It is often thought that repentance must precede forgiveness, and some think it strange that it should ever be thought the other way around, that forgiveness precedes repentance. Yet there are several Scriptures that demonstrate just that. For example, there is the story of Zacchaeus, that “Wee Little Man” of Sunday School lore, but which first appears in the Gospel According to Luke:
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10)
It was an act of forgiveness and acceptance that Jesus ate with Zacchaeus. To eat with someone was to acknowledge them as part of one’s circle of friends. When enemies broke bread together, it was a gesture of peace and reconciliation, effectively declaring an end to hostilities. Jesus offering to eat with Zacchaeus signaled his acceptance of Zacchaeus. Grace and forgiveness and table fellowship came first, and it transformed Zacchaeus such that he responded with repentance and restitution.
God is always the initiator of repentance and faith. It is always a movement of divine grace, which is to say that it is always a movement of divine forgiveness, and it enables us to respond. Forgiveness comes first. Even as Jesus hung on the Cross, he prayed for those — including us — who crucified him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Divine forgiveness does not make repentance unnecessary but it makes repentance possible. It goes before and prepares the way for us turn to Christ in faith.
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)
Zacchaeus, that “Wee Little Man,”
was enabled to repent because
he was forgiven.
