Amen Pastor Sean. "As they looked upon Jesus, their hearts were full of sympathy." As we understand it is because of His suffering that we can be forgiven (saved and transformed), we ought to appreciate what He and our heavenly Father have done. It is by beholding this grace that our hearts are broken. If will respond to His love with our love, then confessing our sins, God will not only forgive our sins, He will cleanse the heart from all sin.
"When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just Person: see ye to it." In fear and self-condemnation Pilate looked upon the Saviour. In the vast sea of upturned faces, His alone was peaceful. About His head a soft light seemed to shine. Pilate said in his heart, He is a God. Turning to the multitude he declared, I am clear of His blood. Take ye Him, and crucify Him. But mark ye, priests and rulers, I pronounce Him a just man. May He whom He claims as His Father judge you and not me for this day's work. Then to Jesus he said, Forgive me for this act; I cannot save You. And when he had again scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.
Pilate longed to deliver Jesus. But he saw that he could not do this, and yet retain his own position and honor. Rather than lose his worldly power, he chose to sacrifice an innocent life. How many, to escape loss or suffering, in like manner sacrifice principle. Conscience and duty point one way, and self-interest points another. The current sets strongly in the wrong direction, and he who compromises with evil is swept away into the thick darkness of guilt.
What is the result of one such decision? Utter darkness. Each day we are forming a character that will either glorify God or lead us into utter darkness. Like Judas and Pilot, they had been forming such a character for many years. This was the last chance for Pilot to repent. Look at all of the help God had given him, yet he cared more for His position than for an innocent man whom he understood to be a god. Sadly, he did not understand that Christ was suffering and dying for his sins. False religion leads to such sadness.