WORD Watchers Ministry
Bible Studies
WORD Watchers Ministry
Bible Studies
UNFORGIVENESS
Some of you may be wondering why this study is called unforgiveness instead of forgiveness. As my dictionary tells me unforgiveness is not a correct word. But for the sake of this study please go along with me that yes it is a word. The dictionary says that forgiveness is the act of forgiving. So we will say that for this study the word unforgiveness means the act of not forgiving. Most of us have heard many teachings on forgiveness. And they are very good. But for some reason known only to God, He had to take me through the back door into unforgiveness to get me to understand forgiveness. I hope this study may help you see the subject in a different light and maybe help you as it did me. This is a study that impacted my life in a way that made permanent changes in my thinking and in the way I looked at others. My prayer is that as you read this that something in it will strike you in a different way and help you in anyway you may need help with this subject.
1. MARK 11:25-26
25)AND WHEN YE STAND PRAYING, FORGIVE, IF YE HAVE AUGHT AGAINST ANY: THAT YOUR FATHER ALSO WHICH IS IN HEAVEN MAY FORGIVE YOU YOUR TRESPASSES.
26)BUT IF YE DO NOT FORGIVE, NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES.
a.Forgive is an action word. It is something we do. We decide to do it and then we do it. It is a conscious decision to forgive or not to forgive.
b.Aught means any little thing. Nothing is too small or insignificant to be left without forgiveness. Forgive if you have any little thing against any.
2. MATTHEW 6:14-15
14)FOR IF YE FORGIVE MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER WILL ALSO FORGIVE YOU:
15)BUT IF YE FORGIVE NOT MEN THEIR TRESPASSES, NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES.
a.If we do not forgive, then God will not forgive us.
b.Unforgiveness from God is a pretty heavy price to pay for not forgiving someone else. Is the situation that you are finding it hard to forgive worth that price?
d.I think it is too high of a price to pay for a hurt suffered on my part, or a wrong done me. If I do not forgive then an even higher consequence is toward me then just the wrong done to me. I may not have had control over that wrong done to me but I do have control over God's forgiveness toward me. It is my choice.
3. EPHESIANS 4:31-32
31)LET ALL BITTERNESS, AND WRATH, AND ANGER, AND CLAMOUR, AND EVIL SPEAKING, BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE:
32)AND BE YE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE HATH FORGIVEN YOU.
a.The words -`let, put away, be'- all show action they are not passive.
b.Clamour - a persistent uproar - loud and continuous noise.
c.Malice - a desire to inflict injury or suffering on another esp. based on deep-seated meanness.
1. The words in verse 31 are not attitudes that I would like to think that I could have in my heart against anyone. If I have unforgiveness then I have these in me.
4. COLOSSIANS 3:11-13
11)WHERE THERE IS NEITHER GREEK NOR JEW, CIRCUMCISION NOR UNCIRCUMCISION, BARBARIAN, SCYTHIAN, BOND OR FREE: BUT CHRIST IS ALL, AND IN ALL.
12)PUT ON THEREFORE, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED, BOWELS OF MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMBLENESS OF MIND, MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING;
13)FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, IF ANY MAN HAVE A QUARREL AGAINST ANY: EVEN AS CHRIST FORGAVE YOU, SO ALSO DO YE.
a. We are all the same to God. We are equal. God does not take sides.
5. MATTHEW 18:21-22
21) THEN CAME PETER TO HIM, AND SAID, LORD, HOW OFT SHALL MY BROTHER SIN AGAINST ME, AND I FORGIVE HIM? TILL SEVEN TIMES?
22) JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I SAY NOT UNTO THEE, UNTIL SEVEN TIMES: BUT, UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN.
a.Think of the person you are having a hard time forgiving. Times what they did by 7. Now times it by 490. It's a yucky thought but Jesus still says to forgive.
b.God is saying not to look at ourselves but to consider the other person and the whole situation and all it involves. We can't be "self"ish.
6.MATTHEW 18:23-35
23)THEREFORE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN LIKENED UNTO A CERTAIN KING, WHICH WOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF HIS SERVANTS.
24)AND WHEN HE HAD BEGUN TO RECKON, ONE WAS BROUGHT UNTO HIM, WHICH OWED HIM TEN THOUSAND TALENTS.
25)BUT FORASMUCH AS HE HAD NOT TO PAY, HIS LORD COMMANDED HIM TO BE SOLD, AND HIS WIFE, AND CHILDREN, AND ALL THAT HE HAD, AND PAYMENT TO BE MADE.
26)THE SERVANT THEREFORE FELL DOWN, AND WORSHIPED HIM, SAYING, LORD, HAVE PATIENCE WITH ME, AND I WILL PAY THEE ALL.
27)THEN THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION, AND LOOSED HIM, AND FORGAVE HIM THE DEBT.
28)BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT, AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW SERVANTS, WHICH OWED HIM AN HUNDRED PENCE: AND HE LAID HANDS ON HIM, AND TOOK HIM BY THE THROAT, SAYING, PAY ME THAT THOU OWEST.
29)AND HIS FELLOW SERVANT FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET, AND BESOUGHT HIM, SAYING, HAVE PATIENCE WITH ME, AND I WILL PAY THEE ALL.
30)AND HE WOULD NOT: BUT WENT AND CAST HIM INTO PRISON, TILL HE SHOULD PAY THE DEBT.
31)SO WHEN HIS FELLOW SERVANTS SAW WHAT WAS DONE, THEY WERE VERY SORRY, AND CAME AND TOLD UNTO THEIR LORD ALL THAT WAS DONE,
32)THEN HIS LORD, AFTER THAT HE HAD CALLED HIM, SAID UNTO HIM, DESIREDST ME:
33)SHOULDEST NOT THOU ALSO HAVE HAD COMPASSION ON THY FELLOW SERVANT, EVEN AS I HAD PITY ON THEE?
34)AND HIS LORD WAS WROTH AND DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, TILL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT WAS DUE UNTO HIM.
35)SO LIKEWISE SHALL MY HEAVENLY FATHER DO ALSO UNTO YOU, IF YE FROM YOUR HEARTS FORGIVE NOT EVERYONE HIS BROTHER THEIR TRESPASSES.
a.Vs. 27 - Compassion - a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another's suffering or misfortune, accompanied by a desire to alleviate the pain or remove it's cause.
b.Jesus' example of compassion - MATTHEW 15:32-39 THEN JESUS CALLED HIS DISCIPLES UNTO HIM, AND SAID, I HAVE COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE, BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE WITH ME NOW THREE DAYS, AND HAVE NOTHING TO EAT: AND I WILL NOT SEND THEM AWAY FASTING, LEST THEY FAINT IN THE WAY.
C.Vs. 34 - The old debt was remembered.
d.Vs. 35 - The forgiveness is from the heart. Not just something we know we should do, but from the heart. God may need to heal some hurts within us to help us to really forgive from our hearts. We need to really ask God for his help. He knows our thoughts anyway. We need to be open and honest with God about our feelings.
7. 11 CORINTHIANS 2:7-11
7)SO THAT CONTRARIWISE YE OUGHT RATHER TO FORGIVE HIM, AND COMFORT HIM, LEST PERHAPS SUCH A ONE SHOULD BE SWALLOWED UP WITH OVERMUCH SORROW.
8)WHEREFORE I BESEECH YOU THAT YE WOULD CONFIRM YOUR LOVE TOWARD HIM.
9)FOR THIS END ALSO DID I WRITE, THAT I MIGHT KNOW THE PROOF OF YOU, WHETHER YE BE OBEDIENT IN ALL THINGS.
10)TO WHOM YE FORGIVE ANYTHING, I FORGIVE ALSO: FOR IF I FORGAVE ANYTHING, TO WHOM I FORGAVE IT, FOR YOUR SAKES FORGAVE I IT IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST;
11)LEST SATAN SHOULD GET AN ADVANTAGE OF US: FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES.
a.We have a responsibility toward the other person.
b.There is a point when the other person is sorry and a time for reconciliation and if we don't allow that to happen the other person can be overcome and effected by that decision toward them. It is a situation where satan can get a foothold and we don't want to be the cause of that in our own life or anyone else's.
8. EPHESIANS 4:26-27
26)BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT: LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH:
27)NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.
a.This is another example of our wrong attitudes and actions giving a place to the devil in our lives and the life of the other person involved with the situation.
b.Our actions not only effect ourselves. They effect other people also.
9. GALATIANS 6:1-3 & 8-10
1)BRETHREN, IF A MAN BE OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT, YOU WHICH ARE SPIRITUAL, RESTORE SUCH AN ONE IN THE SPIRIT OF MEEKNESS; CONSIDERING THYSELF, LEST THOU ALSO BE TEMPTED.
2)BEAR YE ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS AND SO FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST.
3)FOR IF A MAN THINK HIMSELF TO BE SOMETHING, WHEN HE IS NOTHING, HE DECEIVETH HIMSELF.
8)FOR HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP CORRUPTION BUT TO HE THAT SOWETH TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE SPIRIT REAP LIFE EVERLASTING.
9)AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP IF WE FAINT NOT.
10)AS WE HAVE THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY UNTO THEM THAT ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.
a.Vs. 1 - tells us to restore not to judge or condemn.
b.Vs. 1 - We can also be tempted during those vulnerable times.
c.Vs. 2 - Bearing another person's burdens takes our focus off of ourselves to put it on the other person.
d.Vs. 3 - We want to be careful not to deceive ourselves.
e.Vs 8 - We need to sow to the spirit like we studied about the works of the flesh in Galatians 6:19-21 and 22 and the fruits of the spirit. Restoration is sowing to the spirit but strife and anger and bitterness and unforgiveness is of the flesh.
f.Vs. 9 - God knew how hard it was for us to keep on keeping on sometimes when we keep doing what is right but we don't see the results of reaping from the good that we have sowed. He promises we will reap if we don't give up.
g.Vs. 10 - Our focus should be to do good to others. Sow to the spirit and don't give up.
10) HEBREWS 12:14-16
14)FOLLOW PEACE WITH ALL MEN, AND HOLINESS, WITHOUT WHICH NO MAN SHALL SEE THE LORD:
15)LOOKING DILIGENTLY LEST ANY MAN FAIL OF THE GRACE OF GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED;
16)LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR, OR PROFANE PERSON, AS ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF MEAT SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT.
a. Without which no man shall see the Lord.
b. Root of bitterness takes hold in our lives and it will trouble us. Have you ever had some feelings come up from seems like nowhere just all of a sudden during a conversation and you hear yourself say something with such bitterness and you wonder where in the world that came from? It's from the heart where a root of bitterness has taken hold. It comes up to trouble you. It's always inside of you shaping your feelings and out look.
c. Not only does it trouble you but the Bible says thereby many be defiled. Again our actions not only effect our own selves but others also.
11. GALATIANS 5:1-4
1) STAND FAST THEREFORE IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE, AND BE NOT ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE.
2)BEHOLD, I PAUL SAY UNTO YOU, THAT IF YE BE CIRCUMCISED, CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING.
3)FOR I TESTIFY AGAIN TO EVERY MAN THAT IS CIRCUMCISED, THAT HE IS A DEBTOR TO DO THE WHOLE LAW.
4)CHRIST IS BECOME OF NO EFFECT TO YOU, WHOSOEVER OF YOU ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW; YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE.
a.Law is bondage to us. Grace and mercy are freedom.
b.When we refuse to forgive we judge that person guilty under the law and there is no more mercy and no more grace. The law says this is wrong - You did wrong, you blew it that is it, you are guilty. Mercy says we all blow it, I forgive you.
AN EXAMPLE OF THE LAW
This law is not bondage but mercy and grace.
12) GALATIANS 5:14-21
14)FOR ALL THE LAW IS FULFILLED ON ONE WORD, EVEN IN THIS; THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF.
15)BUT IF YE BITE AND DEVOUR ONE ANOTHER, TAKE HEED THAT YE BE NOT CONSUMED ONE OF ANOTHER.
16)THIS I SAY THEN, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.
17)FOR THE FLESH LUSTETH AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH: AND THESE ARE CONTRARY THE ONE TO THE OTHER: SO THAT YE CANNOT DO THE THINGS THAT YE WOULD.
18)BUT IF YE BE LED OF THE SPIRIT, YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW.
19)NOW THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE MANIFEST, WHICH ARE THESE; ADULTERY, FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, LASCIVIOUSNESS,
20)IDOLATRY, WITCHCRAFT, HATRED, VARIANCE, EMULATIONS, WRATH, STRIFE, SEDITIONS, HERESIES,
21)ENVYINGS, MURDERS, DRUNKENNESS, REVELLINGS, AND SUCH LIKE; OF THE WHICH I TELL YOU BEFORE, AS I HAVE ALSO TOLD YOU IN TIME PAST, THEY WHICH DO SUCH THINGS SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
a. God's best for us would be for us to walk in the spirit. By doing that we love one another not bite and devour each other. Doesn't that sound awful?
b. Take heed that we don't consume each other. God wouldn't warn us of something if it wasn't in our nature to have the ability to do it, if the danger wasn't there.
c. Some definitions:
1.Emulations - dispute, quarrel.
2.Wrath - strong or fierce anger, deeply resentful indignations.
3.Lasciviousness - inclined to lust.
4.Strife - vigorous or bitter conflict - disagreement.
13. JAMES 2:10-14
10)FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL KEEP THE WHOLE LAW, AND YET OFFEND IN ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.
11)FOR HE THAT SAID, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, SAID ALSO, DO NOT KILL. NOW IF THOU COMMIT NO ADULTERY, YET IF THOU KILL, THOU ART BECOME A TRANSGRESSOR OF THE LAW.
12)SO SPEAK YE, AND SO DO , AS THEY THAT SHALL BE JUDGED BY THE LAW OF LIBERTY.
13)FOR HE SHALL HAVE JUDGMENT WITHOUT MERCY, THAT HATH SHEWED NO MERCY; AND MERCY REJOICETH AGAINST JUDGMENT.
14)WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, THOUGH A MAN SAY HE HATH FAITH, AND HATH NOT WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM? (James 2:17 & 26 Faith without works is dead).
a.We want to be careful judging under the law. We will be judged with the same mercy ( or lack of it) that we judge with. God help us to be merciful.
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G A L A T I A N S 5:1-4 |
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| LAW | MERCY | |
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BONDAGE |
LIBERTY | |
| FALLEN FROM GRACE | GRACE | |
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LAW FULFILLED IN ONE WORD
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L O V E |
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GALATIANS
5:14
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LAW |
SPEAK | |
| GUILTY OF 1 | AND DO | |
| GUILTY OF ALL | MERCIFULLY | |
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WHAT YOU DO AND SAY
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YOU WILL BE JUDGED THE
SAME WAY.
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KEEP SITUATION UNDER GRACE |
THE ENEMY WON'T GET A FOOTHOLD |
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JAMES
2:10-14
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14) 1 JOHN 4:17
17)HEREIN IS OUR LOVE MADE PERFECT, THAT WE MAY HAVE BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT: BECAUSE AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.
15) MATTHEW 7:26-27
26)AND EVERY ONE THAT HEARETH THESE SAYINGS OF MINE, AND DOETH THEM NOT, SHALL BE LIKENED UNTO A FOOLISH MAN, WHICH BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON THE SAND:
27)AND THE RAIN DESCENDED, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW, AND BEAT UPON THAT HOUSE; AND IT FELL: AND GREAT WAS THE FALL OF IT.
a.It not only fell, but GREAT was the fall of it.
b.God is serious about his commandments to us.
c.Lord, please help us not to be foolish.
16) MATTHEW 15:11
11)NOT THAT WHICH GOETH INTO THE MOUTH DEFILETH A MAN; BUT THAT WHICH COMETH OUT OF THE MOUTH, THIS DEFILETH A MAN.
17) JAMES 1:25
25)BUT WHOSO LOOKETH INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, AND CONTINUETH THEREIN, HE BEING NOT A FORGETFUL HEARER, BUT A DOER OF THE WORK, THIS MAN SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIS DEED.
18) JOHN 13:17
17)IF YE KNOW THESE THINGS, HAPPY ARE YE IF YOU DO THEM.
19) JAMES 3:10 - 18
10)OUT OF THE SAME MOUTH PROCEEDETH BLESSING AND CURSING. MY BRETHREN, THESE THINGS OUGHT NOT SO TO BE.
11)DOTH A FOUNTAIN SEND FORTH AT THE SAME PLACE SWEET WATER AND BITTER?
12)CAN THE FIG TREE, MY BRETHREN, BEAR OLIVE BERRIES? EITHER A VINE FIGS? SO CAN NO FOUNTAIN BOTH YIELD SALT WATER AND FRESH.
13)WHO IS A WISE MAN AND ENDUED WITH KNOWLEDGE AMONG YOU? LET HIM SHEW OUT OF A GOOD CONVERSATION HIS WORKS WITH MEEKNESS OF WISDOM.
14)BUT IF YE HAVE BITTER ENVYING AND STRIFE IN YOUR HEARTS, GLORY NOT, AND LIE NOT AGAINST THE TRUTH.
15)THIS WISDOM DESCENDETH NOT FROM ABOVE, BUT IS EARTHLY, SENSUAL, DEVILISH.
16)FOR WHERE ENVYING AND STRIFE IS, THERE IS CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL WORK.
17)BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, AND EASY TO BE ENTREATED, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.
18)AND THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SOWN IN PEACE OF THEM THAT MAKE PEACE.
a.Vs. 10 Can both blessing and cursing come out of our mouth? Can we pray for someone to get saved or what ever they may need from God and also say bitter angry things about them in private to another person?
b.Vs. 16 This again shows that the enemy gets a foot hold in our life when we walk after the flesh and not after the spirit.
Lord God,
This is such a hard subject for us to deal with. When we have someone we need to forgive, then that person has hurt or offended us and we need to be healed in our heart.
We may know in our mind that you say to forgive but we hold on to the truth that "God I was hurt, they did me wrong". Yes that is a real truth. But God, you don't take sides. You love the person who hurt me as much as you love me. Jesus died for that person just as he died for me.
Help me Lord please to have mercy because the bottom line here is I know I am not a perfect person and I need your mercy and forgiveness for my wrongs. Help me to have the right perspective and help me to want to forgive. I see it in your word that I am supposed to forgive but I feel rebellious and stubborn in my heart.
Please break through my rebellion and help me to be obedient to your word and to forgive. Help me to be healed in my heart of the hurt they have caused me and to forgive. Thank you for your forgiveness toward me. I acknowledge my sin of unforgiveness and ask for your help. Please help me to choose to forgive, to choose to be obedient to you and to show the fruit of love to others as you have showed it to me. Help me to abide in you and to abound in fruit to others.
Thank you for your goodness and mercy toward me.
Amen.