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Who endorses the three common views on forgiveness inferred from Matthew 6:12?

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In the Lord’s Prayer, we see these words: > and forgive us our debts, > as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:12, ESV) Among the views on how to understand Matthew 6:12 are: - **Conditional View**: Direct correlation. God's forgiveness is contingent upon our prior or simultaneous forgiveness of others. - **Consequential View**: Our forgiveness of others is a result or evidence of God's forgiveness working in our lives. Experiencing God's grace empowers us to extend grace to others. - **Relational View**: The two acts of forgiveness are parallel and interconnected, not strictly conditional. Emphasizes the relational aspect. God's forgiveness restores our relationship with him, and our forgiveness of others restores our relationships with them. I would like an overview of: - Which denominations lean toward each view - Which Prominent theologians endorse each If possible, include quotes from confessions or theologians that show that they hold that view. If there are other important and different ways to look at this verse, include them as well. Note: This is related to a previous question on Luther’s view: https://christianity.stackexchange.com/questions/97180/how-do-lutheran-discern-law-and-gospel-in-the-lords-prayer **Example: John Calvin** As an example, here is a quote from John Calvin, suggesting the Consequential View: > *As we forgive our debtors…* This condition is added, that no one may > presume to approach God and ask forgiveness, who is not pure and free > from all resentment. **And yet the forgiveness, which we ask that God > would give us, does not depend on the forgiveness which we grant to > others:** but the design of Christ was, to exhort us, in this manner, to > forgive the offenses which have been committed against us, and at the > same time, to give, as it were, the impression of his seal, to ratify > the confidence in our own forgiveness. Nor is any thing inconsistent > with this in the phrase used by Luke, καὶ γὰρ, for we also Christ did > not intend to point out the cause, but only to remind us of the > feelings which we ought to cherish towards brethren, when we desire to > be reconciled to God. And certainly, if the Spirit of God reigns in > our hearts, every description of ill-will and revenge ought to be > banished. The Spirit is the witness of our adoption, (Romans 8:16 ,) > and therefore this is put down simply as a mark, to distinguish the > children of God from strangers. The name debtors is here given, not to > those who owe us money, or any other service, but to those who are > indebted to us on account of offenses which they have committed. - John Calvin (1509-1564) *Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 1* https://www.lords-prayer-words.com/commentary/john_calvin_matthew_6_12.html
Asked by Paul Chernoch (14940 rep)
Mar 18, 2025, 03:40 PM
Last activity: Mar 18, 2025, 03:52 PM