Can there be forgiveness without reconciliation? -- Rev. John W. Armstrong

Sermon Series: “Unforgivable? How God’s forgiveness transforms lives”

 

Can there be forgiveness without reconciliation?

I.     Forgiveness is the washing away of sin, and never ___________________________ again (Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:12).  

A.  When I forgive another person, I do so as a person who has also been ___________________ by the work of Christ (Matthew 6:12; Ephesians 4:32).   

B.  Unforgiveness results in bitterness and ______________________ the faith we have in Christ (Matthew 6:14; 7:2; Ephesians 4:31).

 

II.    Reconciliation is restoration of the _______________________.

A.  Forgiveness and reconciliation happen simultaneously with God (2 Corinthians 5:19). 

1.  Your sins are washed away, you are forgiven.

2.  You are restored as a child of God in His kingdom (Luke 15:22-24; 18:13-14; 19:9). 

B.  But a forgiven child of God may not always experience reconciliation with the other people involved.

1.  A relationship may remain unreconciled due to an unwillingness to forgive, an inability to forgive, death, dementia, etc.   

a.  Anyone who refuses to reconcile ___________________their relationship with God (Matthew 6:14-15). 

b.  Such a person should not partake of the ______________________, because they can no longer bear witness as someone forgiven in Christ (Matthew 6:15; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Romans 16:17).

c.  When someone refuses to reconcile with you, you experience God’s own _______________ (Genesis 6:6; Ephesians 4:30-32).

2.  At those times, we find __________________ in the forgiveness and   reconciliation we have with God through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

 

III.   A forgiven and reconciled child of God will desire to be reconciled with  others (Matthew 6:12). 

A.  Worship is the first priority of a believer, and the first priority of a   worshipper is _____________________ (Matthew 5:23-24).  Why?

B.  When a relationship is broken, you are responsible to initiate reconciliation, but you are not responsible for the other person’s __________________ (Romans 12:18).

C.  Like us, _____________ does not have a perfect record when it comes to reconciliation (Matthew 25:41ff.; Acts 7:51; 1 Timothy 2:1-4).

 

IV.   Application.

A.  Have you forgiven someone, but reconciliation has not taken place?

B.  What are some ways you might encourage reconciliation