While living in Brussels, I often ran into language problems. Even though it’s a very international city, where most people know English; I found that I needed to learn a little bit of the local language. Most Belgians speak Flemish (Dutch), but I tried to learn a little French, since it was more common in Brussels. I’m not very good with languages so I used a simple phrase “pardonne moi” which means “pardon (forgive) me.” I used that polite and humble request quite often, along with my few words of broken French.
I feel the need to use that phrase sometimes after posting my stories on the internet. When sharing my “Good News” stories on Christian sites and more so on non-Christian pages, I am asked why I posted my story there. My “stories” are intended to be a challenge or a reminder, and a witness to GOD’s love and the horror of Hell if we reject Him. One guy accused me of promoting my “brand” though the only thing I want to promote is JESUS and I share my stories for free. Why do I do it? Because JESUS first loved me! I am more understanding of the pushback I get from non-Christian pages. I just say, “pardon me” and pray “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 KJV).
Maybe you are one of those people I need to ask to “pardon me?” If you are one of my family, friends or loved ones, you may receive more than one copy of my posts. That means we like and/or follow the same Facebook pages or know the same people. It could be I thought you wouldn’t mind me Tagging you, so your Friends would receive the message. If you like my story and want to use it to witness, maybe you can Share it with someone you love? If they complain you can say, “Pardon me” my peculiar friend wrote it.
This is where I get to the main point of my story. I will use a contrast this time because JESUS didn’t need to be pardoned, He came to pardon us!
Yes, he offended many because He was telling them they were wrong. JESUS said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin” (John 15:22 KJV). JESUS came to set the captives free, not to worry about who was offended. The religious leaders where the offenders and had left the people in their sin.
JESUS told the people to obey their leaders, but not to follow their actions (Mat 23:2-3). He had the authority to correct the religious leaders and to preach the Gospel to the poor (Isa 61:2). The WORD foretold of His coming and what He would do. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life…For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). JESUS came to save the lost and that included the religious leaders. They didn’t understand when He said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 KJV). They needed to ask, “Pardon Me?” Even on the cross JESUS prayed “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34 KJV). He can ask that of the FATHER, because He paid for them with His blood.
Wayne Lance (2019)