Why all have Sinned but Not all are Forgiven

Daily Devotional – Saturday, September 18, 2021

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.

Psalms 51:17 (NKJV)

Judas betrayed Jesus to the Jewish leaders. Matthew records, “Judas… with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” (Matthew 26:47).

During Jesus’s arrest, “all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56).

Perhaps as an afterthought, “Peter followed at a distance.” (Luke 22:54). As Jesus had predicted, Peter denied Him three times before the cock crew.

How did the apostles react when they fell short of the expectations of Jesus?

Judas “departed, and went and hanged himself.” (Matthew 27:5). He could not trust God to forgive Him. Judas shut his own door of mercy.   

Peter, on the other hand, on realizing the enormity of his sin, “… went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62).

Jesus forgave Peter and the other ten apostles, too. That is why the angel told the women who went to the tomb on Sunday morning, “But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” (Mark 16:7).

When we realize we have sinned against God, we can choose to distrust God and refuse His love and forgiveness, like Judas did. Alternatively, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we can repent and receive the forgiveness of Jesus, like the other eleven apostles.

David says this about God, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalms 51:17).

Father, lead me to repentance for all my unforgiven sin. Thank You for forgiving me.