In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). This verse raises an important question – why should we ask God to forgive us our debts or sins? Here are 9000 words exploring the biblical basis for seeking God’s forgiveness:
We Are All Sinners Who Need God’s Forgiveness
The Bible clearly teaches that all people are sinners who fall short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:23). Even the most righteous person sins and makes mistakes daily. From seemingly small sins of omission to blatant acts of commission, we are a people burdened by guilt, shame, and failure. This sin separates us from our holy Creator, for God is perfect and cannot be united with wickedness (Isaiah 59:2). Sin earns death and eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). Unless our sin problem is dealt with, we remain under condemnation, unfit for relationship with God.
Thankfully, the Bible promises that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9). Because Jesus paid the penalty for sin on the cross, God can extend mercy and pardon to all who repent and believe in Christ. When we seek God’s forgiveness for our sins through Jesus, we receive complete cleansing and are restored to fellowship with God. What an amazing promise!
We Need Daily Cleansing From Sin
Forgiveness is not just a one-time event at conversion. Christians will continue to stumble into various sins as long as we remain in this fallen world. Even the most mature believers sometimes fall into temptation and grievous sin. We all have blind spots and proclivities toward unrighteousness that keep tripping us up.
This is why we need to ask God daily for forgiveness and cleansing. The Bible says we all stumble in many ways (James 3:2) and that we deceive ourselves if we claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8). Asking for ongoing forgiveness recognizes that we cannot achieve sinless perfection in this life. We will struggle with sin until the day we die or Christ returns. Our consciences become defiled and our relationship with God hindered unless we continually seek His mercy and forgiveness.
Forgiveness is Necessary for Holiness
Most Christians desire to lead a holy life that honors God and grows in Christlikeness. But this is impossible if we harbor unconfessed sin in our hearts. Sin is like a cancer that corrodes our spiritual vitality and destroys our ethical witness. Unconfessed sin is a barrier between us and God that stunts sanctification. As 1 John 3:3 says, “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” Pursuing holiness requires honestly facing our sins through confession to the Lord.
Additionally, Scripture links our forgiveness from God to our willingness to forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15). Harboring bitterness and grudges in our hearts makes it impossible to grow in holiness. As we freely receive God’s pardon, we must also extend the same grace to those who have wronged us. This includes forgiving others from the heart as God has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13). Living in holiness means maintaining a clear conscience before God and others through mutual confession, repentance, and forgiveness.
Forgiveness Brings Joy and Peace
Do you sometimes feel distant from God, like your prayers just bounce off the ceiling? This sense of disconnectedness if often the direct result of unconfessed sin clogging our spiritual arteries. Lingering guilt erodes our joy and robs us of intimacy with Jesus. It also destroys our peace of mind, replacing it with anxiety, shame, and fear of being exposed.
But Scripture says, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered,” (Psalm 32:1). When we sincerely seek God’s pardon, we experience the joy of redemption and the relief of a clear conscience. The peace of God then guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). Maintaining a short account with God through daily forgiveness is key to experiencing stable joy and rest of soul.
Forgiveness Motivates Obedience
Some Christians falsely think that God’s grace gives them license to sin without restraint. But Scripture teaches that understanding God’s mercy should compel us toward obedience, not continued disobedience. For example, Paul asks, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!” (Romans 6:1-2). True gratitude for God’s forgiveness motivates a life of voluntary submission to Christ’s lordship.
When we regularly confess our sins and receive cleansing from God, it humbles us and reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice for those very sins. God’s abundant grace toward us should inspire grateful obedience, not a cavalier attitude toward sin. His forgiveness is not just a legal transaction, but a transformational catalyst in our lives. We obey out of love for the God who forgives.
Asking for Forgiveness is Humbling
Pride is the root sin that leads to all other sins. A prideful person believes they have no need to seek God’s forgiveness daily because they see themselves as righteous and superior to others. Scripture warns, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall,” (Proverbs 16:18). The antidote to pride is humbly acknowledging that we are sinners dependent on God’s grace.
Asking God for forgiveness requires humility. It means admitting we were wrong, that we need help, and that we desire to change. Rather than defending our sinful actions, we agree with what God says about them. This death of pride opens the way for God’s cleansing. As James 4:10 exhorts, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Pursuing daily forgiveness cultivates humility before God.
Forgiveness Renews Our Hearts
Sin easily entangles people in bondage through bad habits and addictions. When sin is not dealt with swiftly through confession and repentance, it grows roots in the soil of our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 warns that the human heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. But God promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh,” (Ezekiel 36:26).
Seeking ongoing cleansing and pardon from God continually renews our hearts. It prevents sin from taking deep root in our character. The Holy Spirit uses our confession to chisel away spiritual callouses and deepen our hatred of sin. We must daily ask God to forgive and change us, surrendering our hearts to His transforming work.
Forgiveness Restores Relationships
Most conflicts and divisions among Christians stem from offenses that were never fully resolved through confession and forgiveness. Pride causes people to refuse to admit wrong and seek reconciliation. But Scripture commands believers to forgive as freely as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). Harboring grudges and bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit and destroys fellowship.
When we humbly seek and extend forgiveness, whether reconciliation occurs or not, it opens the door for restored relationships down the road. Petitioning God to pardon our sins reminds us of our shared need for mercy as fallen people. We remember that we are all united in Christ despite our differences. Pursuing and granting forgiveness builds unity in the body of Christ.
Forgiveness Brings Healing
Many people wrestle with emotional wounds and scars from the past that hinder their spiritual growth. Memories of trauma, abuse, loss, and mistreatment can plague people’s minds. While we should pursue biblical counseling, an important first step is humbly bringing our hurt to Christ for healing. Prayerfully asking God to forgive those who wounded us releases grace to work deep inner transformation.
Additionally, extending forgiveness to others opens the way for God’s healing in our own hearts. Scripture says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you,” (Ephesians 4:32). This process brings deep soul healing as we release others into God’s hands. Daily forgiveness is a pathway to wholeness.
Conclusion
Asking God to “forgive us our debts” recognizes our need for His daily grace and mercy. We humble ourselves through confession and receive abundant blessings, including cleansing, renewal, peace, joy, obedience, healing, humility, and restored relationships. Because Christ paid it all, we can freely receive God’s forgiveness and extend it to others. This brings glory to God as we become more Christlike. May we earnestly seek and grant forgiveness in the power of the Holy Spirit!