Monday, March 17, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: Matthew 6

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, what is now called the “Lord’s Prayer.” He follows that up with this proclamation:

Matthew 6:14-15
“ ¹⁴ If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

As stand-alone verses, Matthew 6:14-15 can easily be taken out of context. Verse 15 implies our eternal destiny depends on whether or not we forgive everyone who has sinned against us. That conclusion could not be more inaccurate!

To be clear, the Bible states God’s forgiveness has nothing to do with works done by us. It is impossible to “earn” forgiveness. The forgiveness God offers us for our sin is solely based on the work of Christ on the cross.

1 John 2:2
He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

The word “forgive” is often misunderstood and misapplied in other contexts, too. When biblical truths and the character of God are omitted from forgiveness, the conversation easily goes off the rails. We often either decide to do whatever we want, because God will forgive us no matter what, or we live focused on the rules in an attempt to please God.

John 1:9 records these truths, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” God offers us—undeserving as we are—generous, no-strings-attached forgiveness “...if we confess our sins to him.”

The human dilemma, being self-focused rather than God-focused, keeps us at arm’s length from fully trusting God. We begin our relationship with God when we first ask for his forgiveness, but developing a deeper relationship with him depends upon us. God longs for intimate connection with us welcoming us to come close (James 4:8). But he invites, rather than forces, us into it.

When we sit in self-righteousness, rather than the righteousness God offers through his Son, it is impossible to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. The ability to offer genuine forgiveness to others is directly tied to a personal relationship with Jesus.

Forgiveness can be a lifelong journey, but it offers freedom to all involved—the one sinned against and the sinner.

Questions:
Do you struggle with accepting and receiving forgiveness from God? Why?

When it comes to forgiving others and forgiving yourself, what do you struggle with?

Next Steps:
Acknowledge deep-seated emotions that make accepting and receiving forgiveness difficult. Acknowledge deep-seated emotions that make offering others forgiveness difficult.

Prayer:
Heavenly father, thank you for generously offering undeserved forgiveness to me and others. You sent your precious son, Jesus, to die a horrific death to cover my sins with his precious blood. When I am tempted to withhold forgiveness from others, remind me of my great need for your forgiveness. Help me to examine my shortcomings, rather than focusing on the lives of others. Help me see the potential you have placed in me and others. May your light in me offer hope to others as they witness the transformative changes you make in this broken vessel—your vessel. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Hebrews 4:15
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

This post was written by Karen Peck, a Perrysburg attendee, and a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.