Luke 24:47
It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His Name to all the Nations (all People Groups), beginning in Jerusalem: "There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent."
I think the key word here is "repent." Forgiveness comes after the payment has been paid. Now that Jesus has died, taking upon Himself our very sin-nature on the Cross in payment for each one of us; now whenever we realize that we personally deserve death for our sins, and that Jesus is the One Who died our death, that is the "repentance" that is referred to here. One needs more than to just ask Jesus to save them, they must realize their lost state, and their inability to do anything in their flesh that God can accept, and let Jesus take their place in death. That's when God will place His own Holy Spirit in them, causing their dead spirit to be alive and capable of communicating with God, Who is Spirit.
Everyone in the whole world, in every Nation, every People Group, every dialect of every language, can now turn to Jesus to redeem them from the slavery of sin. By His Divine Blood shed at Calvary Jesus purchased the whole world, the whole universe. So we all now belong to Him by both Creation and by purchase, we are His property. And when He becomes our Savior, we also are His by Redemption, cleansed and purified to spend Eternity with Him.
Jesus has sent us out into the World to proclaim this Good News (Gospel) to everyone we meet, wherever we find ourselves in the world. We must each start in our own Jerusalem, our own families and neighborhoods, then our own state or province, and on to the whole world.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
