Is Forgiveness for Everyone?

“Is Forgiveness for Everyone?”
“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against
thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he
trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a
day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive
him. ” Luke 17:3-4
I have accepted some rigid truths. Men are all sinners!
Only Jesus Christ is righteous and without sin! Repentance is
to turn from sin and self to God, for His grace and mercy.
Forgiveness is the act of putting away the sin from the
offender. We know that all sin is ultimately against God. He
alone can truly forgive sin. However, does that exempt men
from getting right with others?
Forgiveness of sin is a big part of salvation. Most people
never ask God for forgiveness. Does God just forgive all men
of sin, or just those that come to Him seeking forgiveness by
faith and trusting Him? With that being said, how many
people want forgiveness without the confession of sin? Many
will say it is the responsibility of every Christian to forgive as
Christ has forgiven. Does one have to admit their sin, confess
it, and seek His grace to be forgiven? Some might respond, “I
got it right with God and that is all that matters.” Where is the
responsibility of making things right with the offended
person? Our Lord honored Zacchaeus because he got right
with God and those he had wronged (see Luke 19:1-10).
Forgiveness of sin is conditional with God. Yet those that
call upon men to repent and seek forgiveness of sin are often
called haters, unreasonable or un-Christian. Strange! -M.D.

Prepared by Roger Fulk, from excerpts from the “Baptist Bread” July 29, 2024, devotional by author MURRAY DOUGLAS, Pastor, Ludlow Hill Baptist Church, Lawrenceburg, IN. With permission from Tim Green, editor of Baptist Bread. The Baptist Bread