Let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man [Jesus] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38).
All of my life I have heard the words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do,” yet they have never impacted me as much as they do today (Luke 23:34). Jesus Christ’s gift of forgiveness is a linchpin of our salvation. Without forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ, we are still in our sins and alienated from God. In order to save us, Christ died a death He did not deserve and received a punishment that was not His own. With His dying breath, He prayed to His Father to accept the repentant sinner, although we were guilty of His death. What a Savior! Paul further explains God’s kindness towards sinners when he says, “let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man [Jesus] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses,” because forgiveness of sins comes only through Jesus Christ (Acts 13:38-39). Therefore, it was necessary that He die for mankind. Christ, being both the offering and offeror, prays to the Father that His will be done through the Son.
I am challenged by the depth of His forgiveness and yet at the same time, I rejoice as its beneficiary. His generosity is further seen towards those who killed Him as He offers them a full pardon saying, “’let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call’” (Acts 2:36-39).
In light of the gift of God, let us not hesitate to pass this forgiveness forward.