Lord, lay not this sin to their charge

Acts 7:60

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

In the death of Stephen, we see many similarities to how the Lord Jesus died. In His last moments, Jesus said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” And Stephen says, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Christ commended Himself to the Father, Stephen commended his spirit to Christ. But Jesus, on the cross, also cried, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” This is one of the most powerful statements of the Bible. It is the greatest prototype of God’s forgiveness, the epitome of all examples. Here, the paradigm is set, the paradigm of true forgiveness. Christ desired that His persecutors would be forgiven! He did not want them to be accountable for their actions. For although their actions were malicious, hateful, and ignominious, it was for the glory of God. Through Christ’s sufferings the world could be saved. And Stephen felt these same things when he asked the Lord, “lay not this sin to their charge.” Don’t make them accountable! They don’t know what they’re doing! This is for the glory of God! I am about to be with the risen Savior, whom I now see standing at the right hand of God! When the heavens were opened unto him, Stephen immediately forgot the suffering. The pain left the body. There was no consciousness of suffering, but perfect bliss in beholding the face of the Savior. “Thank you,” he seems to say, “that these people have ushered me into your most wonderful and eternal presence.”

Now, let us think and consider our own lives. There may be many offenses in life. We may desire equality, retribution, fairness. But this we should desire no more. We should simply say, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” For they only bring me closer to Christ! They only cause me to look more fully into His face! They cause me to behold a beauty I never before beheld. We should say, “Thank you for the suffering.” It only produces eternal glory. But, dear friends, we must also think about our spirit. Do we have the spirit of Christ? His spirit is a spirit of forgiveness and love. As Christ forgave His persecutors, and as Stephen forgave his stoners, we must immediately forgive our offenders. It will make us like our Savior. Do not continue to remember the wrongs done against you. Forget them! Forgive them! And ask the Lord even now that He may not lay them to the charge of those who committed them. And then you shall share in the sufferings of Christ and know the spirit that the Lord receives.

“Dear Lord, we thank you that you completely and freely have forgiven all that we have done against Thee. May we have such a spirit ourselves. And as Stephen, may we not desire that others be chargeable for what they have done. We are in your hands. Give us this spirit, we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”