What is the meaning of Matthew 6:12? And forgive us • The prayer Jesus teaches begins with the confidence that the Father wants to pardon. Nothing in the line is tentative; it is a child asking a loving Father. • 1 John 1:9 confirms the promise: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” • Psalm 103:12 assures us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” The request is grounded in God’s proven character. • Isaiah 1:18 echoes the same welcome: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow.” We ask because He has already declared His willingness. our debts • “Debts” speaks of what we owe God—every failure to love Him and neighbor perfectly (Romans 3:23). • Romans 6:23 warns, “For the wages of sin is death,” underscoring the seriousness of the debt. • Colossians 2:14 celebrates the remedy: Christ “canceled the record of debt against us, nailing it to the cross.” • Jesus later illustrates the concept with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-27), portraying sin as an unpayable amount erased by the king’s mercy. as we also have forgiven • The phrase assumes that believers are already practicing forgiveness; it is the lifestyle of the forgiven. • Mark 11:25 instructs, “When you stand praying, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your trespasses.” • Forgiving others does not purchase God’s pardon; it proves we have received it. A heart still clutching grudges contradicts the claim of grace received (James 2:13). our debtors • “Debtors” includes anyone who has wronged us—family, friends, enemies, strangers. • Ephesians 4:32 urges, “Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.” • Colossians 3:13 adds, “Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” • Releasing others from what they owe frees us from bitterness and mirrors the mercy we cherish. summary Matthew 6:12 calls believers to daily seek the Father’s cleansing for every moral debt, trusting His ready mercy through Christ. At the same time, we extend that same mercy to anyone indebted to us, proving that grace has truly reached our hearts. The forgiven become forgivers, and the family resemblance to our Father in heaven comes into sharp focus. |
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