And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12

It is not only asking for my sins to be forgiven, but by my action, I demonstrate that I have forgiven my neighbour with that Christlike spirit. Now I can ask God to forgive me. Jesus qualifies this in MAT 6:14, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."

We must see that the Lord is teaching us that the posture of our heart must be a forgiving spirit if we are to ask for forgiveness. We cannot come to the Lord with a hateful heart toward our neighbour and ask for forgiveness. When we come before the Lord, we must realize we are asking for the same quality of forgiveness as we are giving.

So, if I come before the Lord in prayer with my needs, but still have some reservation in my heart toward my fellow man, the quality of forgiveness that I have in my heart is the same quality of forgiveness for which I am asking. Do I really want half-hearted forgiveness? "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."

See that if? We must give a whole-hearted forgiveness towards every person, even if they seek to crucify us. As Jesus hung on the cross, He said, "... Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," LUK 23:34a. His heart was forgiving toward the very act of crucifying Him, even when He was hanging on the cross. That is the quality of forgiveness you and I must give our fellow man if we want that quality of forgiveness for our soul.