Forgiveness

Our Father in heaven is forgiveness.

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar,
and His word is not in us"
                         1 John 1:8-10

also

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
                         Romans 3:23

These scriptures were written to the Church.
Sometimes we sit and look at the world and we lament the sinfulness we see in man. We want to tell man how sinful he is, and make him recognize his condition, in order to repent before God, and be forgiven. Most humans don't want to hear us tell them how sinful they are. Some, perhaps, already know they sin, and don't care. Perhaps some do care, anda receive the message of repentence gladly and humbly. Some are offended by that message, and harden their hearts against it - even some in the Church.
Even while Jesus was on the cross, many of those standing at the foot of the cross, with His blood dripping upon them, mocked Him while He suffered and atoned for the sins of the world. Even one hanging beside Him, mocked Him. But the other thief beside Him, hanging on a cross for his crimes, asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus assured him that he would be with Him in Paradise.
While Jesus was mocked, while He suffered, He asked His Father to forgive, in Luke 23:34:

"Then Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

While He said this, they were gambling at the foot of the cross for the clothes they took off of Him.

All of us in the Church sin as well. Some of us repent for the sins, ask forgiveness, and sin again. John says above, that we are liars if we claim that we don't sin. Jesus continually healed and cleansed, and then told the individual "go and sin no more."
And yet, our Father looks for every opportunity to forgive us and restore us.
Some sins seem minor. Other sins are vile, murderous, twisted, horrifying. Some sins are clearly seen, other sins are hidden in the hearts and minds of mankind, and never seen by another living soul, but God sees them. Some sins are done in secret and in darkness. Some sin proudly, others feel shame. Scripture says that all sin, seemingly minor or major, leads to, contributes to, causes our death.
So what is the answer?
Those who have the knowledge of Christ, and His atonement, are continually told to forgive.
 In Mt. 18:21-22, Peter asks Christ how many times in a day should one forgive someone who has sinned against him. Peter suggests seven times. Jesus corrects him and says " I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Saying this, Jesus was implying an infinite number.
In Luke 6:37, Jesus teaches: "Judge not and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."
In Mat. 6:14-15, a similar command is given: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
I am suggesting that for our own sakes, as well as for others, we need to forgive as our Father forgives.

Jesus said, "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
                             John 20:23

What authority has been given to us! How can we exercise this great grace gift to impact, to change the condition of man?
I am suggesting that if we want to see a change in the hearts of men, both those who know Christ, and those who don't, we need to forgive, as our Father forgives, not forgiving grudgingly, nor religiously, nor self-righteously, but forgiving out of the same kind of heart that the Father forgives. This is the kind of heart that sent His Son to be the atonement for our sins, to be the death for our sins, to be the forgiveness for our sins.
Does this mean that we do not stand for righteousness,that we do not call for holiness and obedience to God and His Word? No, we still stand for the Truth, but we can do that by walking it out in our own lives, by speaking it out of our own mouths, by examining our own souls in the mirror of His Word..
We may say, How can I ask our Father to forgive those who provide abortion? How can I ask Father to forgive those who abuse and defile children for their own pleasure? How can I ask Father to forgive those who murder? Especially if these do not have any desire to repent? If we are willing to say as Jesus said "Father forgive, Father forgive", perhaps we will see a change that only our Father in heaven can make in the hearts of men. Perhaps, through forgiveness, we can open a door of grace that will see human kind turn from a path of death onto a path of Life.
As much as our Father is a consuming fire, and a judge of the wicked, our Father is also forgiveness.