TUESDAY'S THOUGHTS: TRUE REPENTANCE & FORGIVENESS...

LUKE 23: 34... 
32/ Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed. 
33/ When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. 
34/ [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."]  They divided his garments by casting lots. 
35/ The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God." 
36/ Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine 
37/ they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." 
38/ Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews." 
39/ Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." 
40/ The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 
41/ And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." 
42/ Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 
43/ He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

As soon as Christ was fastened to the cross, he prayed for those who crucified him. The great thing he died to purchase and procure for us, is the forgiveness of sin. This he prays for. 

Jesus was crucified between two thieves; in them were shown the different effects the cross of Christ would have upon the children of men in the preaching the gospel. One malefactor was hardened to the last. No troubles of themselves will change a wicked heart. The other was softened at the last: he was snatched as a brand out of the burning, and made a monument of Divine mercy. 

This gives no encouragement to any to put off repentance to their death-beds, or to hope that they shall then find mercy. 

It is certain that true repentance is never too late; but it is as certain that late repentance is seldom true. None can be sure they shall have time to repent at death, but every man may be sure he cannot have the advantages this penitent thief had. 

We shall see the case to be singular, if we observe the uncommon effects of God's grace upon this man. He reproved the other for railing on Christ. He owned that he deserved what was done to him. He believed Jesus to have suffered wrongfully. Observe his faith in this prayer. Christ was in the depth of disgrace, suffering as a deceiver, and not delivered by his Father. He made this profession before the wonders were displayed which put honour on Christ's sufferings, and startled the centurion. He believed in a life to come, and desired to be happy in that life; not like the other thief, to be only saved from the cross. Observe his humility in this prayer. All his request is, Lord, remember me; quite referring it to Jesus in what way to remember him. Thus he was humbled in true repentance, and he brought forth all the fruits for repentance his circumstances would admit.  

Christ upon the cross, is gracious like Christ upon the throne. Though he was in the greatest struggle and agony, yet he had pity for a poor penitent. By this act of grace we are to understand that Jesus Christ died to open the kingdom of heaven to all penitent, obedient believers. It is a single instance in Scripture; it should teach us to despair of none, and that none should despair of themselves; but lest it should be abused, it is contrasted with the awful state of the other thief, who died hardened in unbelief, though a crucified Saviour was so near him. Be sure that in general men die as they live.

This is an imperative understanding we should embrace; the selflessness of forgiveness! This was in fulfillment of Prophecy; ISAIAH 53: 12, in which the last of the verse is, And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses. It is written that as *GOD* has been MERCIFUL, we are to practice mercy towards all! This mercy is a product of LOVE, and as is written, MATTHEW 6: 14...
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

Here is a promise, If you forgive, your heavenly Father will also forgive. We must forgive, as we hope to be forgiven. Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren. Christ came into the world as the great Peace-maker, not only to reconcile us to God, but one to another.

Forgiveness is humanity's GREATEST need, for without it, we are doomed! THE *GODHEAD*, FATHER, SON, and HOLY SPIRIT, despite the endless acts against HIM, ourselves, and others, does NOT want to see anyone perish, and so, a PLAN was set up, to rescue us from our carnality, and sin; a PLAN in which FORGIVENESS is primary, though DOES have a few conditions, such as, forgive others as you wish to be forgiven! LOVE doesn't hold anything against others, because it bears all things, broods not, and does not rejoice over wrongdoing; it is NOT SELF-INCLINED, instead exists FOR HIS GLORY, and the GOOD of ALL! LOVE NEVER FAILS, and the principles which comprise it, ARE SOUND to precise specifications, with purpose to KEEP HIS OWN HOLY!!!

Where there is no forgiveness, there is bitterness, and all sorts of wrong-minded negativity, which breeds of itself, creating all sorts of behavious, none aligned to *GOD*! When we allow what is of the carnal, fleshy being to overtake the SOUNDNESS of THE LORD'S instructions for our lives, we are on the downslide, and prone to committing sins we, otherwise, would have not! The passion of anger, of fury, of hate, and so forth, are NOT *GODLY* behaviours, and DO set us up for trouble! Such adverse behaviours tempt us beyond our limits, and so, we are TAUGHT to act according TO HIS WILL, and AS HE DOES, in which case, FORGIVENESS is top shelf!!!

'Forgive them, for they know not what they do'! Ah, no better way to express the plight of humans, in the human condition! We DON'T know what we do, as long as we are ignorant TO THE TRUTH, for the enemy has placed a HEAVY shroud of deception, and distortion over us! Just as he told the first Couple, "Surely, you will not die, if you eat from this tree!", he continues to distort THE TRUTH, that we REMAIN ignorant, thus imprisoned! You really think that all the crazy things that happen in this world, are thought through in LOVE, in TRUTH? NO! Thus, as CHRIST says, 'They know not what they do!'...

And so, dear people, the LOGICAL advice IS TO FOLLOW THE LORD at ALL costs, IN ALL MATTERS! HE IS THE ALMIGHTY, SOVEREIGN LORD, CREATOR, and SUSTAINER of ALL in existence, and IS THE ONLY ONE WHO LOVES PURELY, with the well-being of ALL in heart!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS