Have you ever exclaimed, “OH, NO!”? If you have, it is usually because something has happened that you never wanted to happen. I want to tell you about a robber who said those words.
This robber had cleverly escaped with the stolen goods and had gone to live in another country. That wasn’t all he did so he wouldn’t get caught; he also changed his name and how he looked. He found a job, got married, had a family and was living in a nice home. He had put his past crimes behind him and believed that with the changes he had made he was now quite safe. But his name was still on the police record as a criminal, and detectives never gave up searching for him.
I am sure most of you hope that this story will end with the robber being caught and brought to justice. However, at this point all of us have to remember that each one of us is just as guilty of sin before God as that robber. We each have a bad record that also demands justice. We cannot just turn over a new leaf and hope that our past sins are forgotten. The Bible tells us that “there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-2322Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:22‑23)), and, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). So as we continue the story about the robber, each of us should think seriously about our own sinful record before God.
This man’s life was quite pleasant, and he lived as a good neighbor and fellow-worker. He had no idea that detectives were still on his trail and ready to close in.
He came home from work one day, parked his car in the garage, got out and walked to his front door. Suddenly, two or three men came towards him from different hiding places, calling him by his real name. He paused, turned pale and then said, “OH, NO!” He knew immediately that it was all over and that his cover-up had failed.
They handcuffed the man and took him away, with no time even for good-byes to his family. The Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). Because his sin was still on the record, he had to be brought to justice - there was a penalty he had to pay.
But what about your sin and mine? How can we get our names cleared and off God’s record so that we will not be called before Him for His judgment? The good news that we have to tell you is that God delights to forgive any sinner who comes to Him, truly repenting of his sins and turning from his bad ways. God calls Himself “merciful and gracious . . . forgiving iniquity . . . and sin” (Exodus 34:67). It is not the will of God that we should ever have to say, “OH, NO!” with our names still on the guilty list, because for that very reason “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). His Son Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of all who come to Him, admitting their guilt. If we come to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness now, we will never have to be afraid to stand before God or to hear His awful words, “Depart from Me,” and we will never have to exclaim, “OH, NO!”
ML-10/27/2002