I recently saw a copy of a document that was over a hundred years old. This document must have been very good news to certain people living back then. It was a Royal Proclamation by Queen Victoria, on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee, offering a pardon to any and all who had deserted the English Army or had used deceit or trickery to leave the Army and were hiding inside or outside of the country. By law, these men deserved imprisonment or some other penalty if they could be found. Part of the document read, “We grant our most Gracious Pardon to all (who have offended) within the meaning of Section 13 of the Army Act.”
However, there was a condition to the pardon. It would apply only to those who identified themselves by letter within two months if they lived within the country of England or four months if they lived elsewhere. We can only imagine how this good news would free those who were hiding in guilt and fear of being caught for their crimes. If they followed the instructions of the Royal Proclamation, they would not have to pay the penalty they deserved.
But I have a far older document, written almost two thousand years ago, which has much more wonderful news. This document not only applied to the people who lived back then, but it continues to apply to people today! It is God’s Royal Proclamation, written in the Bible, offering a most gracious pardon to all who have sinned and fallen short of God’s standards. This includes all of us, unlike the pardon offered only to the Army offenders, because the Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, NOT ONE ... . There is no difference: for all have sinned” (Romans 3:10,22-2310As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)
22Even 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)).
However, with this offer of pardon there is also a condition. The sinner must come to God in true repentance, confessing that he or she is guilty of sin. Then, believing that Jesus Christ took the punishment and paid the price for sin by dying on the cross in the sinner’s place, he or she can accept God’s offer of forgiveness. Only “the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). There is no other way to be saved from the punishment we deserve for our sins. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)).
What good news that each one of us is free to take God’s offer of pardon! Don’t you agree that the Gracious Pardon from the King of kings is far greater than that of the Queen?
Have you accepted God’s offer of pardon?
ML-12/13/2009