That’s not what Jesus said. He said to pray, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” The word “debt” is not Greek for “sin.” He isn’t talking about your sins toward God; they’re forgiven in Jesus. In this passage Jesus is teaching us how to walk in love, avoid temptation and develop our heart to connect to God’s mercy.
Mercy is God’s ability to give us better than we deserve, love us when He has no obligation, based on our behavior. If we really had any intention to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, we would all treat others better than they deserve.
A debt, in this context, is something owed, an obligation, or sometimes a fault that offends. In other words, if I paid you, emotionally, what your behavior makes me owe you, I might do harm. But if I give you better than you deserve, I’m showing you God because I’m being like my heavenly Father.
In Luke 6:32-38 Jesus explained that what we give to others, i.e. mercy, love, judgement or hatred they won’t only give back to us, they’ll give it back pressed down, shaken together and running over. In the model prayer Jesus is showing us the areas we must deal with in order to have God’s will and Kingdom established in our life. This is also a primary factor in avoiding temptation of evil. This word is pressure, harassment, chaos, poverty and a decline in our moral character.
When we don’t forgive, i.e. send away the offenses of others, God, while He loves and forgives us, cannot send that offense away from us. Why? We are choosing to hold it. This can become our justification for revenge, anger, hatred and all manner of evil. Join me this week in CyberChurch as I share, Getting Better than You Deserve. I want to help you have a life of peace, joy, love and connection with God’s abundant mercy!
I agree and thank you so much for your insight brother Jim. I think however that the scripture that people reference in terms of God forgiving us only if we forgive is:
Mathew 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.
I’ve always been confused by this scripture because if we’re in Christ and born again our sins are already forgiven, so how can God not forgive us of something he’s technically already forgiven us of? It seems to me that these trespasses Jesus is referring to aren’t exactly sins that’ll exclude you from salvation. Is this so? Your insight would be much appreciated 🙂
This is not about ‘sin’, our sin nature that Jesus died for, it is about forgiving the faults of those who have hurt or offended us, because if we hold onto unforgivness towards those who have hurt us our hearts are not open to receive God’s forgiveness of our faults – the things we have done to hurt or offend others. this is not about salvation, it is about how we are to live our lives as believers.
The strongs concordance sets the word trespass as a sin or misdeed, an offense. But practically, to trespass is to cross a boundary, or enter another person’s property without authorization. Therefore it seems to suggest that behavior such as codependence and controlling manipulation either through anger or guilt is to trespass against another person i.e. their boundaries. So in Matthew 5 where Jesus teaches; if someone crosses your boundaries by hurting you, taking what’s yours or abuses your kindness, I believe He is saying what brother Jim is teaching; ” be clear on what identifies you and your boundaries (Christ in you) refuse to allow someone else’s footprints to define your boundaries.