Father, Forgive Them

The Christian world is convinced that Jesus was the Son of God and His death at Calvary brought us salvation.
Salvation is offered to anyone who believes in Him. They will be resurrected as He was, but what will happen to those who do not believe in Him? They shall awake to shame and everlasting contempt. Dan. 12:2.

As a man of sorrows

One day, while I was in class I watched a video about the life of Jesus from His childhood to His death. The final scenes moved us to tears especially as we saw how Jesus was stripped and nailed to the cross. He was treated mercilessly for the guilt which was not His.

The crowd that followed the Saviour saw His weak and staggering steps but they manifested no compassion. He fell, fainting beneath the burden of the cross for His human nature could no longer bear it.

He had endured the anguish of the betrayal and had seen His disciples forsake Him and flee. The crowd taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. Again the burden was laid upon Him and again He fell fainting to the ground. Nobody helped Him. They only mocked and reviled Him by saying, “Make way for the king of the Jews!” At this time a stranger, Simon a Crynian, coming from the country meets the throng. He stops in astonishment at the scene. As he expressed his compassion, they seized him and placed the cross upon his shoulders.

In the crowd were women whose hearts were melting and ready to break because of the angry words of the priests and rulers. As He fell fainting beneath the cross, they break forth into mournful wailing. The feelings of human pity moved them. He said to them, “daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for your selves, and for your children.”

Here Jesus tried to turn their attention to the fate awaiting them if they chose not to believe in Him who came to save the world through His suffering. His sorrow was not for Himself but for all who defy and deny His love and grace.
There were two thieves in the hands of those who placed Jesus on the cross. While they struggled for freedom,
Jesus, the Saviour who had power to save Himself, made no murmur or complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

No curses were called down upon the soldiers who handled Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His prosecutors.

Had they known that they were putting to torture One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and horror. They didn’t realize the privilege they had to know and accept Jesus as their Saviour.

That prayer for His enemies embraces the world. It takes in every sinner that lived or should live, from the beginning
of the world to the end of time. On the cross He suffered abuse and mockery from the wicked men. “If thou be the son of God, come down from the cross”, “let Him save Himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.”

In the midst of all the tumult around Him, He received comfort from the prayer of the penitent thief. This thief was not a hardened criminal. He had been led astray by evil associations and was less guilty than many of those who stood beside the cross reviling the Saviour.

He had seen and heard Jesus, and had been convinced by His teaching, but he had been turned away from Him by the priests and rulers. This was his opportunity to see Jesus and he was with him at Calvary. He had heard Pilate’s declaration, “I find no fault in Him.” John.19:4. The thief confessed, “For we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss.”

The thief’s turning point

Hopeless and despairing, he remembered all he had heard of Jesus; how He healed the sick and pardoned sin. Having seen the title above the Saviour’s head, he saw “the lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world,” by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, he cried to the dying Saviour, “Lord remember me.” Jesus replied, “Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.”

When Jesus said, “I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise;” Christ did not promise that the thief should be with Him in paradise that day. He Himself did not go that day to paradise. He slept in the tomb, and on the morning of the resurrection He said, “I am not yet ascended to my Father.” Jn. 20:17.

Our Lord is always ready to forgive us if only we acknowledge our sins and weaknesses, and repent while there is still one more opportunity offered to us.

Even if we die-(sleep) “in the dust of the earth,” we “shall awake to everlasting life,” like the repentant thief who was assured of paradise. Dan 12:2.

If we ignore His invitation and reject Him, we shall not be forgiven for, “Christ has never forgotten the days of His humiliation. He has not lost any of His humanity. He has the same tender, pitying love, and is ever touched with human woe. He is ready to help us but, the names of those people who have refused to repent will have their sins remain and they be charged against them in the books of record. They shall awake to everlasting shame and contempt.

If we refuse to repent, we will have to give an account to the Father as if we did the act of abusing, mocking, stripping, dividing His garment, spearing His rip, spitting on His face, betraying and finally nailing Him again to the cross.

My wish and prayer for some of us who have been led away by evil associations and are desperate to come back for one reason or another is that we would call to Him, saying, “Lord, remember me.” He shall “forgive” them and we will have the assurance of being with Him “in paradise.”
AMEN.

MOGUNDE CHARLES
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Quotations:
D.A Desire of Ages. Psalms 69:20, 21
C.O.L Christ Object Lessons. Matt.27: 31-53
Mark: 15:20-38
Jn.19:16-30