What is unforgiveness? (Ephesians 4:22-32; Matthew 18:21-35) -- Rev. John W. Armstrong Ash Wednesday

What is unforgiveness?  (Ephesians 4:22-32; Matthew 18:21-35)

I.    Unforgiveness occurs when we ________________ to forgive, or we feel we are ________________ to forgive (Matthew 18:28).            

A.  We get stuck in the loop of _______________ the offense over and over.

1.  As the event repeats in our minds, some details get ________________.

2.  Our remembrance of the event becomes ______________ in order to    justify our anger.

B.  Unforgiveness is a ________________ we ingest, hoping the other person will die.

C.  Unforgiveness is the work of the “________________” (Ephesians 4:22).

II.    Forgiveness is not only release from a debt or obligation (Matthew 18:27).  It is a ___________________ in which we no longer view the offender as our enemy but as a _______________________ for whom Christ has died (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 4:32).

A.  Instead of judging and condemning, we freely ________________ the desire to be angry, bitter, full of rage, hateful, slanderous, and murderous (Ephesians 4:31).

B.  We _________________ the desire to recall another’s sin and use it against him.

C.  We offer the same love God has given us (Ephesian 4:32).

D.  Forgiveness is a divine act, the work of the “_________________” (i.e. Christ in you; Ephesians 4:23-24; Galatians 3:27).