Our Saviour taught His disciples to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” A great blessing is here asked upon conditions. We ourselves state these conditions. We ask that the mercy of God toward us may be measured by the mercy which we extend to others. Christ declares that this is the rule by which the Lord will deal with us. “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Wonderful terms! but how little are they understood or heeded. One of the most common sins, and one that is attended with most pernicious results, is the indulgence of an unforgiving spirit. How many will cherish animosity or revenge and then bow before God and ask to be forgiven as they forgive. Surely they can have no true sense of the import of this prayer or they would not dare to take it upon their lips. We are dependent upon the pardoning mercy of God every day and every hour; how then can we cherish bitterness and malice toward our fellow sinners! If, in all their daily intercourse, Christians would carry out the principles of this prayer, what a blessed change would be wrought in the church and in the world! This would be the most convincing testimony that could be given to the reality of Bible religion. {5T 170.2}

Vor Frelser lærte disciplene at bede: »Forlad os vor skyld, som vi forlader vore skyldnere.« Her bedes om en stor velsignelse på betingelser. Vi udtaler selv disse betingelser. Vi beder om at Guds barmhjertighed til os, må gives i det mål vi giver andre barmhjertighed. »Thi tilgiver I menneskene deres overtrædelser, vil jeres himmelske Fader også tilgive jer; men tilgiver I ikke menneskene deres overtrædelser, vil jeres Fader heller ikke tilgive jeres overtrædelser.« Underfulde tanker! men hvor forstås de dog lidt eller hvor lidt gives der dog agt på dem. En af de mest almindelige synder og den har de skadeligste følger, det er at tillade utilgivelighed. Hvor mange vil gemme på had og hævnlyst og så bøje sig ned for Gud og bede om tilgivelse ligesom de tilgiver. De har uden tvivl ingen sand fornemmelse af denne bøns betydning, ellers ville de ikke vove at lægge den i deres læber. Vi er afhængige af Guds tilgivende barmhjertighed, hver dag og hver time, ellers vil vi opføde bitterhed og misundelse mod vore medsyndere! Hvis Kristne, i al deres daglige samkvem, ville gennemføre disse bønnens principper, hvilken velsignet forandring ville da blive udrettet i menigheden og i verden! Dette ville være det mest (171) overbevisende vidnesbyrd der kunne gives til bibelreligionens virkelighed.