I separated the petition about forgiveness because I felt led to make two separate points. Yesterday’s point was to acknowledge the very personal—even gut level— nature of asking God to forgive us. Today’s is focused on that little word “as” that separates the first part of the petition from the second.
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (emphasis mine)
I think we too often skip over the end of this sentence. We recite it as if it is just a part of asking for forgiveness. But it is so much more than a simple ending to the sentence.
In order to understand the significance of what Jesus is saying here, let’s look at a verse later in the same chapter in Matthew.
These verses immediately follow the Amen of the Lord’s Prayer:
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:14–15
Do those verses make you squirm a little? They should. It puts you on the hook.
What Jesus seems to be saying is that how you forgive others directly affects the way God forgives you. The fact is that forgiveness should flow out of us as a natural result of salvation.
The apostle Paul wrote this to the Ephesians
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31–32 (emphasis mine)
Paul gave the church in Philippi the key to having a forgiving heart, mindset, and approach when he wrote that they should live a life aligned with the things of God.
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8–9
When you dwell on the things of Heaven and take thoughts captive to focus on having a Heavenly minded approach to life. God’s peace will be with you. It is in and through God’s peace that you are empowered to forgive others. You are able to forgive because you live in the peace of your own forgiveness through Christ.
You will find yourself forgiving and forgiven.
As you set others free, you are set free to soar!