A God Who Forgives

“If you do not forgive others’ their παράπτωμα [Greek ‘paraptoma’: errors, slip-ups, wrong doings, offenses, transgressions, faults], neither will your Father forgive yours.” 

During my morning meditations with the Lord, I thought of my dad. He’s been on my mind a lot lately, wondering if he’s okay. As I thought about him, the words entered my mind: “Curse him.” I immediately recognized it as the voice of the enemy and I responded, “I will not.” As soon as I rejected that thought-harassment from the enemy, the Holy Spirit began to minister to me through Jesus’ words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” 

When I pray for those who are wayward, I usually pray for the Lord to give them understanding. I pray for them to be given sight so they may see. Those are good things to pray for those who are spiritually ignorant and blind. But in that moment, the Spirit pointed out that our Lord did not ask the Father to give sight and understanding to the men who drove the nails into His hands and gambled for His clothing. Jesus didn’t say, “Father help them see. Help them understand.” He just asked for mercy and forgiveness in the midst of their gross “not knowing what they are doing.”

After the Spirit pointed that out, I whispered to myself, “Do I really forgive my dad?” As far as I am able to discern, I have consciously forgiven him for a lifetime of hurts. I have consciously forgiven him for his final act of indignity to me of not calling me or taking my calls when my mother died. But as I pondered my hurt, I wondered, “I have forgiven him in my mind, but have I forgiven him in my heart? Have I cried out to the Father to give him mercy? For his slate to be wiped clean?” Because that’s the forgiveness Jesus asked for on behalf of the soldiers while they not only nailed Him to the cross, but also committed the final indignity of gambling for His clothing as He hung and watched. Can I forgive like that?

The Lord offered forgiveness to those soldiers in the midst of their gross “not knowing what they are doing.” He didn’t wait around for them to understand, He didn’t hold out on them until they saw, He just interceded for their forgiveness. He asked the Father for mercy. And He did that because of who He is— not because they asked for it or deserved it— but for His own sake, for the sake of His own divine, immutable character, for the sake of preserving His holy name, because He is a God Who forgives. And I think it’s worth pointing out that we are never told whether or not those soldiers ever came to a place of spiritual sight and understanding. We are only told that Jesus forgave them. He forgave, not necessarily so that they may see and understand, but so we can. So we can see that we must forgive because if we belong to Him, that’s who we are. 

We don’t necessarily forgive others for their sake, but for ours, because our Lord dwells within us and He is a God Who forgives. 

(Matt 6:14 AMP) For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.

(Ps 25:11) For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, for it is great.