"and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."(NIV) Matthew 6:12
The Lord's model prayer is contained in four verses in the Gospel according to Matthew. The first verse teaches giving reverence to God the Father and asking for His will to be done. The second verse teaches us to request for our needs. The third verse addresses a dimension of one of the pillars of Christianity; Forgiveness (Matt. 6:12; 1John 3:11).
As children of God, our Heavenly Father has made provision for us to confess our sins when we stray from His ways and He will forgive us (1 John 2:9). We can only have that confidence to ask the Father to forgive us when we have forgiven others their trespasses (Mark 11:25; Matt. 6:14-15).
The greatest pillar in Christianity is love- first to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:38-39). However, it is impossible to say we love God when we cannot love our fellow beings. And if we say we love our neighbors (friends and enemies) then we will forgive them when they sin against us. If we do not forgive others then our sins cannot be pardoned and if our sins are not pardoned then we cannot please God (Romans 8:7). Forgive me Lord for I have forgiven my trespassers. Amen