Forgiven

by Merchant, Paul | Category: Voice From The Cross | Mar 1996

As Jesus faced death, He prayed for those who were crucifying Him. Only in Luke's Gospel do we read the first words from the Cross, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing' (1).

Who was Jesus forgiving? It may be that this word of forgiveness applies far more widely than to the soldiers to whom it was spoken. Nevertheless, they were included. For those soldiers this was just another day's work, carrying Out the orders of their political masters. They had three men to execute, a crowd to control and murderous religious leaders watching their every move. These soldiers were not responsible for the decision that Jesus should be crucified. They did not know before this day that there was something special about this Man. So the Lord prays for them, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing'(1). The Lord gave His reason for the soldiers being granted forgiveness, they were ignorant of whom He was.

Jesus' first words at the Cross were about forgiveness The first step in becoming a Christian is to confess sin and seek forgiveness. God requires each person to be honest and to accept his or her sinful condition The Christian life begins with honesty. God deals first with guilt, puts it away from us, and leads us into the freedom of forgiven living. He releases us from our contorted selves to become what He designed us to be. Our generous God not only forgives us, but equips us to be forgiving people. Through the Holy Spirit, He supplies the grace for forgiveness so essential for healthy spiritual growth and to the guarding of harmony among Christians. Furthermore, the habit of forgiveness is essential to effective prayer. 'When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins'(2). Only as we forgive others will God hear and answer our requests to Him.

And surely, if our Saviour forgave those brutal soldiers for inflicting hideous torture upon Him, then we by His example are challenged to be generous in our forgiveness of others.

(1) Luke 23:34 (2) Mark 11:25

Merchant, Paul | Mar 1996
Voice From The Cross