In the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, repentance and forgiveness are discussed explicitly. These acts serve as our attempt to become better Christians. Only in repenting our sins and working for their forgiveness are we able to embrace the workings of God. Additionally, it is only through the word of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of God, that man is forgiven. But, if one does not repent and change one's ways, receiving God's forgiveness is impossible.
             In explaining these aspects of Christian faith, they also help to explain the static relationship between God and his people in the earlier Books of Genesis, Exodus and Job. Consequently, the New Testament gives a new perspective on these ideas since God had sent His only Son to earth to be our Savior. With the teachings of Christ as the basis for our actions, we know to forgive others and to ask God for His Grace.
             Luke's Gospel contains many of Jesus' most famous parables. Through them, He teaches us the values of redemption and forgiveness. But, Luke stresses that both redemption and forgiveness through Jesus is universal. Anyone who believes in Him can be saved. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the Prodigal Son are representative of true acts of forgiveness and repentance. All three parables deal with
             The parable of the lost sheep is an example of God's desire to bring back one repentant man. As the Shepard celebrates the recovery of one wayward sheep from his flock, so too does the Kingdom of God, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). Although only one sheep out of one hundred had been lost, the desire to bring it back is enough to leave the other sheep alone to search for the lost one.
             Similarly, the parable of the lost coin is symbolic of ...