Series 2 - Lesson 11 - Annotation 10
Explain the Scripture, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt. 6:12).
10. The law underlying "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" is the law of balance, which acts in man's consciousness in various ways to produce love, justice, judgment, release, and recompense. Without the fulfillment of the law, the principle of Absolute Good is unable to carry out its divine purpose.
No forgiveness can be complete without love. A person cannot expect forgiveness if he fails to forgive himself and others who have fallen short. Each of us needs to "give" the Truth "for" the error or shortcoming (debt). Every person has at one time or another incurred "debts" to God, to himself, to mankind. These he can erase by forgiveness. In order to forgive, one must give up the belief that originally caused the "debt" or shortcoming of himself or another, then he must give in to the idea of love.
When we forgive another person, we erase from consciousness the sense of wrong that we have held over him, and likewise we forgive ourself, for as we forgive, we are ourself forgiven. Sometimes it takes a great deal of discernment (judgment) to learn how to forgive, for what we need to forgive is often hidden from us, nursed in the secret recesses of the subconscious (feeling) nature.
As we forgive and are forgiven, we are conscious of being established in the principle of Absolute Good. The justice of the forgiving love of Jesus Christ sets us free from all indebtedness, whether spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, moral, or financial. The way is thus opened for the outer fulfillment of the Scriptural injunction,
"Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" (Rom. 3:8 A.V.).
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Preceding Entry: How do you help those who come to you suffering from seeming injustice?
Following Entry: What is "the day of judgment" and where is the "judgment seat"?
