This is the second article in a series first begun back in May – Exercising Faith #1: Hearing from God.

In the first article, the focus was very much on the whole concept of hearing from God. When we exercise and put our faith into action, it can move mountains – hence the article graphic above. The biblical basis for this catch phrase is from Matthew 17:20:

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

In this passage Jesus is instructing the disciples to pursue any amount of faith, because all we need is a spark of faith and it will grow to accomplish anything.

When we explore and read the bible on the topic of forgiveness, it becomes apparent that we need t o be constantly exercising our faith by showing forgiveness to one another. In this article, we will explore the topic of forgiveness from the angle that Jesus forgave us first. The passage from Luke 23:32-46 shows us the example of Jesus:

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

This passage was first studied in life-group in late May using the study format of Discovery Bible Studies – DBS.

The Nature of God

When we consider the nature of God as shown in this passage, we can quickly see Jesus words and actions. The heart of Jesus was such that He still was able to ask Father God to forgive the Romans because they did not know or understand what it was that they were doing. The act of crucifying Jesus on the cross was clearly being used for a divine and bigger purpose, which we all can appreciate now with hindsight and history, but at the time, the Romans would have thought that they were meting out their understanding and form of justice – that this man Jesus was and had been charged with blasphemy by the Jewish temple priesthood, and thus deserved to die. God’s bigger picture was of course to use the crucifixion as the ultimate act of love, grace and forgiveness.

The second set of words spoken and recorded of Jesus are in response to the criminal who had demonstrated a repentant heart. This is the crucial verse in the passage that demonstrates that Jesus, as God had the power to forgive us. Jesus, as God, even on the cross, was able to absolve the criminal of his crime and provide a word of comfort and reassurance that whilst they would both suffer and die, that same day, they would both be in paradise together. The nature of God/Jesus in this immediate situation shows us his compassion in loving even the most undeserving of us – a criminal. Further, the reassurance that the criminal would receive salvation in the form of not being sent to hell but instead receive an eternal destiny in paradise with God – this reassurance shows God’s purpose for us is to be reconciled with him, so that we can spend an eternity in communion with Him.

The final words, and indeed these are the final words of Jesus before His death, show that Jesus remained closely aligned to the Father throughout His entire life. Jesus knew, and likewise, so should we, that death is not the end nor even a sleep for our conscious personalities. 2 Corinthians 5 aligns with this view:

We are of good courage and would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:23 also reinforces this view:

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

We will die like Jesus if we remember that like him we have a spirit which at the moment of death does not die but lives on with God. We should also remember that God’s arms are open and his hands extended to his dying children. Jesus says “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” not “…into the grave….” Neither does he say the void or dark unknown. Jesus was specific in his emphasis that when we die, we are held in the palm of the hands of God. One of the great temptations at the point of death is to believe that death will be a horrible act from God and that therefore we are under his wrath and cannot commit our spirit to his care. The example of Jesus in His death was a horrible blow from God in that He became cursed for us, but in spite of this, Jesus did not abandon faith in God’s love for him.

Our Human Nature

When we move onto the second DBS question which is to consider what this passage teaches us about ourselves, we should naturally gravitate to the criminals on their respective crosses, and not Christ upon the cross. Perhaps, even the observers or Romans who were in charge of the whole crucifixion event. Either way, we collectively placed Jesus on the cross through out sinful nature. As represented in the criminal on the cross, we too can also receive God’s forgiveness when we turn from our sinful ways and acknowledge His Lordship.

The prideful nature of the first criminal and his words of judgement against Christ upon the cross shows that we can sometimes allow pride to consume us to the point where we remain separated from God and Jesus. Instead, the challenge is for us to soften our hearts and recognise that we need God’s forgiveness. If a criminal can achieve this change of heart and acknowledge Christ as saviour even at the point of near death, what excuse do we have?

Even in the early parts of this passage, it makes reference to observers who were sneering and jeering at our Lord. The Roman soldiers also mocked Him thinking that Jesus was a mere mortal and nothing like what He claimed to be – the Messiah. These people clearly had their own preconceived ideas of what the Messiah / Saviour would look like and Jesus just did not match their expectations.

Practical Application

When we use the actions and words of Jesus as the model for how to live, we are challenged to show grace and love. In the face of adversity, we should try as best as possible to also forgive the perpetrators of their sins for they also do not necessarily know what they do is wrong. However, in order for us to forgive others we need to align our hearts and minds with matters of God. Being able to sincerely forgive one another is a great practical application of the example shown by Jesus in this passage from Luke.

The call to show forgiveness is a choice we possess. Forgiveness is not a trivial thing that we simply can say, but when we take it seriously, cuts to the core of our being. Forgiveness is at the end of the day, a matter of heart and mind. Forgiveness is one of the few things which God focuses on in the Lord’s Prayer:

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

In order for God to forgive us of our sins, we must also forgive others. This shift in discussion of forgiveness will reappear in a future article dedicated to understanding forgiveness from that perspective.