Inspirational Article From Joanne Lowe Index of Writings by Joanne Lowe on Gospel Web

FORGIVEN BECAUSE OF CALVARY

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the other malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Luke 23: 33, 34 King James Version

I read an article on the internet yesterday about forgiveness. The man that wrote the article was asked by a lady “Am I supposed to forgive people unconditionally like I am supposed to love people unconditionally?” The man replied “No, you don’t have to forgive unconditionally. That is not scriptural; they have to come to you and repent first.” When I read the reply that the man gave in answer to the question, I got very upset.

The Bible does say that if people come to us and asks us to forgive them, we are to forgive them. (Matthew 18: 21, 22) However, they don’t have to come to us for us to forgive them. We hadn’t repented of our sins yet our Saviour while hanging on that cross of torture and agony said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

We are to forgive unconditionally just as God forgives us. They should not have to beg for our forgiveness. We don’t have to beg Jesus to forgive us. He forgives us because He loves us. If we truly love Jesus and have allowed Him to change our hearts, we will be filled with compassion for others. So often, we tell people that we forgive them for something but the next time they do something to hurt us, we bring it back up and throw it in their faces. We have not forgiven them from our hearts. We have told them that we forgive them, but we really haven’t forgiven them.

Are you forgiving others unconditionally or do they have to meet your conditions and beg for your forgiveness? How dare you and I not forgive others when Jesus so graciously and lovingly forgives us? One day we will stand before a Holy God and give an account of the way we have treated our families, our loved ones, our friends and the world. Will He say to you “Well done thou good and faithful servant” or will He look at you with sadness in His eyes?

Joanne Lowe

November 2, 2007

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