Why did Jesus Cry out for Their Forgiveness?

Why did Jesus Cry out for Their Forgiveness?

 

Chapter: 14.25
(Section 14: Selective Salvation)
Copyright © Michael Bronson 1998 - 2005
BibleHelp.org

In the previous chapter (Are People Perishing Despite God’s Desire for their Salvation?) we saw several passages in the Bible that said people are needlessly going to Hell. Many of these passages showed God desiring the salvation of people who are going to Hell. The crucifixion of Jesus on the cross provides us another example.

When Jesus was on the cross, He cried out, "Father, forgive them" (Luke 23:34). To the honest observer the meaning of this plea is obvious. Jesus was asking God the Father to forgive all of the people who were involved in His crucifixion.

Either Jesus’ plea was answered or it wasn’t. If it was answered, then 100% of the stiff-necked murderers became believers. If His plea wasn’t answered, then there were people who went to Hell even though Jesus desired their salvation.

If it is true people went to Hell despite the desire of Jesus, selective salvation can’t be true. A main theme of selective salvation is God deliberately chose to send certain people to Hell on an arbitrary basis. It would be a contradiction of selective salvation for God to send these people to Hell and still desire their deliverance.