Saturday, 16 February 2008
Forgiveness: a preliminary question.
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Did Jesus really mean this prayer for his executioners? Or was it just good PR, since He knew God wasn’t ever going the let them off the hook for this particular piece of hideous brutality.
Or did Jesus know that while they’d be forgiven for their involvement in the crucifixion, they’d still be spending eternity getting tortured for living their entire lives as godless pagans who didn’t repent and accept him as their Lord and Personal Saviour. So there was nothing to lose by showing a bit of magnamity while everyone was watching.
Or were they actually forgiven? In which case has anyone else been forgiven by God simply because they didn't understand the full ramifications of what they did? Or are these thugs the luckiest sinners in all eternity?
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5 comments:
Hmmm:
Para 1 - Liberal.
Para 2 - Fundie
Para 3 - theologian
Multiple personality syndrome. I like that in a Christian.
All you priests thinks too much. Deep down in I know that if I'm off the hook then everyone who ever was, is or is to come is off the hook. As irritating as St. Paul can sometimes be to me as a woman, I have always found comfort in Romans 8, when he tells me that there is absolutely no power on earth, heaven above or down below that can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus. In all of the darkest moments of my life, and I have had some, I cling to that.
You have chosen well, boocat. I cling to it too.
Here is my response, Alcibiades. Mine focuses more on repentance, but I think repentance and forgiveness are inextricably entwined...
In which case has anyone else been forgiven by God simply because they didn't understand the full ramifications of what they did?
I think that's pretty much the situation we are all in. I know that my absolute forgiveness includes things I don't even know about either because they are so small and I am so obtuse that I don't perceive them, or because they are so grave that I can't bear the knowledge of them. Either way, the sins I am able to confess are just a sliver of the sin that remains hidden.
Just what I think.
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