What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Is the prayer for forgiveness for enemies in Luke 23:34 a model for Christians?"
Answer
Jesus' prayer on the cross for his enemies ("Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing") is regarded as the ultimate example of forgiving love and as a model for all Christians. Jesus explicitly called on his followers to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them, thereby reflecting the character of God. Whoever expects forgiveness from God is obligated to forgive others in the same measure and spirit as Christ did.
Christ as our example in forgiveness
»Jesus did not only die to bring the atoning sacrifice for us, but to be our example. ... If you look at the Prince of Life on the cross, can you harbor selfishness? Can you nurture hatred or revenge? ... Endure accusations and mistreatment without retaliation, without a spirit of vengeance. "Let each of you be minded as Christ Jesus was.«
The obligation to forgive
»When we come to ask God for grace and blessing, we should have a spirit of love and forgiveness in our own hearts. How can we pray: "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors," and yet harbor an unforgiving spirit? If we expect our own prayers to be heard, we must forgive others in the same way and to the same extent as we hope to be forgiven.«
The prayer for enemies as a hallmark of God's children
»Love your enemies," He commanded them; "bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who insult and persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven" ... The revelation of God's love to humanity is centered on the cross. ... Christ, who was crucified for our sins ... is the science of redemption that we should learn and teach.«
The depth of Christ's forgiving love
»While the nails were driven through His hands and beads of sweat from the agony clung to His forehead, He breathed a prayer of forgiving love for His murderers: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Oh, was there ever a suffering and pain like that endured by the dying Redeemer!«
A prayer with worldwide significance
»While the soldiers performed their dreadful work and He endured the most acute torments, Jesus prayed for His enemies – "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." This prayer of Christ for His enemies encompassed the world and included every sinner who would live until the end of time.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
