Guilt and Compassion

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Personal prayer it typified in the earnest plea for the forgiveness of sins. Not ours alone, but for the sins of all of God’s elect. More than this, we are to seek the good of our neighbors, to seek to reconcile with them quickly over disputes and disagreements, ultimately taking into account the importance of blessing them, praying for them, in short doing everything YOU can do as those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who look forward to inheriting the earth, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who are merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, that is YOU WHO ARE BELOVED. As the children of Christ YOU AND I, are to actively and consistently do more than merely know, intellectually or through memorization the WORD of God, we are to be doers of the word (), not merely hearers or knowers.

Thankfully Christ prepares his disciples. BELOVED that is YOU.

The Context of our message is the concept of blessedness, blessings and is a broader sense the LOVE of God for You as HIS people. Because of His unfathomable LOVE for you, He has taught YOU through Christ instruction not only how to PRAY, but WHAT to PRAY, FOR WHOM to PRAY, SO THAT YOU MIGHT GROW IN LOVE.

Historically we see our text in Matthew, as the Lord’s Prayer, part of the teachings from the sermon on the mount (). Let that sink in for a moment. The account which parallels the prayer portion found in is a different account, something worthy of being taught, taught by Christ on more that one occasion. The Matthew text speaks to us in a clarifying sense. Christ following the depth of teachings beginning in , follows

If you have a study bible we will find that the context of the Lord’s Prayer follows a very specific pattern, and comes in a very specific place in the Sermon on the Mount,

(NKJV)

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

Love

44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

The New King James Version Chapter 5

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

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46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

We may ask for forgiveness, which is only provided by the shed blood of Christ, not only for our personal sins, but also for the corporate guilt of those who are found in Christ as true believers. We ask that the imputation of sins might never be accounted to our indebtedness, but that we as guilty and polluted sinner might with overwhelming joy express the daily blessedness of our position in Christ, as David wrote,

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” ().

. We may ask for forgiveness, which is only provided by the shed blood of Christ, not only for our personal sins, but also for the corporate guilt of those who are found in Christ as true believers. We ask that the imputation of sins might never be accounted to our indebtedness, but that we as guilty and polluted sinner might with overwhelming joy express the daily blessedness of our position in Christ, as David wrote, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” ().

To carry the weight or burden of owed indebtedness against a neighbor, is to be enslaved to the debt which is owed. This is most often a debt, experienced and internalized as resentment, animosity, or even hatred.

1Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.

). Moreover, we are to extend this blessing upon all our neighbors, for we from forgiven hearts, are to extend heartfelt forgiveness toward those who transgress against us. To carry the weight of owed indebtedness against a neighbor, is to be enslaved to the debt which is owed. To forgive all trespasses and sins it to live openly demonstrating love it to embrace the understanding of both “guilt and compassion.”

To forgive all trespasses and sins is to live a life openly demonstrating love it to embrace the understanding of both “guilt and compassion.”

2Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit. (). Moreover, we are to extend this blessing upon all our neighbors, for we from forgiven hearts, are to extend heartfelt forgiveness toward those who transgress against us. To carry the weight of owed indebtedness against a neighbor, is to be enslaved to the debt which is owed. To forgive all trespasses and sins it to live openly demonstrating love it to embrace the understanding of both “guilt and compassion.”

1. Confessing Indebtedness (; ; )

12 And forgive us our debts,

καὶ ἄφες (forgive) ἡμῖν (our / we) τὰ ὀφειλήματα (debts) ἡμῶν (our / we)

Our obligations as sinners. Recognizing we increase our debt day by day. They may be discontentment, anger which reflects murder, lust in out hearts, simply questioning the sufficiency which is found in our daily provision of life.

, or struggle is with sin all our lives. Christ is the only solution to our debt of sin:

“For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” (, NKJV)

When David speaks in of the blessedness of the man to who the LORD will not impute sin, he is addressing the state of forgiveness, or what it means to be surrounded, embraced, wrapped up and covenantally kept by the LOVE of YHWH, which this petition to God recognizes. No less does he address the same forgiveness in :

“Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.” (, NKJV)

What is debt toward God? This fastest answer is to be Perfect as Out Heavenly Father is Perfect. The instruction which Christ presented at the end of Chapter 5. Christ himself is the cornerstone of forgiveness.

We are found perfect in Christ, as the blessed of God, just as we are blessed in every good gift, as the meek, merciful, peacemakers, poor in spirit, mourning, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, who are persecuted for the name of Christ. Our debt to God is not payable through our prayers, or tears, or struggle, or suffering. Through you are persecuted, or even killed for the name of Christ, your debt is every present. The partaking of the Lord’s Supper does not erase your debt. If you have committed one sin, broken one of the laws of God, then you are guilty of death. Nothing you have done, can do, or every will be able to accomplish or offer to God is sufficient to repay your debt or buy back your life, for in the moment you consciously rebel and sin against God, your life is forfeited under the Just Law and Condemnation of God.

We are found perfect in Christ, as the blessed of God, just as we are blessed in every good gift, as the meek, merciful, peacemakers, poor in spirit, mourning, hunger and thirsting for righteousness, who are persecuted for the name of Christ. Our debt to God is not payable through our prayers, or tears, or struggle, or suffering. Through you are persecuted, or even killed for the name of Christ, your debt is every present. The partaking of the Lord’s Supper does not erase your debt. If you have committed one sin, broken one of the laws of God, then you are guilty of death. Nothing you have done, can do, or every will be able to accomplish or offer to God is sufficient to repay your debt or buy back your life, for in the moment you consciously rebel and sin against God, your life is forfeited under the Just Law and Condemnation of God.

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:24

Your indebtedness in prayer is a confession of the blessing you receive through the mercy of Christ fully atoning sacrifice, the payment of your indebtedness to the Justice of the Father, and remembering this daily is part of thankfulness, not ever repayment of obligation. Why do you pray? What is your motivation?

Moreover, we are to extend this blessing upon all our neighbors, for we, from forgiven hearts, are to extend heartfelt forgiveness toward those who transgress against us. To carry the weight or burden of owed indebtedness against a neighbor, is to be enslaved to the debt which is owed. This is most often a debt, experienced and internalized as resentment, animosity, or even hatred.

To forgive all trespasses and sins is to live a life openly demonstrating love and embracing the covenantal understanding of both “guilt and compassion.”

2. Demonstrating Compassion (; ; )

As we forgive our debtors.

As we forgive our debtors.

ὡς (like / as) καὶ ἡμεῖς (our) ἀφίεμεν (forgive) τοῖς ὀφειλέταις (debtors) ἡμῶν (ours)·

Forgiving of the debt of others, is demonstrated by Christ upon the Cross (), Stephen in , The Apostles ().

Your obligation or indebtedness is to forgive. It is a reflection of knowing your are forgiven. VV 14-15 reflect the truth that those who are in Christ willingly and lovingly forgive those who transgress against them. Those who are actively practicing are the covenant keepers, the doers of the LAW of LOVE.

Lets take a look at two ways this is outlined in Scripture,

This is outlined in two ways in Scripture,

1. () THE 70x7 Principle. Since we are forgiven of every grievous sin, which added to the shame poured out upon Christ in our stead, so we are to forgive as often as we are sinned against. In the Matthew passage we are to forgive as we have been forgiven, Christ responding to Peter’s question on forgiveness makes no mention of one coming and seeking forgiveness, although this might be implied from the accompanying parables.

There will be circumstances in your life where those who have sinned against you will not come to seek forgiveness. Some teach that you cannot forgive such sins, but must commend them to the Lord to whom all vengeance belongs (; ; ). Since all sin is against God, those who are sinned against have a sure hope in the justice of God who will not let the Guilty go unpunished (; ), but trust in the Lord and his just judgement.

2. () ALWAYS FORGIVE: The second obligation to those in Christ is recorded in . Here context describes how there will always be offenses, but when sinned against we are to rebuke the transgressor and extend forgiveness always (7x in a day) when he comes and seeks it. Such faithful and gracious forgiveness can only be modeled upon the mercy and lovingkindness of God (; ).

We are instructed to forgive those who grievously or persistently trespass against us. While there are those from whom we may never hear a petition for forgiveness- there may also be those who continually sin and come seeking our forgiveness and restoration. Here we can learn from Christ’s treatment of Peter, and Judas Iscariot, who were treated with kindness, respect and love.

Peter especially in , is restored by Christ after having denied him three times. The question which Christ used in those three questions was “Do you Love Me?”, is formed from the new command to love one another () and demonstrate love toward one anotherwhich Christ presented.

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The motivation of love in forgiving takes us to our final point.

3. Our Debt of Love (; ; )

Owe nothing but LOVE:

“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (, NKJV)

Love is the fulfillment of the Law in many ways, which if we were to take the time to illuminate each aspect, we would literally begin in Genesis and continue through Revelation. But we can reflect on two basic ways confessing our indebtedness and demonstrating compassion apply to every Child of God:

1. First, YOUR love of God presents the motivation to refrain from sin, to seek to honor the Lord and to be committed to his service in all things. Through YOUR LOVE the Law of God. , , , .

2. YOUR love of God (as related to the love of HIS Law) provides the instruction to love others, and especially to actively demonstrate YOU desire to see them come into the household of faith. It motivates YOUR desire to forgive those who have wronged us.

Peter said it this way:

“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (, NKJV)

Of Course Peter was quoting Solomon:

“Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” (, NKJV)

“He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.” (, NKJV)

So we see the prayer for forgiveness of our debts not only as a confession of our love for God and our fellow man, but our striving for the perfection which Christ commanded. Love is our obligation toward God first and to our neighbors. We confess our guilt, and forgive the guilty of others, to honor God, to demonstrate love and peace and so fulfill the Law of God. All of these things are emulated in the life of Christ which is ever before us. When you come seeking forgiveness, confessing your sins, you some seeking the fullness of the blood relationship you have with God as his child. That blood tie cannot be broken, but nothing but the shed blood of Christ is acceptable. Apart from the covenantal relationship which God established, proclaims, and sustains- through the blood of Christ- no forgiveness is real. For true forgiveness is the blessedness of not having our iniquity imputed to us, so we are free in Christ from all sin.