Total Forgiveness: Achieving God's Greatest Challenge

by R T Kendall Ministries Inc.

It is often easier, then, it seems to me, to forgive what is done to us personally than what is done to those close to us. But it is still very, very hard to forgive those who have hurt us directly, especially when they feel not the slightest twinge of conscience. When we can see they are sorry it makes it a lot easier. But no one seemed very sorry at the cross of Jesus. There was no justice at his ‘trial’ – if you could call it that. There was glee in the faces of the people who got what they wanted: ‘ “Crucify him!” they shouted’ (Mark 15:13). Furthermore, ‘Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” ’ (Mark 15:29–30.) They shouted, ‘Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe’ (Mark 15:32). And what was Jesus’ response? ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34). It must be our response as well.