The Lord's Prayer

When we say: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,” we remind ourselves both what we should ask, and what we should do in order that we may be worthy to receive what we ask.

45. The next petition is, FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS. In this and the following petition our Saviour has briefly comprehended whatever is conducive to the heavenly life, as these two members contain the spiritual covenant which God made for the salvation of his Church, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts.” “I will pardon all their iniquities,” (Jer. 31:33; 33:8). Here our Saviour begins with the forgiveness of sins, and then adds the subsequent blessing—viz. that God would protect us by the power, and support us by the aid of his Spirit, so that we may stand invincible against all temptations. To sins he gives the name of debts, because we owe the punishment due to them, a debt which we could not possibly pay were we not discharged by this remission, the result of his free mercy, when he freely expunges the debt, accepting nothing in return; but of his own mercy receiving satisfaction in Christ, who gave himself a ransom for us (Rom. 3:24).

Let those, again, who dream of a perfection which makes it unnecessary to seek pardon, find their disciples among those whose itching ears incline them to imposture…. It is, indeed, to be wished, it ought even to be our strenuous endeavour, to perform all the parts of our duty, so as truly to congratulate ourselves before God as being pure from every stain; but as God is pleased to renew his image in us by degrees, so that to some extent there is always a residue of corruption in our flesh, we ought by no means to neglect the remedy. But if Christ, according to the authority given him by his Father, enjoins us, during the whole course of our lives, to implore pardon, who can tolerate those new teachers who, by the phantom of perfect innocence, endeavour to dazzle the simple, and make them believe that they can render themselves completely free from guilt? …

In the next part of the petition we pray to be forgiven, “as we forgive our debtors;” that is, as we spare and pardon all by whom we are in any way offended, either in deed by unjust, or in word by contumelious treatment. Not that we can forgive the guilt of a fault or offense; this belongs to God only; but we can forgive to this extent: we can voluntarily divest our minds of wrath, hatred, and revenge, and efface the remembrance of injuries by a voluntary oblivion. Wherefore, we are not to ask the forgiveness of our sins from God, unless we forgive the offenses of all who are or have been injurious to us. If we retain any hatred in our minds, if we meditate revenge, and devise the means of hurting; nay, if we do not return to a good understanding with our enemies, perform every kind of friendly office, and endeavour to effect a reconciliation with them, we by this petition beseech God not to grant us forgiveness. For we ask him to do to us as we do to others.

Because we sin even after our baptisms, God shows His great love to man by commanding us to come him for the remission of our sins and to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." Do you see his surpassing mercy!? Even after forgiving great sins through the unspeakable greatness of the gift of baptism, He still forgives men if they sin again.

But what we should most observe is this: how earnest He is that we forgive others. So we ourselves have control over the judgment that is to be passed upon us. No one, not even the senseless, can complain when brought to judgment, because on you He causes the judgement to depend. As he says, "in what way thou has judged for thyself, in the same," says He, "do I also judge thee."

“And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” After we pray for our supply of food we ask for the pardon of sin. So that he who is fed by God may also live in God. For just as we pray that our temporal life may be provided for, we also pray that our eternal life may be provided for through the forgiveness of our sins. 

Lest anyone should flatter himself by believing he is innocent, and by exalting himself more damn himself, it is necessary and good that we are daily reminded that we are sinners and encouraged to pray for forgiveness. As the Apostle John says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. And we know that the Lord is faithful to forgive our sins because He himself taught us to pray for our debts and sins and promised to forgive them when we ask. 

Further, He has clearly added the law that we should ask that our debts be forgiven in the same way that we ourselves forgive our debtors. For we cannot obtain forgiveness unless we ourselves have forgiven those who sin against us. As Jesus says “With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.”

86] This part now relates to our poor miserable life, which, although we have and believe the Word of God, and do and submit to His will, and are supported by His gifts and blessings, is nevertheless not without sin. For we still stumble daily and transgress because we live in the world among men who do us much harm and give us cause for impatience, anger, revenge, etc. 87] Besides, we have Satan at our back, who sets upon us on every side, and fights (as we have heard) against all the foregoing petitions, so that it is not possible always to stand firm in such a persistent conflict. 88] Therefore there is here again great need to call upon God and to pray: Dear Father, forgive us our trespasses. Not as though He did not forgive sin without and even before our prayer (for He has given us the Gospel, in which is pure forgiveness before we prayed or ever thought about it). But this is to the intent that we may recognize and accept such forgiveness….

91] And let no one think that as long as we live here he can reach such a position that he will not need such forgiveness. In short, if God does not forgive without ceasing, we are lost. 92] It is therefore the intent of this petition that God would not regard our sins and hold up to us what we daily deserve, but would deal graciously with us, and forgive, as He has promised, and thus grant us a joyful and confident conscience to stand before Him in prayer….

93] But there is here attached a necessary, yet consolatory addition: As we forgive. He has promised that we shall be sure that everything is forgiven and pardoned, yet in the manner that we also forgive our neighbor. 94] For just as we daily sin much against God, and yet He forgives everything through grace, so we, too, must ever forgive our neighbor who does us injury, violence, and wrong, shows malice toward us, etc. 95] If, therefore, you do not forgive, then do not think that God forgives you; but if you forgive, you have this consolation and assurance, that you are forgiven in heaven, not on account of your forgiving, for God forgives freely and without condition, out of pure grace, because He has so promised, as the Gospel teaches, but in order that He may set this up for our confirmation and assurance for a sign alongside of the promise which accords with this prayer, Luke 6:37: Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

The Fifth Petition. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. What does this mean?--Answer. We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." This petition naturally follows the former (“Give us this day our daily bread”) because only sin can hinder God’s bounty from flowing onto every creature. So we here pray that all sin be removed so that we may more clearly trust in the God of love for everything that is good. 

The word “trespasses” means our debts. Scripture frequently represents our sins as debts since every sin puts us under a new debt to God. Of course, we already owe God an unpayable debt, so what then can we say when he says, "Pay me the debt you owe!" We are utterly insolvent; we have nothing to pay; we have wasted all our substance. Therefore, if God were to deal with us justly according to the letter of his law, he would command that we be "bound hand and foot, and delivered over to the tormentors."

Indeed our sin binds us hand and foot. As far as we are concerned they are unbreakable chains of iron. They are wounds by which the world, our flesh, and the devil have mangled us. They are diseases that drink up our blood and spirits. And they bring us down to the grave. And as far as God is concerned they are immense and numberless debts. Seeing this we should cry out to him to “frankly forgive us all!”

The word translated “forgive” implies either to forgive a debt, or to remove a chain. And if our debts are forgiven, then the chains fall off our hands. As soon as we receive forgiveness of sins through the free grace of God in Christ, we also receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in him. Sin has lost its power. It has no dominion over those who are under grace and who have favor with God. Since “there is now no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus,” they are free from sin and from guilt. "The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in" them, and they "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"As we forgive them that trespass against us." -- These words clearly show us the condition upon which and the degree to which we may look to God to be forgiven. All our sins are forgiven, if we forgive, and as we forgive, others. This is an important point! Jesus even repeats it later in his sermon (Matt. 6:14-15).

God forgives us as we forgive others. If we retain any malice or bitterness, any unkindness or anger, and do not clearly, fully, and from the heart forgive all men their sins, then we are cut short of God’s forgiveness of us. God cannot clearly and fully forgive us. He may show us some degree of mercy, but we will not allow him to blot out all our sins, and forgive all our iniquities.

Further, if we do not forgive our neighbors from the heart, then by praying these words we are openly defying God. We are daring him to do his worst. We are saying in essence, “Do not forgive us at all! Remember our sins and give us your wrath.” But can you seriously offer such a prayer to God? How has he not yet cast you into hell? O do not tempt him any longer! Now, even now, by his grace, forgive as you would be forgiven! Now have compassion on your fellow-servant, as God has had, and will have pity, on you!