile on so many rules
00:25:18.673 --> 00:25:20.275
That christianity feels like a burden
00:25:20.275 --> 00:25:23.278
Instead of a blessing.
00:25:23.278 --> 00:25:25.046
In my book "grace gone wild!" i'll show you
00:25:25.046 --> 00:25:27.382
That true grace leads to a deeper,
00:25:27.382 --> 00:25:30.418
More joy-filled relationship with god.
00:25:30.418 --> 00:25:33.254
Discover how understanding grace
00:25:33.254 --> 00:25:35.657
Can transform your marriage, your relationships,
00:25:35.657 --> 00:25:38.493
And every decision you make.
00:25:38.493 --> 00:25:40.495
Request your copy of "grace gone wild!"
00:25:40.495 --> 00:25:42.964
When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory."
00:25:42.964 --> 00:25:46.334
And when your ministry gift is $75 or more,
00:25:46.334 --> 00:25:49.871
We'll also send you the grace gone wild teaching series
00:25:49.871 --> 00:25:53.441
On both cd and dvd along with the application guide.
00:25:53.441 --> 00:25:57.779
There are too many christians today
00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:59.514
Who have taken this marvelous gift of grace
00:25:59.514 --> 00:26:03.284
And perverted it.
00:26:03.284 --> 00:26:04.919
They are robbing themselves of the joy that comes
00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:07.822
From obedience to god.
00:26:07.822 --> 00:26:10.458
Thank you for your generous support
00:26:10.458 --> 00:26:12.227
Of "pathway to victory."
00:26:12.227 --> 00:26:13.895
Your gift helps us bring bold,
00:26:13.895 --> 00:26:15.630
Biblical teaching around the world.
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Together, we are piercing the darkness
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With the light of god's word.
00:26:19.834 --> 00:26:22.737
There are a lot of misconceptions about forgiveness,
00:26:23.838 --> 00:26:26.541
Especially among christians,
00:26:26.541 --> 00:26:28.209
But a proper understanding of grace
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Brings clarity to the confusion.
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Good grace affirms the necessity of forgiveness,
00:26:33.148 --> 00:26:37.052
And it also recognizes that forgiveness
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Does not erase the consequences of wrongs.
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Next time, i'm going to share a third principle
00:26:42.791 --> 00:26:46.294
That has to do with the issue of reconciliation.
00:26:46.294 --> 00:26:49.764
Does forgiving someone mean
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That you should submit to them as well?
00:26:52.233 --> 00:26:54.703
Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
00:26:54.703 --> 00:26:56.805
In our series grace gone wild.
00:26:56.805 --> 00:27:00.408
Bad grace underestimates the serious
00:27:01.176 --> 00:27:04.312
And long-lasting consequences of sin.
00:27:04.312 --> 00:27:07.215
Bad grace places all the burden
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For reconciliation on the offended party
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And little responsibility on the offender.
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Set your dvr and join us next time
00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:19.994
For part two of the message:
00:27:19.994 --> 00:27:21.629
Good grace relationships here on "pathway to victory."
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♪ music ♪
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Robert Jeffress - Good Grace Relationships (Part 1)

April 16, 2026 | 27:29

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