This is a short follow up to my recent post titled "What Does It Mean To Forgive Others?" (here) That post was a follow up to others I have written on over the years on the question whether it is the will of God that we forgive all unconditionally, in cases where the one who did us wrong did not repent, express sorrow or regret, or did not confess his wrong. I mentioned the prayer of Christ when on the cross, who cried out to his Father saying -- "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." (Luke 23: 34 kjv) I asked whether this requested forgiveness for the sin of murdering Christ was to be given to all the guilty ones unconditionally. I don't think so. Here is why. We see how this forgiveness for the murder of Christ was not forgiven by noticing what the first sermon, following the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, by the apostle Peter, said to these murderous Jews. Writes Luke the physician and historian:
"Therefore 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." (Acts 2: 36-38 nkjv)
Peter addresses the same ones that Jesus prayed for while on the cross. Peter addresses the Jews ("all the house of Israel") who were guilty of the crucifixion ("whom you crucified") and when they realized that they were guilty, they cried out to Peter and the brethren, saying "what shall we do?" Peter does not say, you don't need to do anything, for Christ prayed for your forgiveness when he was on the cross and the Father granted it, and so you are already forgiven. He rather says "repent...for the forgiveness (remission) of sins." Obviously then the forgiveness Christ prayed for was for any who would confess his sin and repent of it and turn to Christ. Notice also these words of the apostle Paul:
"For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost." (I Thess. 2: 14-16 nkjv)
These words surely do not view the Jews as having been unconditionally forgiven by the Father.
Sins of Ignorance
Christ's prayer for the forgiveness of his murderers was couched in the words "for they know not what they do." Does this mean that he forgives sins committed in ignorance unconditionally but does not forgive unconditionally those sins which are not done in ignorance? In line with this prayer of Christ we have these words of Saul the Christian persecuting Jew (who became Paul the apostle):
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." (I Tim. 1: 12-13 nkjv)
Surely Paul was a result of the prayer of Christ uttered on the cross. But, does Paul's assertion that he obtained mercy (and forgiveness?) because of ignorance mean that he was not guilty of sins done in ignorance? And if so, does it mean that all are only condemned for sins done in ignorance? The learned Dr. Albert Barnes says this on this point in his commentary on this passage (emphasis mine):
"But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief - compare notes on Luke 23:34. The ignorance and unbelief of Paul were not such excuses for what he did that they would wholly free him from blame, nor did he regard them as such - for what he did was with a violent and wicked spirit - but they were mitigating circumstances. They served to modify his guilt, and were among the reasons why God had mercy on him. What is said here, therefore, accords with what the Saviour said in his prayer for his murderers; "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." It is undoubtedly true that persons who sin ignorantly, and who regard themselves as right in what they do, are much more likely to obtain mercy than those who do wrong designedly.
Yet we cannot but regard Paul's "ignorance in unbelief" as, in itself, a grievous sin, He had abundant means of knowing the truth had he been disposed to inquire with patience and candor. His great abilities and excellent education are a further aggravation of the crime. It is, therefore, impossible to acquiesce in any solution of this clause which seems to make criminal ignorance a ground of mercy. The author, however, intends nothing of this kind, nor would it be fair to put such construction on his words. Yet, a little more fullness had been desirable on a subject of this nature. It is certain, that, independent of the nature of the ignorance, whether willful or otherwise, the character of crime is affected by it. He who should oppose truth, knowing it to be such, is more guilty than he who opposes it in ignorance, or under the conviction that it is not truth, but falsehood. In a certain sense, too, this ignorance, may be regarded as a reason why mercy is bestowed on such as sin desperately or blasphemously under it. Rather, it is a reason why they are not excluded from mercy. It shows why persons so guilty are not beyond its pale. This is, we think, the true key both to the passage, and that in Luke 23:34."
I believe this is a correct view of what Paul means when he says he obtained mercy because he sinned because he did not know any better. Commented John Gill in his commentary:
"...moreover, all sins spring from ignorance, and are aggravated by unbelief: but this phrase describes the apostle's state and condition; he was a poor, blind, ignorant bigot, an unbelieving and hardened creature, and so an object of mercy, pity, and compassion; and he who has compassion on the ignorant, and them that are out of the way, had compassion on him."
The apostle Peter, when preaching to his fellow Jews and informing them of their heinous sin in crucifying the Messiah, said: “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers." (Acts 3: 17 nkjv)
In summation we say that the scriptures do not teach that God forgives unconditionally all sins committed through ignorance, although greater leniency will be shown to such.
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