God’s Pardon Matthew 6:12

12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.


There are two types of people in the world; there are lost sinners and there are saved sinners. There sinners who have had their sins forgiven and then there are those who have not. It is God’s will that all would come unto repentance and that none should perish. The only real prayer that a lost person has is that God would forgive him or her of their sin and come into their heart and save them. Jesus told Nicodemus who came to Him asking what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, “Nicodemus, you must be born again.” What we do with Jesus is the most important decision that we will ever make in this life.

In Jesus’ model prayer, He is speaking to us who are Christians about God’s Pardon for our continued sin. He teaches us that we are to pray, “forgive us our debts”. We need to learn to come to God on a daily basis asking Him for His forgiveness for our sin that are the result of our sinful attitudes and actions. As we come to God and ask for His forgiveness, He promises us that He will not only forgive our sin, He forgets our sin as well. The Psalmist tells us that God removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west.

What a great promise it is to know that God will hear our prayer and He will forgive our sin. Jesus did not stop there. This is somewhat of a conditional statement. Jesus teaches us to pray, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

We receive forgiveness as we practice forgiveness. This is somewhat of an unusual command. However, for a child of God our forgiveness comes at a cost to us; that cost is our willingness to forgive those around us. Our salvation comes at no cost to us; Jesus bore that cost on the cross. Our continued forgiveness does require our willingness to forgive those around us.

Listen to a story that Jesus had with Peter concerning this very issue of forgiving others. 21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But 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.

26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But 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. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Forgiveness is to be practiced as it is received. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.