The Catechism of the New Apostolic Church

12.1.7.2.6 "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"

All human beings burden themselves with guilt as a consequence of their sins. With the plea: "And forgive us our debts", the faithful confess that they are sinners before God and ask Him for grace. Here it becomes clear that the Lord's Prayer also incorporates the aspect of repentance. Believers receive the grace of forgiveness of sins, and have all their guilt erased, on the basis of Christ's sacrifice, because "in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1: 7).

The Son of God bound the fulfilment of this plea to the condition that we first forgive those who have wronged us or are in debt to us. The importance Jesus attached to this condition for obtaining forgiveness is also clear from the fact that He repeated and affirmed it following the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 14-15). The parable of the wicked servant also clearly shows the obligation to forgive those who are indebted to us (Matthew 18: 21-35).