“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”
Meditation 1: “Forgive” is Unmerited
After earthly provision, Christ taught the petition of spiritual restoration. Man is to consider himself from God’s prospective: a sinner working sins (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:23). With this perspective we recognize our need for forgiveness.
Though difficult to understand fully, all forgiveness must be unearned. We cannot deserve it by any later good deeds since God already deserved those (Luke 17:10). We pray for this gracious forgiveness then because it has been promised to us (1 John 1:9). This is how we should pray.