“Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
Luke 23:34 KJV
While they were nailing Jesus to the Cross, he prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” The soldiers, after they crucified Him, gambled over His clothing. Jesus was praying intensely as they crucified Him. He did not pray “forgive me”, but “forgive them”. As the centurion crushed Him to the ground and tied His arms to the crossbeam, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”. When the spikes tore through each quivering palm, He prayed again, “Father, forgive them”. When the soldiers parted His garments and gambled for the seamless robe, again Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”. Only God knows how many times that prayer was spoken. Jesus, when He rose from the dead and met His disciples the first time, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”. Paul understood the Gospel clearly, as he preached, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;”. Only Jesus can forgive us our sins, there is no one else who can do that. Let’s only believe. Amen!
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