This part now relates to our poor miserable
life, which, although we have and believe the Word of God, and do and submit to
His will, and are supported by His gifts and blessings is nevertheless not
without sin. For we still stumble daily and transgress because we live in the
world among men who do us much harm and give us cause for impatience, anger,
revenge, etc. Besides, we have Satan at our back, who sets upon us on every
side, and fights (as we have heard) against all the foregoing petitions, so
that it is not possible always to stand firm in such a persistent conflict.
Therefore there is here again great need to call
upon God and to pray: Dear Father, forgive us our trespasses. Not as though He
did not forgive sin without and even before our prayer (for He has given us the
Gospel, in which is pure forgiveness before we prayed or ever thought about
it). But this is to the intent that we may recognize and accept such
forgiveness. For since the flesh in which we daily live is of such a nature
that it neither trusts nor believes God, and is ever active in evil lusts and
devices, so that we sin daily in word and deed, by commission and omission by
which the conscience is thrown into unrest, so that it is afraid of the wrath
and displeasure of God, and thus loses the comfort and confidence derived from
the Gospel; therefore it is ceaselessly necessary that we run hither and obtain
consolation to comfort the conscience again.
But this should serve God's purpose of breaking
our pride and keeping us humble. For in case any one should boast of his
godliness and despise others, God has reserved this prerogative to Himself,
that the person is to consider himself and place this prayer before his eyes,
and he will find that he is no better than others, and that in the presence of
God all must lower their plumes, and be glad that they can attain forgiveness.
And let no one think that as long as we live here he can reach such a position
that he will not need such forgiveness. In short, if God does not forgive
without ceasing, we are lost.
It is therefore the intent of this petition that
God would not regard our sins and hold up to us what we daily deserve, but
would deal graciously with us, and forgive, as He has promised, and thus grant
us a joyful and confident conscience to stand before Him in prayer. For where
the heart is not in right relation towards God, nor can take such confidence,
it will nevermore venture to pray. But such a confident and joyful heart can
spring from nothing else than the [certain] knowledge of the forgiveness of
sin.
But there is here attached a necessary, yet
consolatory addition: As we forgive. He has promised that we shall be sure that
everything is forgiven and pardoned, yet in the manner that we also forgive our
neighbor. For just as we daily sin much against God and yet He forgives
everything through grace, so we, too, must ever forgive our neighbor who does
us injury, violence, and wrong, shows malice toward us, etc. If, therefore you
do not forgive, then do not think that God forgives you; but if you forgive,
you have this consolation and assurance, that you are forgiven in heaven, not
on account of your forgiving, -- for God forgives freely and without condition,
out of pure grace, because He has so promised, as the Gospel teaches, -- but in
order that He may set this up for our confirmation and assurance for a sign
alongside of the promise which accords with this prayer, Luke 6, 37: Forgive,
and ye shall be forgiven. Therefore Christ also repeats it soon after the
Lord's Prayer, and says, Matt. 6,14: For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you, etc.
This sign is therefore attached to this petition,
that, when we pray, we remember the promise and reflect thus: Dear Father, for
this reason I come and pray Thee to forgive me, not that I can make
satisfaction, or can merit anything by my works, but because Thou hast promised
and attached the seal thereto that I should be as sure as though I had
absolution pronounced by Thyself. For as much as Baptism and the Lord's Supper
appointed as external signs, effect, so much also this sign can effect to
confirm our consciences and cause them to rejoice. And it is especially given
for this purpose, that we might use and practise it every hour, as a thing that
we have with us at all times.