Question 105

What is meant by our Debts?

By our Debts is meant our sins against God whereby we are indebted unto his Justice, which we can no otherwise satisfie, than by undergoing eternal punishment.

Have all need of forgiveness, and may any Debts be forgiven?

All being sinners have need of forgiveness, and any sins (excepting the sin against the Holy Ghost) may be forgiven, If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared.^a

May we pray unto God for the forgiveness of our sins upon the account of our own merits?

We have no merit, in the sight of God, of our own; and therefore we must pray that God would freely pardon all our sins of his own mercy and loving kindness, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgression.^b

May we hope by Prayer to obtain forgiveness of Gods mercy without any merit?

God being infinitely just as well as merciful, we must bring merit before him that we may obtain forgiveness of him, but because we have it not of our own, and he hath provided it for us in his Son, we must pray for pardon for the merit sake of Christ, who hath purchased foregiveness for us with his blood, In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin.^c

What may encourage us to ask forgiveness from God?

We may be encouraged to ask forgiveness from God, when by his Grace we are enabled with our hearts to forgive others, For if we forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you.^d