‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’ The Lord’s Prayer 5 ‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’

Forgiveness of Sins ‘Holy ground’: the very ‘heart’ of the Gospel: 1 Corinthians 15v3: Christ died for our sins. Apostles Creed: “I believe in the forgiveness of sins”. R T Kendall: “It is my view that the greatest need of the Church today is to heed the petition now before us.”

Matthew 6v9-13 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen. (NIV)

‘Forgive us our sins’ Daily life requires both daily bread and forgiveness. Forgiveness from God is an ongoing need: ‘Debts’: Good things we have not done/left undone. ‘Sins’: Falling short of God’s glory ‘Trespasses’: Crossing boundaries: God’s & other peoples’. The ‘victorious Christian life’ is a repentant life.

The Basis of Forgiveness God is NOT an ‘indulgent’ parent, who just overlooks sin & injustice! Basis of forgiveness is Christ’s death on the cross: Hebrews 9:22: without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 1 Peter 2:24: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree. (NIV) Our response: Acts 20v21: I declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (NIV) 1 John 1v9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins… (NIV)

Sexual Immorality Eg adultery & sex outside of marriage. NOT the worst or un-forgiveable sin! BUT it is SIN! (even if many people do it) Need to admit it and confess it to God, to say ‘sorry’, and receive God’s forgiveness. Need to accept God has a better way to live. Then, we need to ‘move on’, to live by faith that we are ‘washed’ by the blood of Christ. There is NO SHAME in confessed and forgiven sin.

‘As we forgive those who sin against us’ We must forgive other people: Jesus teaches it! ‘Un-forgiveness’ is sin, that can ‘kill’ our spiritual life. Important for the Church & Marriages: Ken Bailey: “Unless people are able to forgive one another, and to seek God’s forgiveness, they are unable to live together.” Ephesians 4v32: Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (NIV)