AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.
By W. H. Thurston
Some, after praying the Lord’s prayer, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” wonder why they do not enjoy more of the blessing of God, but the reason is simply because they do not half forgive their debtors. That little word “as” has a wonderful meaning. God promises to help in the wear and tear and tussle of this life, help cure the evil habits with which we sometimes struggle, and at our request not only forgives, but forgets the wrong things in our life. Yes, forgets! And that is the only thing that God ever does forget—pardoned transgression. God’s memory is the best memory in the universe, and He remembers all that has occurred in all time and in all the world save one kind of occurrence. That passes completely out of His memory. He declares, “Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Under some circumstances I have heard people, professed Christians, say, “I can forgive, but I cannot forget.” Forgiving without forgetting is no forgiveness at all. God wants us to forgive our debtors as He has promised to, and does, forgive us. The Bible says: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” There are many ways of standing in the way of sinners. A man said to me, a few days ago, “Mr. —— stands in my way.” How is that? I asked. “Why,” said he, “he professes to be a Christian, and he accuses his brethren, is unforgiving, dislikes to confess, and to some will not speak. The fruit of his life gives the lie to the fruit of his lips.” Of His people the Lord declares, “Ye are my witnesses.” “Sin shall not have dominion over you.” So let it be in every one of us, and let us be witnesses in deed and in truth, everywhere and in every place, not standing in the way of sinners, but in our lives witnessing to the fruits of the Spirit. We who have been enlightened and have exchanged the works of the flesh for the fruits of the Spirit are debtors to those who are still serving self, and it is our privilege to see them serving the Lord and believing on Him through our words. See John 17:20. Victory is ours; and having put our hands to the plow, let us not look back in this late day, but let us press forward, like the great apostle, who said, “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” “Be ye transformed.”