Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
Heidelberg Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism Question 126. What is the fifth petition? “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” That is: be pleased, for the sake of Christ’s blood, not to charge to us, miserable sinners, our many transgressions, nor the evil which still clings to us. We also find this witness of thy grace in us, that it is our sincere intention heartily to forgive our neighbor.
Westminster Shorter Catechism
Shorter Catechism Question 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition? In the fifth petition, which is, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” we pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
- Ps. 51:1 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.”
- Rom. 3:24-25 “they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed.”
- Luke 11:4 “And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
- Matt. 18:35 “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
- Matt. 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Study Catechism
Study Catechism Question 131. What is meant by the fifth petition, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”? We pray that a new and right spirit will be put within us. We ask for the grace to treat others, especially those who harm us, with the same mercy that we have received from God. We remember that not one day goes by when we do not need to turn humbly to God for our own forgiveness. We know that our reception of this forgiveness can be blocked by our unwillingness to forgive others. We ask that we will not delight in doing evil, nor in avenging any wrong, but that we will survive all cruelty without bitterness, and overcome evil with good, so that our hearts will be knit together with the mercy and forgiveness of God.
- Matt. 18:33 “Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?”
- Matt. 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
- Ps. 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.”
- 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
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