As We Have Forgiven Our Debtors
Forgiveness is not highly valued in a woke culture. While there is a great desire for the “gotcha moment” with politicians, celebrities, and others in the public spotlight, there is little desire to help needed change occur. How many once lauded individuals now lie along the littered freeway of public disgust over past words, texts, or videos?
There is little the people of God can do to affect the “slash and burn” mentality of public life; however, it is extremely important that Christians do not allow this uncaring spirit into their own attitudes toward others. To this end, Jesus provides help. When He taught His disciples to pray, He dealt with the essentiality of forgiveness. He prayed, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Jesus’ choice of words is interesting; He framed something in need of forgiving as a debt to be paid. When a debt is forgiven, payment is no longer required. In other words, forgiveness squares the books!
A question might be raised in consideration of the Lord’s teaching. While forgiveness is all well and good, can it really be given if the debtor doesn’t ask for it? In answering this question, consider the Lord’s words to His disciples: “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25). In this discussion, there is no mention of even going to the brother; instead, the forgiveness is to be offered so that the prayer being prayed is not hindered. The giving of forgiveness is universal (anyone) toward any sin (anything). This certainly does not negate the need for repentance on the part of the debtor. If he or she has sinned, there is an undeniable responsibility to make things right with the recipient of the wrong as well as with the Lord. Jesus stated, “So if you are offering your gift before the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). Wronging someone damages one’s relationship with God and must be corrected.
Still, Jesus’ instructions on forgiving allow peace of mind. While every effort should be made to restore a good relationship with the offending party, God has not put humans in the role of “debt collectors.” There is much talk in the news about “forgiving” student debt. Regardless of the merits or lack thereof concerning this decision, consider the outcome: Students who owed thousands of dollars to lending agencies would become debt free. The balance due would be $0. In a similar manner, Jesus teaches that one who forgives releases the debt; there is nothing to be collected.
While the above concept does bring peace of mind, it is a great struggle for many. It is not because the teaching is particularly hard to grasp; instead, the difficulty lies in letting the debt go. When one is wronged, there is often the desire for repayment. If this does not come in the form of a groveling formal apology, the debt may be extracted by other means. In righteous indignation, the recipient of the wrong might seek repayment by letting everyone know what the offending party did so that “no one else must go through what I’ve gone through.” In great piety, repayment can be sought by relating the crime in the presence of other church-going folk so that they can know that even though the offender never apologized, “I’m a big enough person to let it go.” Extraction might come with no spoken words that highlight one’s own “righteousness” in opposition to the “unrighteous” offender. Instead, in the dark corners of the mind, the criminal is tried and convicted for the wrongdoing over and over and over again. This is the attitude of which the Lord warns. To corrupt the teachings of Paul, the thought goes something like this: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the offended.”
Jesus provides strong motivation to help rid this corrupt mindset. He states, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). Later in the sermon, He states, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you use it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:2).
Anyone who understands the sobriety and deadly consequences of sin would never desire God to extract full payment for offenses. Those who understand the ramifications praise God for His mercy and grace. They magnify a Savior who would die for the sins of others and take the curse on behalf of the offenders. A God who drops sins in the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18-19) and separates them from the sinner as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) is a God of great love; however, He is also a God of expectations. The thought of refusing forgiveness after having received forgiveness of colossal magnitude is simply unacceptable to Him. Instead, He desires children whose own grace and mercy seek to imitate the free-flowing love of their Father in Heaven.
It is a good idea to include the Lord’s words in everyday prayers. Such a commitment keeps the concept of forgiveness constant in the mind and helps to prevent a cantankerous attitude that demands the proverbial pound of flesh. Most importantly, doing so calls on the Great Forgiver to supply the strength needed to forgive wrongs, no matter how big they seem. In the end, God has promised that vengeance will be given where it is needed; however, in His mercy, He has not placed this great responsibility on mankind. Praise God!
