Short articles of the, "Yes Jesus" Book on prayer. # 73.

 

Repeat after Jesus

“Our Father in Heaven”

“Forgive us our debts as we have

also forgiven our debtors.”

 

The head has forgiven its members and the members must forgive each other.

Communion with God and with one another is only possible on the basis of forgiveness. The language of this portion of the Lord’s Prayer is a great equalizer between God in Heaven and his children on earth who parallel him in the activity of forgiveness.

At first glance it seems to be saying that forgiveness with God is conditional upon an act or work of man who out of the goodness of his heart forgives his fellow believer although he himself has a right to ask God to forgive him.

A closer look at these words reveals the speaker speaks to God in almost an imperative form. “Forgive us!” How dare a mortal address God like that? It would be preposterous unless he is equal to God by virtue of the fact that he has already believed and that he is a child of God his father in Heaven. Then the language makes sense.

Through Jesus’ consummating work on the Cross we have communion with God, and if communion with God, then one with God such that we can also say, “as we have forgiven our debtors.”

It is the atonement that is exalted here, the consummating work of Jesus on the Cross in our behalf the member of one body that is his body.

This is the teaching elder on duty in matters of Prayer.

 

Gerry Gutierrez.