In His Name Devotionals
FORGIVENESS (1)
In His Name Devotionals
FORGIVENESS (1)
“And forgive us our debts” (Matthew 6:12)
Christians struggle with sin. That surely comes as no surprise to anyone. As we mature in Christ, the frequency of our sinning decreases, but our sensitivity to it increases. That doesn’t mean we are more easily tempted, but that we are more aware of the subtleties of sin and how it dishonors God.
Some people think we should never confess our sins or seek forgiveness, but the Lord instructed us to do so when He told us to pray, “And forgive us our debts” (Matt 6:12).
John said, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). That passage tells us that Christians confess their sins; unbelievers don’t.
The phrase “forgive us” in Matthew 6:12 implies the need for forgiveness. “Debts” is translated from a Greek word that was used to speak of a moral or monetary debt. Here it refers to sins. When we sin, we owe to God a consequence or a debt because we have violated His holiness.
“Those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives...He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:6, 10).
If you are harboring sin, confess it and allow God to cleanse you and use you today for His glory.
