Lord’s Day 51: Q&A 126: As We Forgive

Forgiveness is perhaps the most radical thing we can do as humans. You’ve probably heard the story of an Amish family who forgave a drunk driver for killing their son as a sermon illustration at some point among other such examples. These are often held up as rare exceptions, which is valid, since our tendency is to hold on to our anger and refuse forgiveness, even though Jesus tells us to forgive as many as seventy times seven times.

I like how the writers of the Catechism frame this petition: they firstly use language of ‘as we also have’ and ‘we are fully determined’ to put us in a posture of constant forgiveness and to convict us if we chafe at that notion. We desire to be forgiven for our sins and wrongdoings, surely, so we should be spurred to forgive others; to love our neighbors by forgiving them even though they may not deserve it because we ourselves have been forgiven, undeserving though we are.

Lord’s Day 51

Q&A 126

CONFESSION OF SIN (Psalm 51:1-7, Pluralized)

1 Have mercy on us, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out our transgressions.

2 Wash away all our iniquity

and cleanse us from our sin.

3 For we know our transgressions,

and our sin is always before us.

4 Against you, you only, have we sinned

and done what is evil in your sight;

so you are right in your verdict

and justified when you judge.

5 Surely we were sinful at birth,

sinful from the time our mothers conceived us.

6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;

you taught us wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse us with hyssop, and we will be clean;

wash us, and we will be whiter than snow.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Romans 8:1-2, Pluralized)

One: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

All: because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set us free from the law of sin and death.

CONFESSION OF SIN

Gracious God,

We sin against you and our neighbors.

We are quick to request for grace and forgiveness for ourselves

But slow to offer it to others who sin against us.

The sin in our lives is deeper than we like to admit.

Loving God, reveal to us the depths of our sinfulness.

Do not hold against us any of the sins that we do.

Holy Spirit, empower us to forgive those in our lives

Who sin against us as well. 

We trust in the redeeming blood of your son

And our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

It's in his name we pray, Amen.