The Lord's Prayer

Unlike the worst debts, sins are forgivable in Christ but it’s not free. The verb “forgive” appears six times in the chapter, twice each in verse 12, 14 and 15 (Matt 6:12*2, 14*2, 15*2). We must first recognize we are trespassers and transgressors before we can be transformed and become transformers.

Forgive is traditionally translated as to leave behind (Matt 4:20, 22, Matt 5:24) or to forsake (Luke 5:11, Mark 14:50) and lay aside (Mark 7:8). It comes with the preposition “apo,” meaning “off/away.” Our sins count, but we are not condemned. We have pardon and not punishment for our sins, but our sins are atoned for, but not abandoned. Our sins are not omitted, just overlooked. They remain but are not remembered by the Lord. The sins are cleansed and covered, not cancelled or ceased to exit. Our sins are not deleted and did not disappear, but are declared righteous by the blood of Jesus. Sins are not voided or vacated, just vindicated by the blood of Jesus. It is covered, but not covered up. There are consequences. It is still costly, never cheap. Jesus Christ has paid the price. It is written in His blood. These sins include intended or ignorant sins, sins of commission and omission, and the sins of the offender and the offended.

The “as” in verse 12 is changed to “because” in Luke 11:4. Asking for forgiveness is a requirement with a reason, a command with a condition, an invocation as well as the introspection. Luke’s version had “indebted” as a verb, but Matthew prefers the noun “debtors” as a person. Jesus did not ask us to forgive the debt, but the debtor. Debtors are people, not property (debts), attesting to the superiority of human relationship to material goods, and to the worth of healing a relationship rather than honoring a debt. Debtor as a noun versus indebted as a verb implies that the subject is a person, a human and a neighbor, not a thing, a matter or an issue. Jesus used the word “debtor” to require us to be considerate and not cold to others, to be caring and not cruel, to be compassionate and not calloused. More important than finance is forgiveness. While the debt may or may not be forgiven, the debtor can be forgiven. It means to set or cast aside personal feelings, public grievances and pent-up frustrations. There are many human reasons why people become debtors, including character (lazing instead of laboring), choice (spending more than saving, charging more than cash), competition (keeping up with the Joneses), control (addiction, instant gratification), and cluelessness (unrealistic spending, loans).

Acclaim His Trustworthiness

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matt 6:13)

A certain man was on a diet to lose weight. He even changed routes to work in order to avoid a particular bakery, which displayed scrumptious looking pastries in its window. But one day he arrived at the office carrying a beautiful, large coffee cake. His colleagues teased him about slipping off the diet.

In reply, he smiled and said, “Today I accidentally drove by the bakery and looked in the window and saw a host of goodies. Now, I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, `Lord, if you want me to have one of these delicious coffee cakes, let me find a parking space in front of the bakery.’ And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!”