 FORGIVENESS

FORGIVENESS

Looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His seamless garment, 'Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.' Luke 23:34. The main purpose for which Christ became flesh is to “FORGIVE’ the sin and sins of mankind. This is my assurance that in “CHRIST JESUS” all my sins stand forgiven 1John 2:12 even before the foundation of the world. On the cross it manifested publicly and He brought about salvation on either side “B.C” & “A.D”. Luke 1:77 Forgiveness if sins is the Salvation, primarily God did not give us a salvation plan rather a SAVIOUR whose name is JESUS CHRIST. The meaning of Jesus is this Matt 1:21 “for he shall save his people from their sins”. Today many preach Salvation without “Jesus Christ”. Such are making their own equations and salvation plan. They do not want to accept that our sins stand forgiven in Christ Jesus 100%. As far me Jesus Christ is 100% SAVIOUR or He is not at all. But HE IS. I do not need to add anything else to it. All the other Ordinances and Sacraments have its own scriptural values and place to observe and fulfill. But it is not right and good to misappropriate them for salvation.

Father - So he speaks both in the beginning and at the end of his sufferings on the cross: Forgive them - How striking is this passage! While they are actually nailing him to the cross, he seems to feel the injury they did to their own souls more than the wounds they gave him; and as it were to forget his own anguish out of a concern for their own salvation. And how eminently was his prayer heard! It procured forgiveness for all that were penitent, and a suspension of vengeance even for the impenitent.

Father, forgive them - This is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12 ; “He made intercession for the transgressors.” We may learn from this prayer:
1) the duty of praying for our enemies, even when they are endeavoring most to injure us.
2) The thing for which we should pray for them is that “God” would pardon them and give them better minds.

3) The power and excellence of the Christian religion. No other religion “teaches” people to pray for the forgiveness of enemies; no other “disposes” them to do it. Men of the world seek for “revenge;” the Christian bears reproaches and persecutions with patience, and prays that God would pardon those who injure them, and save them from their sins.
4) The greatest sinners, through the intercession of Jesus, may obtain pardon. God heard him, and still hears him “always,” and there is no reason to doubt that many of his enemies and murderers obtained forgiveness and life. Compare Act 2:37 , Act 2:42-43 ; Act 6:7 ; Act 14:1 .

They know not what they do - It was done through ignorance, Act_3:17 . Paul says that, “had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,” 1Cor 2:8 . Ignorance does not excuse altogether a crime if the ignorance be willful, but it diminishes its guilt. They “had” evidence; they “might” have learned his character; they “might” have known what they were doing, and they “might” be held answerable for all this. But Jesus here shows the compassion of his heart, and as they were “really” ignorant, whatever might have been the cause of their ignorance, he implores God to pardon them. He even urges it as a “reason” why they should be pardoned, that they were ignorant of what they were doing; and though people are often guilty for their ignorance, yet God often in compassion overlooks it, averts his anger, and grants them the blessings of pardon and life. So he forgave Paul, for he “did it in ignorance, in unbelief,” 1Tim 1:13 . So God “winked” at the ignorance of the Gentiles,Act 17:30. Yet this is no excuse, and no evidence of safety, for those who in our day contemptuously put away from them and their children the means of instruction.