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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Large Catechism by Dr. Martin Luther: It is therefore the intent of this petition that God would not regard
our sins and hold up to us what we daily deserve, but would deal
graciously with us, and forgive, as He has promised, and thus grant us
a joyful and confident conscience to stand before Him in prayer. For
where the heart is not in right relation towards God, nor can take such
confidence, it will nevermore venture to pray. But such a confident and
joyful heart can spring from nothing else than the [certain] knowledge
of the forgiveness of sin.
But there is here attached a necessary, yet consolatory addition: As we
forgive. He has promised that we shall be sure that everything is
forgiven and pardoned, yet in the manner that we also forgive our
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