Forgive &
Forgiven!
"Forgiving one another, even
as God in Christ forgave you."
Ephesians 4: 32
The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) contains universal
requests (God’s rule, God’s will) and personal requests:
physical provision (daily bread), spiritual provision (for-
giveness), and protection (deliverance from evil). But
forgiveness has a caveat:
God’s forgiveness of “debts” (sins) is tied to our forgiveness
of our “debtors” (those who sin against us). Jesus said, “For
if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you don't forgive men
their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”
(Matthew 6:14-15).
The forgiveness of which Jesus spoke is not eternal
forgiveness for salvation. That forgiveness comes
only through faith in Christ, not through anything
we do to earn it.
Rather, the forgiveness Jesus spoke of is that which
maintains fellowship with God. If we want to
live in
intimate fellowship with God, we must forgive others
as He has forgiven us. The apostle Paul expressed
this same truth
in Ephesians 4:32.
Forgiving others and being
forgiven by God go hand in hand.
In these days of guilt complexes,
perhaps the most glorious word in
the English language is “forgiveness.”
Billy Graham