You don’t have to be hardcore, unwilling to forgive, or rigid (implacable). I get it, perhaps you had a hard life and people were not kind to you as well. However, it is possible to stop being rigid (hard to get along with) and cautious. Without a doubt, I suggest that you read on to see how this lesson might provide you with the advice you require!
Created: Monday, October 17, 2022
STM Bible Lesson
Lesson focus: Romans 1:28-32 [read Romans 1:18-32 (28-32)]. Bible lesson background:
- From the beginning, people (Adam and Eve) knew God [Genesis 3:9-11].
- And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where are you? 10 And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (KJ2000)
- But they did not honor him as God. And so sin became a reality, Adam and Eve were the first to disobey God:
- And he said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you that you should not eat? (KJ2000)
- You will see in the lesson that people became so sinful that God wrote them off as rejects (reprobates). The irreconcilable (implacable) people were included. The only way to change this status is to get right with God. Keep reading for the details!
Romans 1:28-32 (ICB)
- People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking. And so those people do the things that they should not do. 29 They are:
- filled with every kind of sin, evil, selfishness, and hatred.
- full of jealousy, murder, fighting, lying, and thinking the worst about each other. They:
- gossip 30 and say evil things about each other.
- hate God. They are
- rude and conceited and brag about themselves. They
- invent ways of doing evil.
- do not obey their parents. They are
- 31 foolish, they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness, (no forgiveness; no willingness to get along with others), or no mercy to other people. They
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- 32 know God’s law says that those who live like this should die (Romans 6:21-23 and 8:6). But they continue to do these evil things. And they also feel that those who do these things are doing right.
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Implacable; Learn How To Stop Being Unforgiving And Rigid
- Implacable means:
- A person that is not willing to change, forgive, or be calmed; rigid (i.e., hard to get along with). They are full of hurt, anger, and/or malice; that cannot be made peaceful. Trapp said: that will not hear of a truce, much less of a peace. Poole adds, irreconcilable and vindictive. Gill says: when once offended there was no reconciling of them:
In other words, they have or show no mercy, forgiveness, or desire to change. So, in general, they can’t be trusted and they want revenge, that is, payback.
Essential facts about implacable
- The KJV only uses the word “impacable” once. However, the Greek word aspondos, is in two verses:
- “implacable” in Romans 1:31, focuses more on the Israelites and how they were.
- Additionally, “trucebreakers” in 2 Timothy 3:3, tell of what is to come [in the last days].
- Since it is used so little, it is hard to find its true meaning. In addition, 18 more words and phrases from other versions are used instead.
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AUV)
- But you should know this: There will be terrible times in the last days [of the Christian age]. 2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive talkers, disobedient to their parents. Ungrateful, unholy, 3 lacking in natural affection, unwilling to be reconciled [to their enemies; implacable; hard to get along with], slanderers. Lacking self-control, brutal, haters of what is good, 4 treacherous [i.e., betrayers], reckless, conceited, [and] lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 5 [These people] maintain an appearance of being godly, but they have denied its power; [you should] turn away from such people.
- G786 aspondos implacable unforgiving
- G786 ἄσπονδος aspondos (a’-spon-d̮os) adj. 1. via lexicon.katabiblon.com – irreconcilable (hard to get along with). 2. that cannot be persuaded to enter into a covenant, implacable [from G1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of G4689]
KJV: implacable, truce-breaker
How to stop being unforgiving and rigid
1. Pray, believe, and trust
- Pray and ask God to help you to trust him, change, start forgiving, and learn to love.
- Psalms 71:1 (ERV)
- In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be ashamed.
- Believe that He will do it, Jesus said:
- You may ask me for anything in my name. I will do it. John 14:14 (NIRV)
2. You must be willing to change
- Matthew 3:8 (EASY)
- You have to show that you are sorry. Change how you live. Stop doing things that God does not like.
- Acts 3:19 (ICB)
- So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins.
- Matthew 18:3 (FBV)
- “I tell you the truth unless you change the way you think and become like little children, you won’t ever enter the kingdom of heaven,” he told them.
3. It is very important that you forgive others
- Jesus taught that forgiveness is needed for salvation. If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive also. So, start forgiving or God will not forgive your sins, then you’ll not be saved.
- Matthew 6:15 (CEV)
- But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
- Matthew 18:21-22 (ISV)
- Then Peter came to talk to Jesus. He asked, ‘Lord if my friend does wrong things against me many times, how many times should I forgive him? Must I forgive him as many as seven times for the wrong things that he has done against me?’
22 Jesus replied, ‘I do not say only seven times. I say you should forgive him 77 times!’
4. Love
- Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)
- Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.
And there, you have it, you’ve learned how to allow yourself to change, forgive, and love in four simple steps. The bottom line is that you are sinning when you are implacable (difficult or hard to get along with). But you can adjust if you want to, the beauty of it all, is that God will give you his Spirit as a personal helper. He does this so that you will have everything you need to succeed.
- 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIRV)
- Anyone who serves the Lord must not be hard to get along with. Instead, they must be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach. The one who serves must not hold anything against anyone. 25 They must gently teach those who are against them. Maybe God will give a change of heart to those who are against you. That will lead them to know the truth. 26 Maybe they will come to their senses. Maybe they will escape the devil’s trap. He has taken them as prisoners to do what he wanted.
Above all, do whatever you must to escape God’s wrath. Just remember, you know how to stop being unforgiving and rigid.
I pray that you have enjoyed and will make the most of this Bible lesson. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺
Related studies/lessons/snacks for further Spiritual growth:
See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.
Reference Scriptures
Note: parenthesis (#) encloses the key verse(s).
Romans 1:18-32 (28-32) [Romans 6:15-23 (21-23) and 8:1-11 (6)]; Genesis 3:8-24 (9-11). 2 Timothy 3:1-9 (1-5); Psalms 71:1-3 (1); John 14:12-14 (14). Matthew 3:1-12 (8) and 18:21-35 (21-22); Acts 3:1-10 (8). Colossians 3:12-17 (12-14).
