Forgive us...as we forgive our debtors.

One of the most powerful truths in the New Testament is locked up in this phrase of the Lord's prayer. You can't have forgiveness without forgiving. Jesus goes on in the next verse to tell us, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if you forgive NOT men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:14. His forgiveness to us is contingent on our forgiving others. Consider the parable of the unforgiving servant: "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 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. "The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me that thou owest.' "And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. "So, when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, 'O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desirest me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?' "And his lord was wroth, and delievered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Matt 18:23-35 Notice, the servant asked for an extention on his loan, but instead, the master completely forgave the debt. God has promised that if we "confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrightesouness." I John 1:9 Not only that, He casts our sins in the sea of forgetfulness, as far as the East is from the West, never to be remembered against us. But we so often, hold a grudge or expectation against our fellow Christian that they somehow OWE us an apology.

God puts such a high premium on forgiveness. In Mark 11:22-26, Jesus is talking about the power of having faith when we pray. But in that context He alludes to us that if we don't forgive, God is not obligated even to hear our prayer. The Apostle Peter, in instructing husbands and wives, tells the husband to cherish and love his wife, "that your prayers be not hindered." I Peter 3:7 I wonder if that is one of the reasons why we don't see more miracles in the church, today. Paul tells us in I Cor 13:5 that love "Thinketh no evil." One translation interprets this as, "Love keeps no records of wrong doing."

I believe that God loves us so incredibly much, that if we sinned against him 490 times in one day and truly repented each time, He would forgive us 490 times. But if our brother sins against us 2 times in one day, we often say, "Well, I'll forgive you, but I won't forget." In other words, "I might forgive you, but I'll never trust you again." If we love our brother and sister as we love ourselves, we will forgive them EVERY time. But Jesus took this a step further. He said to love our enemies. Even the heathen and barbaric peoples love their own family and clan, but a true follower of the Messiah will "LOVE your enemies, BLESS them that curse you, DO GOOD to them that hate you, and PRAY for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matt 5:44 Paul further explained this in Romans 12:20-21 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." As the Jesus told the disciples when they questioned their ability to follow His teachings, "With men this is impossible; but with God ALL things are possible." Matt 19:26 We can't do this in ourselves. But if our faith is in Jesus and His work, and we have the Holy Ghost inside of us living His life through us, then we recognize, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Phil 4:13 Why? Because it's not by human power or might, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts.