I have suggested that in order to acquire the mind of Christ we must understand how He prayed. Therefore I have been presenting my reflections on the petitions in the OUR FATHER.

The next petition that we encounter in the prayer is forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. I am sure that no one would deny that this has been especially emphasized by the Lord. He is quoted by Matthew (6:14-15) as saying: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is the point of Christ’s parable about the unforgiving servant that we heard this weekend. Because God chose from all eternity to give humans free will, He committed Himself to responding to humans in accord with their ability to accept His loving forgiveness. All men are indebted to God for everything and, when they chose to limit their ability to love and forgive by the way they treat others, they place limitations on their ability to receive true unconditional love and forgiveness from God. While man’s behavior does not limit God’s abilities, man’s behavior does limit his own abilities to receive. God cannot force us to receive what we are unable to receive. What He does do, however, is to present multiple and various opportunities for humans to develop the abilities needed in order to receive His unconditional love and forgiveness.

The petition that follows is frequently truly misunderstood by many Christians. Lead us not into temptation should not be understood as if God tests His people or brings them in to the occasion of evil.

St James wrote this: Let no one say, when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God;’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death (James 1.13–15).

So the petition Lead us not into temptation” means that we ask God not to allow us to be found in situations in which we will be overcome by sin. It is a prayer that we be kept from those people and places where wickedness reigns and where we, in our weakness, will most certainly succumb.