Monday, October 27, 2025
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12
This week Pastor Jim continued the series on The Lord’s Prayer, titled “Pray Like This,” with verse 12 of the Lord’s Prayer, And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12 The Lord’s prayer is a model Jesus gave us to help us pray in the right way – a way that will help us live and look more and more like him every day. Our key truth for this series is, “To pray like Jesus prayed is to see like Jesus saw, trust like Jesus trusted, and live like Jesus lived.”
What is a proper understanding of our sin and how we can be reconciled with God and others?
Sin is rebellion against God and when we have sin in our hearts our relationship with him is broken and forgiveness from God is the way it is mended. Asking God for forgiveness requires us to first acknowledge that we are sinners. We must realize that we need his forgiveness because of our sin.
As believers we all still sin at times because we are human and will always be battling our sin nature. Satan tempts us to sin against God. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8, Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Make no mistake – he is on the prowl doing whatever he can to take our focus off of God. He twists God’s very words. He knows what our desires are and what will entice us. We have to be vigilant to guard our hearts and minds.
Sin is an idolatry problem within our hearts. If we are chasing someone or something other than God it will be reflected in our actions. Our actions and deeds are the outcome of our attitudes and thoughts. When God is not the core and center of what we worship it will be reflected to those around us. Whatever we are worshiping will be evident in how we live out our lives.
Thankfully, we need forgiveness, and God is willing to forgive. Sin requires a payment. It is a debt we owe and the price tag goes up with every sin we commit. God is a just God, requiring payment, but God is also a merciful and gracious God who forgives.
Mercy – God shows mercy when we deserve punishment, and he doesn’t punish us.
Grace – God’s grace is unmerited, undeserved favor from him, that we could never earn.
God has mercy on us by withholding the punishment we do deserve and sending Jesus to die in our place so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life with him. Grace given to us freely as a gift but bought with the highest price – the shed blood of Jesus.
Just as we are forgiven, Jesus expects us to forgive others. When we forgive, his grace is evident in our lives and that grace will bring us forgiveness in the future. Knowing how much we have been forgiven, how could we not forgive others? True freedom comes when we forgive others instead of holding on to unforgiveness.
This is also true when it comes to forgiving ourselves, which can be harder than forgiving others. We are harder on ourselves and often our own worst enemy. If we can’t forgive ourselves then we have made an idol of ourselves because our approval means more than God’s. If God can forgive us, we can forgive ourselves and others.
Pastor Jim asked these questions yesterday at the end of the service:
Have you acknowledged your sinfulness before God?
Do you realize the separation it has caused?
If not, will you acknowledge your need for God today?
The good news is that forgiveness is for everyone who will come to him acknowledging their sin and asking for his forgiveness. Will you call out to him today?
