The Lord’s Prayer: The Fifth Petition
After completing the lesson, the student will be able to:
Write out from memory the Fifth Petition, and summarize what it means.
Define what the following phrases mean: sins of omission, sins of commission, forgiveness, and trespass.
Understand the reason why we can know we are forgiven.
Define the term “sanctification”.
Know that sinless perfection is not possible this side of eternity.
THE FIFTH PETITION | Use your catechism to write in the following information about the Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer. Please copy it word for word below.
Read the following Bible passages, as they give an indication of what ‘trespasses’ are.
Has everyone "trespassed"? Let the next two passages help you answer this question.
SIN OF OMISSION AND COMMISSION
In this petition we acknowledge that we have trespassed, or sinned, against God. There is no questioning if we have sinned or not, because it is a fact that everyone has sinned. In this petition there is a confession and a supplication:
First, the confession is that we have indeed sinned. As we stand before God’s holy law, we are shown to be sinners - people who have trespassed and broken His law. We have sinned in ‘commission’, by the things we have done against God’s law, and we have sinned by ‘omission’, that is by not doing that which God would desire us to do.
And then the supplication, or request, is for forgiveness.
This is is a good place to remind ourselves of the word “sanctification.” It follows “justification” (do you remember what that word means? Hint—the moment that a contrite sinner believes God’s promise that their sins are forgiven because of the work of Christ). Sanctification is the process by which someone is ‘set apart’ from being a slave to sin, and lives in obedience to God. This comes about by an an inward spiritual transformation. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers this Christian living, and the simple result is that day-by-day, we become more and more like Christ. Although we will never be ‘sinless’, sanctification does cause one to ‘sin less’ as we grow in the LORD.
As we receive God’s promise of forgiveness, what is our promise and commitment regarding the sins of others against us? Read the following passages and note what they say regarding forgiving.
Can anyone who refuses to forgive another expect to receive forgiveness from God? Why or why not? Read the following passages as you answer.
Students / Parents (for the student and a parent to discuss and answer together)
