Forgiven

“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” Luke 23:34

On the cross—even at his darkest hour, Jesus remained on mission. While soldiers gambled for his clothes and Jesus pulled against the nails, He prayed for their forgiveness. Despite the ignorance of their sin, they were guilty sinners in need of a Savior. Sometimes we sin knowingly. Other times we are completely unaware of our sin. Like the soldiers at the foot of the cross, we are all indebted sinners in need of Christ’s forgiveness.

This is the very reason Jesus went to the cross. On the cross, Jesus brought God’s plan for forgiveness to completion. No Old Testament sacrifice or set of rules could make us right with God. Mankind remained in debt. But Jesus satisfied our sin debt when he gave his life on the cross. He made a way for us to stand in the presence of God completely forgiven. 

Ephesians 1:7 says, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” 

God’s forgiveness is a free gift that each one of us must choose to receive. When we choose His forgiveness, we can stand in the presence of God completely forgiven of every sin we know we have committed and even those we are unaware of.