As we forgive others
Today we come to the one line in Jesus’ model prayer that most of us would probably prefer He left out! We are fine with “forgive us our debt,” but Jesus added, “as we also have forgiven our debtors.” This is the only line Jesus felt the need to add commentary…at the end of the prayer in verses 14-15!
CS Lewis once said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” It is safe to say that our greatest problem is sin and our greatest need is forgiveness. It is also safe to say that there is no greater evidence of a person having been forgiven than that person being forgiving toward others.
This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible:
There is so much I could say, but Jesus expects us to forgive. That doesn’t mean we wipe away the consequences, it doesn’t mean we forget, and it doesn’t mean our forgiveness makes what some did right, but it does mean we must let God be God and let Him be Judge.
Ray Pritchard made the following statements on forgiveness that I found helpful:
I’ll simply close by asking you to ask the Father to show you if there is someone you need to forgive and if He does, ask Him for help. It may be simply praying that God will give you a desire to forgive, or asking God to work in your heart, or even just asking God to move in that person’s life. Start there and see where the Spirit leads.
CS Lewis once said, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” It is safe to say that our greatest problem is sin and our greatest need is forgiveness. It is also safe to say that there is no greater evidence of a person having been forgiven than that person being forgiving toward others.
This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible:
•Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
•Colossians 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
•1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
•1 Corinthians 13:5, Love, “it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.”
There is so much I could say, but Jesus expects us to forgive. That doesn’t mean we wipe away the consequences, it doesn’t mean we forget, and it doesn’t mean our forgiveness makes what some did right, but it does mean we must let God be God and let Him be Judge.
Ray Pritchard made the following statements on forgiveness that I found helpful:
1. You are never closer to the grace of Jesus Christ than when you confess your sins to Him.
2. You are never more like Jesus than when you forgive those who have sinned against you.
3. You will never fully enter into your freedom in Christ until you learn the freedom of forgiveness. Those two freedoms go together. If you hold onto resentment you are chained to the past.
I’ll simply close by asking you to ask the Father to show you if there is someone you need to forgive and if He does, ask Him for help. It may be simply praying that God will give you a desire to forgive, or asking God to work in your heart, or even just asking God to move in that person’s life. Start there and see where the Spirit leads.
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