#20251012 - 3 Biblical Ways To Deal With Your Past - Romans 8:1

·54 min·5 clips

Pastor Ed reveals three F-words to biblically forget, forgive, and forsake your painful past.

Pastor Ed Taylor opens the Bible study by introducing the topic from Romans 8:1, stating everyone has a past that can be painful or traumatic. He presents three biblical ways to deal with it: forget, forgive, and forsake, with a potential bonus on faith. He begins with forgetting, referencing Philippians 3 where Paul speaks of 'forgetting those things which are behind.' The pastor explains this is not simplistic but a conscious choice to release the past and reach forward. He shares that dwelling on the past leads to bitterness and stagnation. The second point is forgiving, explored through Luke 15's parable of the Prodigal Son. He emphasizes the father's immediate compassion and forgiveness as a model for returning to God. The pastor clarifies that forgiving oneself means coming back to the Father, not self-centeredness. The third point is forsaking, from Psalm 103, where God removes our transgressions 'as far as the east is from the west.' He encourages letting the past drop and not letting it define identity. A bonus point on faith is mentioned, referencing James 2 and Rahab the harlot to show how God redefines identity. The study includes personal stories, such as the pastor's own 'bad' past and interactions with old friends. He warns against idolatry in thinking 'if I were God, I wouldn't forgive.' The episode concludes with a prayer invitation for those stirred by the message, asking them to stand for prayer. The format is a solo sermon with interactive scripture reading and application.

As heard by us

A live study uses three plain verbs to frame a serious, scripture-led way of facing the past.

Ed Taylor's Bible study gives the past a plain biblical vocabulary: forget, forgive, and forsake. Starting in Romans 8:1-3 and reaching toward Philippians 3, the teaching places those words inside a live church study before turning to Luke 15, where Taylor frames the familiar…

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Why you'd press play

You want Scripture to help you face your past with three words you can actually remember.

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