A Pardon from God
I'm not intending to speak on the American legal system. Nor do I intend to comment on what Bill Clinton did for Marc Rich, how Ronald Reagan acted in behalf of George Steinbrenner, or why Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. I want to consider the wonderful truth of Romans 8:1 . . . "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
In Romans 5:1-11, there are great truths to consider regarding God's pardoning actions. We read that we now have "peace with God." We "stand in grace." We have been "justified by his blood." From a legal perspective, we are considered "reconciled." And the basis of our being recipients of this incredible pardon is the love of God. In verse 5 Paul writes, "God has poured out his love into our hearts . . . " This reason is so unlike the presidential pardons which are often associated with power and money. As Paul reminds us, though at one time considered "enemies" or at odds with God, you and I have been declared not guilty and unpunishable because of the compelling love of God.
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It is wonderful to watch a person discover and experience the pardon of God. I have a friend who at one time was a lawyer but who spent 22 months in a federal penitentiary prison. His crime? Embezzling money. You may be thinking, "He should have gone to jail. Lock him up and throw away the key." He couldn't agree more.
But let me ask, "Do you think God might have a similar perspective on the ways we've conducted our lives?" Paul says all have sinned and that includes you and me. Yet I meet a lot of people who don't want to admit they have done much wrong during their lives. From my observations, there is a whole group of upstanding people, even church folk, who don't especially feel as if they need to be pardoned of much of anything. After all, they see themselves as pretty good people.
At one time, Paul thought this way. He did not feel any compelling need to be pardoned by God. In fact, he thought he should be applauded for his actions. After all, he had been an upstanding member of his religious community for years. But listen to Paul tell his story in Philippians 3:5-8: "circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee, as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless." But eventually, the apostle came to realize everyone needs a pardon regardless of their life story because, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10). You and I are so very much alike in that we need a new lease on life that only comes when we humble ourselves before God and cry out for mercy, and find forgiveness in Christ the Savior.