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Stand Alone

The Power of Forgiveness

February 22, 2026

About this message

We all know what’s wrong with the world. Or at least we think we do. It’s the system. The culture. The other side. But Scripture turns the mirror toward us. The fracture in our relationships doesn’t begin “out there” — it begins in the old self, the part of us that protects pride, feeds resentment, and quietly keeps score. Until Jesus deals with the corruption in our own hearts, healing stays out of reach. The cross doesn’t just diagnose evil; it defeats it. And forgiveness is how resurrection power starts repairing what sin has broken.

In Colossians 3:5–14, Paul calls us to put off the old self and put on the new — to clothe ourselves with compassion, humility, patience, and above all, love. “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Because we are already chosen and dearly loved, we can release the wound and refuse to let it define our future. Christ’s forgiveness is stronger than our offense. And when we forgive, healing becomes possible — in our hearts, in our homes, and in our church.

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Colossians 3:8-14
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