Father, forgive them

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34

The religious leaders who falsely accused Christ and got him crucified didn’t know that they were actually fulfilling God’s plan. Acts 4:27-28 tells us that Pilate and Herod and the religious leaders of the time did as per the predetermined plan of God. God was not caught by surprise by their actions. He knew all along what they would do and even determined their course of action from before time began. If so how could Jesus ask the father to forgive them? Was it even their fault? One may ask whether they were just pawns in God’s hand to fulfil his purposes. No, they weren’t pawns in God’s hands because they were certainly not innocent bystanders. They willingly and intentionally and engaging the evil intentions of their heart, sought to accuse, condemn and crucify the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

God who is sovereign over the affairs of men, orchestrates all things according to his perfect will to bring out his purposes for the redemption of his people. So, he could and did use the evil intentions of evil people to bring out something good out of it for the saving of many souls. But that doesn’t mean that these evil men are not guilty of their crime. These evil and treacherous men although fulfilling the plan of God, were still responsible for their evil, bloodthirsty and ghastly act against God and the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But such was the heart of the crucified redeemer who even at this most gruesome and torturous time of his life, hanging on the cross, mocked by all who passed by, derided by the wicked and even mere robbers who hung on either side, still wanted His heavenly father to forgive them. He was pleading their cause and appealing to the father’s mercy. Such is the love of the Savior that he didn’t want even the vilest offenders to miss on the forgiveness and mercy of one and only loving and gracious God.

But before you roll your eyes at them, take a good look yourself. The people of Jesus’ day were not the only ones responsible for this ghastly act of crucifying the creator of the world. We are equally guilty of that crime. Every intention of our heart is evil continually and it was our sins that crucified the Son of God on a cruel Roman cross. We are the evil perpetrators. We are the vilest criminals that ought to have been crucified on that cross. But Jesus died in our place as our substitute and paid the price for us. He paid a costly price with his own life so that we can receive the full forgiveness of God and be welcomed into His family. So, don’t be ignorant and repel the offer of mercy and forgiveness. Accept God’s offer of salvation and become a child of God today.