Jesus Christ taught his students to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). This is a direct appeal to God to forgive us for what we owe Him and are unable to recompense. But the condition of feeling God’s forgiveness is to forgive others for what they owe us and are unable to recompense.
God gave us life. How could we possibly pay God back for giving us life? We can’t. It’s what God does, and are we blessed. We “pay God back” with gratitude, love, and appreciation for what He has done. Not just to God, but to our fellowman in treating them in the same way God treats us.
As Mary Baker Eddy interprets the prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” with “Love is reflected in love,” (Science and Health, p. 17), the love we show others reflects the love and appreciation we have for God.
We find forgiveness in giving forgiveness.
Forgiveness and gratitude for all we’ve been given is key to a full life. Thank you Evan for this post.
Really appreciate this inspiration, Evan. Thank you. It seems so easy to hold onto “unforgiveness” for what others have done. Yet to follow your admonition to treat others the way God treats us feels like inspired justice and is necessary for our spiritual growth.
Thank you, Evan. This is so important. It can be very hard to do if you are constantly turning the other cheek and seeing no change or progress. But, “pause, wait in God,” and then press on. God will show you the way. Forgiveness otherwise known as Love is the way. God Bless.
In Matthew 6:9-13, where we find the Lord’s Prayer, notice the verses immediately following “amen” In verses 14-15, Jesus emphasizes the importance of forgiving. It seems as though he goes back and underlines the Christian requirement to forgive
This is a beautiful new take on forgiveness, Evan! “ We pay back God”with gratitude and love through forgiveness. It has to do with loving God and expressing that love to everyone. God is the source of our love and he never stops loving us. So we don’t need to depend on what others are doing or not doing for us . That is not relevant. All the love there is comes from God and we can’t be separate from it. I think the trouble lies in looking to mortals for our love and approval instead of God.
Thank you Evan for these wonderfully insightful thoughts.
I love this comment by Dorothy Holder Jones: “Prayer in Christian Science is based on the two great commandments of Jesus. We can’t really love God without loving His children. We can’t think of ourselves as God’s man and see our neighbor as a sinful mortal.”
“Love and forgive” By Inge Hake. From the November 17, 2014 issue of The Christian Science Sentinel:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1nrpgav3hkw?s=copylink
Thank you, Evan. Nice take on forgiveness. And thank you J. You always find such great articles to share!
Thank you, Evan. Nice take on forgiveness. And thank you J. You always find such great articles to share!
Thank you for this wonderful and insightful perspective on forgiveness Evan. It goes wonderfully with today’s Daily Lift.
True forgiveness is to see them as God created them, in God’s image and likeness. It happens on the Spirit/God level. Not on the human level of various personalities…..am I correct in this. Also, is it still good to know them/others as God’s Divine Child….eternally. And not be involved in human personality traits that “seem” to exist?