Apply Forgiveness

Giving His followers an example to follow in their personal prayers, Christ highlights crucial elements that should be included in our conversations with God.

ELEMENT ONE – ADORE HIM FOR WHO HE IS (v. 9)

ELEMENT TWO – ALIGN WITH HIS SOVEREIGNTY (v. 10)

ELEMENT THREE – ACCEPT HIS PROVISION (v. 11)

ELEMENT FOUR - APPLY FORGIVENESS (v. 12)

As we come to the fourth element of prayer, highlighted by Jesus, we learn of both the reality of our sinful nature and the merciful nature of God.

READ MATTHEW 6:9-13

1. In Relation to God (v. 12a)

Forgive - implies to pardon something that is owed, or to unloose a chain

Debts - ultimately speaking of our sin. And in the context of our request for pardon and being loosed from bondage - we get a good grasp for it’s intensity.

Paul noted it this way in:

Romans 6:16 NKJV

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

A. Judicial Forgiveness

As highlighted by the Commentator William McDonald:

Judicially, every person’s status before their Holy Creator begins as a sinner

Romans 5:12 NKJV

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 3:23 NKJV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

And that Holy Creator is our Judge.

Psalm 96:13 NKJV

For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

The result of their sin is eternal death.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yet Christ steps in as the Role of Savior.

1 Timothy 1:15 NKJV

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

And as Savior, Jesus fulfills the sinners need of Salvation.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

We understand the means of this forgiveness is by grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Those who come to faith in Christ, are freed from the condemnation of their sin, and they are eternally secure in Him.

Romans 8:1 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

The eternal forgiveness of our sin before the righteous Judge is dealt with at salvation one time.

B. Parental Forgiveness

Parentally, believers are described at the moment of salvation as children and God as a loving Heavenly Father.

This is the relational aspect of salvation. It isn’t just a get-out-of-hell-free card!

John 1:12 NKJV

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

Yet as Paul highlights in many of his epistles, although we are judicially forgiven and secure in Christ, we struggle with our flesh - and we sin. And...

Our sin results in broken fellowship with our Father.

1 John 1:6 NKJV

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Those who come back to the Father in repentant confession find restoration.

Psalm 32:5 NKJV

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

1 John 1:9 NKJV

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

While judicial forgiveness leads to salvation and a new relationship with God, parental forgiveness leads to the joy of our salvation and renewed fellowship.

While judicial forgiveness is a one time transaction, parental forgiveness is often revisited.

So as Jesus highlights the important element of forgiveness in prayer, as a believer, it is parental forgiveness, because judicial forgiveness has already been dealt with when we repented and believed on Christ by faith.

May I ask you today, friend, have you ever been judicially forgiven? Has God become your Heavenly Father as a result of your faith being placed in Christ? Do you have a relationship with Him, that is being developed daily?

Now, Jesus doesn’t stop with applying forgiveness in relation to God. Because as we study scripture, our vertical relationship always impacts our horizontal relationships.

2. In Relation to Others (v. 12b)

A. It begins with heart readiness

John Lange wrote - “The statement “AS WE” expresses neither the measure nor the grounds of forgiveness, but is connected with and regulated by our vow of readiness to forgive our neighbors.”

You see, according to this verse, regardless of the extent of our hurt, and regardless of what the one who has wronged us deserves, forgiveness begins in our own heart readiness.

Our prayer, according to this verse, is actually for God to restore our relationship to Him and forgive parentally, in equal proportion to our readiness to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Forgiveness is a matter of the heart.

In Matthew 18, Jesus is talking with Peter, and answers a crucial question about forgiveness.

Matthew 18:21–22 NKJV

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

And then Jesus gives a story to highlight what He means.

Matthew 18:23–35 NKJV

Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Here we find, not the loss of a believer’s salvation, but the reality that those who are forgiven should forgive others. Scripture as a whole teaches that those who are in Christ are secure - yet there are some who intellectually know about God’s forgiveness but have yet to submit to Christ for salvation.

So forgiveness begins with a heart of readiness, willing and ready to forgive the sins of others in the light of the massive forgiveness we have received from the Lord.

But forgiveness doesn’t stop there. It is something that is continual.

B. It continues with frequent return

Ephesians 4:32 NKJV

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Forgive and keep on forgiving.

What is forgiveness as highlighted in the first part of v. 12? - it is a pardon from something owed, or a loosening from a chain.

So in relation to others, forgiveness is the loosening of the chain we could carry the wrong doing. and it is the continual choice to leave the chain off.

C. It is in spite of the wrongdoing/wrongdoer

It has been said that forgiveness is dependent upon the repentance of the wrongdoer, and if he/she does not see their need for forgiveness, then the one wronged is not bound to forgive, however, this is not true.

Luke 6:27–28 NKJV

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

We can’t obey that verse in with an unforgiving spirit!

Although restoration is dependent upon many factors, the relinquishing of the grudge and the renouncing of the revenge is in spite of how anyone else responds. This level of forgivess takes place in our hearts, and is an attitude directly related to our understanding of God’s forgiveness to us.

“We’re not responsible for the miracle of repentance in someone else.”

In other words, we forgive like the Lord.

Psalm 86:5 NKJV

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Although repentance and restoration may never take place, forgiveness begins with a heart of readiness, continues with a frequent return to the choice, and is in spite of anyone else.

Let me ask you this morning, are you a forgiving person? Have you loosened the chains of that wrongdoing you’re thinking of right now? As a recipient of mercy, will you withhold mercy?

As we pray, may we begin with adoring God for Who He Is, aligning with His sovereign plans, accepting His provision in famine and abundance, and may we apply these principles of forgiveness in our relationship with God, and with others.