THE MODEL PRAYER - 4 - "Forgive us our debts" Matthew 6:12

THE MODEL PRAYER
Matthew 6:12 - Part 4
by Cooper P Abrams III
*All rights reserved

Introduction: This is the actually the Lord's "model" prayer. It is mistitled "the Lord's prayer" in that Jesus did not pray this prayer, but gave it as a model by which believers are to pray. Each verse in this prayer presents a principle part or ingredient of how we should pray.

A. "OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN." (Matthew 6:9)

           Who is your prayer directed toward? Jesus says we are praying to the God the Father, who is our Creator. Note is starts "Our." This prayer is only for a child of God. God the Father is the head of the Trinity or God Head, thus all our prayers are to be directed to Him. We do not pray to Jesus or the Holy Spirit, but direct our prayers to the Father.
B. "HALLOWED BE THY NAME."

           The believer should to have and express a holy and reverent regard for the name of God. To Holy God's name is to honor Him. This shows the believer's belief and faith in God our Creator.
C. "THY KINGDOM COME" (Matthew 6:10)

           When we pray, and sincerely hope and look forward to the Lord's return and for the Lord's Kingdom come to earth. In sincerely praying this we are affirming our part in it.
D "THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." Matthew 6:10

           The Kingdom and God's will are tied together. Doing God's will in our lives is an important part of God's kingdom. Each believer should see himself as a part of God's work on Earth and His eternal plan.

E. "GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD" Matthew 6:11

           The Christian recognizes that our existence and all we have comes from God. It too is an expression of faith. By faith we accept whatever comes our way, knowing that God is providing for us. The believer realizes that he is dependent on the Lord.

I. "FORGIVE OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS" Matthew 6:12

           There are two distinct elements in this statement of prayer. One, we are asking for God's forgiveness and we are asking for forgiveness as we in turn are forgiving those who are indebted to us.
           The word "debts" refers to something that is morally and legally due. There are two words translated "debts" One is something that is morally due. The second word is the one used here and is a longer form of the word. It adds the understanding of something that is both morally and legally due.
           Metaphorically is refers to sin which demands to be appeased or paid for. The phrase is addressing two things....
           First our sins that we have committed and secondly the sin that others commit against us. As we are forgiven by Jesus Christ our sins, we are to forgive those that sin against us.
A. Immediately following the closing of the model prayer in verses 14-15, the Lord began to explain his statement concerning forgiveness. He knew that all men have a problem being forgiving of others. The carnal nature that all men have is selfish and proud and forgiving someone who has offended or harmed you is a matter of humbling one's self. Humility and pride are like oil and water. They do not mix. Jesus explained in verse 14. What He said shows the seriousness of no forgiving others.
           "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15)

1. Because we all sin and do wrong not only to God but to one another it dictates that we must be a forgiving people or there would never be any peace. An unforgiving attitude puts barriers between people and robs them of having a caring and loving relationship.
2. This is an important part of our prayer life dealing with sin in our lives. We are to ask God not only to forgive us our sins, but at the same time, forgive us whether they ask or not.

B. Sin has eternal consequences. For those not forgiven there is separation from God and an eternity waiting in the Lake of Fire. Rev. 20:11-15. tells us of the coming eternal damnation of those who die without Christ.
C. Sin has Present Effects. Why does God hate sin?

           Sin robs men of the fullness of life. "The wages of sin is death. . ." (Rom. 6:23) No matter what our situation, or mental state sin is detrimental. The word "sin" describes something that is deficient, that has error, that is corrupted, that is not true or that is wrong.
           It effects the mind, emotions, affections. Makes us selfish unloving, unkind. It also grows like a cancer. What may not be a problem now or seem like a small sin will in time become greater one and in time be accumulative in its harmful effects.
           When one gives in to what we would call a small sin, people do not see that their attitude toward sin is slowly being changed. Many do not look to the future and understand that even a small sin will often lead to worst things.
           No one likes to be told they are wrong or be corrected for their decisions. Yet, the only way to overcome a sin is to admit it....right up front, repent of it, which means to turn from it, and in the power and strength of biblical conviction ask for God's help. James 1:5 say the Lord will give liberally and without scolding if we seek His help.

D. Sin will absolutely bring judgment. Rom. 6:23a clearly says the wages of sin will always be death. The only exception is when a person asked for forgiveness and God assures us that He will forgive.

II. THE GOOD NEWS!

A. Though we are guilty of sin and do wrong God offers free pardon for all who will take it.

1. Jeremiah 31:34, says God will remember our sin no more.
2. Micah 7:18-19, God will pass by our iniquities and bury them in the depths of the sea.
3. Psalm 103:12, God removes our sins from us as far as the East is from the West.

B. 1 Peter 2:24, explains that Jesus Christ ". . . bore our sins in His own body on the tree."
C. Christ is the "full payment" for our sins and for all the world. (1 John 2:2)
D. "He hath made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21)
E. Forgiveness is freely offered. Sure there is a penalty. But God paid the penalty for all who will accept the pardon. Jesus Christ allowed the judgment to fall on Him that it would not destroy us.

IV. CONFESSING SIN IS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE THE AVAILABLE FORGIVENESS FROM GOD! 1 John 1:9

A. No one receives salvation who is not repentant for sin. Many times in both the Old and New Testaments the Lord warned the sinner to repent.

1. In the Old Testament the Lord told Israel "Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations." (Ezek. 14:6)
2. Peter in Acts 3:19 said, "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord."

B. Confession is the expression of true repentance and the natural result of accepting the truth about ourselves.

1. Some might say: You have a poor evaluation of man.
2. To that I say, poor or not, it is the truth.

C. We are to confess that we are sinners.

1. This precludes pride and lying to oneself.
2. You can not overcome a fault you deny.
3. Whether one is a liar, thief, or murder, a drug addicts, drinker, etc. The road to overcoming the destructive influences of sin begins with confession.
4. We can easier understand the need for forgiveness in the lives of the unsaved, but we must recognize that Christians also sin and dishonor Christ. can be honest and accept the truth about who is sinning against God?

           Folks who are not faithful in attending and supporting the God's work in their local church.
Folks who do not witness.
Folks who do not pray.
Folks who are gossipers, backbiters, tale bearers, complainers.
Folks who seek to the praise of man and are prideful.
Folks who do not read and study God's word.
Folks who hold malice.
Folks who are quick to anger.
Folks who lie.
Folks who do not forgive others.

Colossians 3:5f says ". . . Mortify therefore your members with are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires, and covetousness with is idolatry."
           Those that deny they have a problem will never overcome it. Why? Because you cannot deal with problems you don't recognize or admit exists!

V. THERE ARE FIVE GREEK WORDS FOR SIN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. Each word expresses a different element of sin.

A. HAMARITA. (ham-ar-tee'-ah) "to miss the mark." The word most used.

Romans 3:23, "All are guilty of "hamartia" and fall short of the Glory of God."
B. PARABASIS. ( par-ab'-as-is) It is a noun and means"to step across the line, to make a violation or transgression."

"Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." (Romans 4:15)
           Folks there is no straddling of the fence. We do right or wrong. There is not such thing as white lies or little sins. To sin means we cross the line between what is right and go over to what is wrong.
C. A NOMIA. ( an'-om-os) "attitude of lawlessness" It is being an outlaw. "For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;" (2 Peter 2:8)

This word means to have no regard for the truth, meaning for God's laws. It is will flagrant rebellion at what is right, and at God himself. This is the spirit of the rebel who defies God and His truth. He refuses to submit himself to God. He knows what is right, but vehemently refuses bow to God or humble himself.
D. PAR A PTOMA (par-ap'-to-mah)"to slip or fall" Translated "Trespasses."

Matthew 6:14-15. This is the word translated "trespasses." It refers to the passion of the moment and a loss of self control momentarily. It refers to those who offend us either willfully or unintentionally.
E. O PHEIL E MA (O FELL E MA). "a debt owed" Translated "debt." Matthew 6:12.

           Sin is a failure to pay what is due. It is used on twice in the New Testament. Roman 4:4 and here in Matthew 6:12. Sin is a debt which is owed. You owe God a consequence for your sin.
           Revelation 20:11-12, records the Judgment of the Lost. The lost will be judged out of the Book. The books are a record of unpaid debts. The debts are of sin are against God to whom we are responsible.
           "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." (Psalms 51:4)

VI. FORGIVING OTHERS. ". . .as we forgive our debtors." Matthew 6:12

A. The verse says forgive us as we for give others. Because God forgave our sin debt against Him, we are to show others the Love of God by forgiving as well. We love others as He loved us. Thus we are compelled to show mercy because of God's mercy towards us.

B. Do you forgive others when they:

Miss the mark
Cross the line
Do not obey God
Slip or fall
Owe you a debt

C. You may read your Bible, come to church, pray, confess your sins...and still not have the joy in your heart? David cried to the Lord, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psalms 51:12) Psalm 51 addresses sin and its consequences in our lives. One thing sin does is it causes us to lose our joy.
           It could be the Lord is withholding peace because you have not forgiven someone else?

1. You should not expect God to be forgiving if you are not forgiving.
2. Many refer to Luke 6:38 as a verse dealing with giving money. That is not what it refers to. Note verse 37 and 38.
" Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:37-38)
The verse is talking God forgiving us as we give forgiveness to others. It is a classic example of a passage which is mostly used out of its context.
3. DO YOU SEE THE PRINCIPLE? GOD DEALS WITH US IN THE WAY WE DEAL WITH OTHERS.
           He cannot treat us better than we treat others. The believer hinders God's blessing us when we do not live righteous lives. It does not simply mean God blessing us with money. The blessing means having peace and joy in our lives in living with others.
           That means living a "right" life and doing what is right in the sight of God. No one is perfect and we all fail. We are not better than anyone else and therefore we are no more deserving of God's mercy than anyone else. That also goes for one another. Therefore, we in humility forgive others which recognizes that we to are subject to failure and sin.
           Verses that deal with this principle:
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matthew 5:21-24)
"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear {me}" (Psalms 66:18)
"For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." (James 2:13)
"Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22)
One who understood these principles said:
"There is none so tender to others as they which have received mercy themselves; for they know how gently God has dealt with them."
It is said that "He who cannot forgive others builds a wall over which he himself must cross."

CONCLUSION:

1. The unsaved person needs to admit that he is a sinner and has missed the mark. Unless he repents of his sin to the Lord he will bearing the judgment of his refusal.

           Thus accepting this truth is the first step in being saved from our sins and receiving eternal life. Realizing we need to be forgiven the unsaved, turn to the Lord in repentance and ask humbly for His forgiveness and salvation. By repenting of our sins and accepting God's forgiveness...we are born again and become a child of God. Sin is finally and eternally dealt with and we are completely forgiven. Sin then has no longer any hold on us.
2. For the Christian who has been forgiven his sins, he must be confessing his sins unto the Lord and seeking God's strength to overcome sin.

           He is to likewise be forgiving to those who sin against him. We are to be like God in that we reflect His love and compassion. He stands ready always to forgive the sinner who will simply ask. Jesus Christ went to the cross as Romans 5:8 says, while we were still in our sins. We too must have an attitude of forgiveness.

3. It is not automatic to be forgiving. It is a action that stems from the love of God in one's heart. An unconditional love that forgives when the offender is still offensive, when the person who uses us, or hurts us, or degrades us....still is using us, hurting us and degrading us. God's forgiveness transcends others sinful acts toward us the same way God's love transcends our sinful acts against Him.
4. True peace can only be found in when we are reconciled to God and to others. "For us our debts as we forgive our debtors."

2-1-08

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*All rights reserved. This work is reserved in its use only to preserve the author's ownership of his work. Any part of this work may be used without the author's permission. All that he asks is that proper credit be given. (All quotations are from the Authorized Version - The King James Bible. )