Who Pays the Bill?
“and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors” Matthew 6:12
As We Also – It’s such a famous phrase that we don’t really pay close attention to its implications. It just runs off our lips like drinking from a hose. But there is something very important here; important because it is right at the heart of justice; important because it is almost humanly impossible to do. Unless you see it, this part of the prayer will never belong to you.
Jesus tells us that unless we forgive, we will not be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15). That is very uncomfortable, especially when we realize that forgiveness is not reluctant acceptance of a wrong suffered, nor easy dismissal of hurts received. Forgiveness is about debts – real ones owed to you – emotional, physical and financial. Forgiveness opens the accounting books and looks right at the debit and credit lines. Forgiveness is anything but easy.
The Greek phrase hos kai hemeis (as also we) draws a direct relationship between God’s mercy and our mercy. The implication here is that someone owes. We owe God because we have abused and ignored and presumed on His holiness. He justifiably demands payment, but we beg for mercy and are given forgiveness – not because we don’t owe, but because Jesus pays the debt for us. The debt is real. The demand is legitimate, but the resolution is unique.
Timothy Sanford suggests a revealing way of applying this divine grace principle to those who really do owe us. His suggestion illuminates the meaning of “as we also.” He says, “When you forgive, you willingly transfer the debt into God’s hands for Him to collect. . . You are no longer responsible for making the other person pay.” “Once you give the debts on your list to God, the people who wronged you – although still accountable to God – owe you nothing, not even an ‘I’m sorry.’”
Ouch! Sanford is right. God forgives me and marks my account “Paid In Full.” He doesn’t continue to treat me like a debtor. He recognizes that my debt has been absorbed by His Son and I owe nothing more. If I am going to forgive like that, then I need to do exactly what Sanford suggests. Make my “who owes me” list, mail it to God for collection, and let it go . . completely! Those on my list no longer owe me anything, just as God no longer demands payment from me. When we forgive like this, we reflect the heart of the Creator – and we exercise the full authority of the Son. Then, says Jesus, we will understand real forgiveness – and God will smile upon us in grace.
Do you carry a list of those who owe? It might be a decade old, something never resolved from your past. It might be last week. An insult. An unpaid “loan.” Whatever it is, you know exactly who owes you. Time to send it to the bill collector. Are you willing to forgive like that?
