How do we reconcile that God, and God only, can forgive sins (through the bishops/priests) while in the Lord’s Prayer we ask for God’s forgiveness but only as WE FORGIVE those who trespass against us.
True, only God can forgive sin, which is an offense against the God-head. But the Lord’s Prayer does not direct us to forgive sin. It directs us to forgive each other. Jesus commands us to forgive our neighbor not seven times, but seven times seven. (Mt 18: 21-22
We are to forgive the offenses done against us. To the degree that such offenses are sins, God will take care of them --if the person is repentant.
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