CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY DECEMBER 28, 2020
IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS – IF THERE IS SUCH A THING AS NEWS THESE DAYS – YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE MANY PARDONS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS ISSUED. YOU MAY BE THINKING SOME OF THOSE PARDONS WERE JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SUBJECTS WERE TREATED. PERHAPS YOU THOUGHT OTHER PARDONS WERE UNDESERVED BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THEIR CRIMES.
THIS IS NOT HOW GOD ISSUES PARDONS. ONE DEFINITION OF THE WORD “PARDON IS: “A RELEASE FROM THE PENALTY OF AN OFFENSE.”
THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. OUR OFFENSE IS SIN. WE WERE BORN WITH IT AND WE ENJOY SINNING, AT LEAST BEFORE WE WERE REDEEMED BY CHRIST’S BLOOD. WE DESERVE GOD’S WRATH AND JUDGMENT. BUT HE HAS ISSUED THOSE OF US WHO ACCEPT JESUS AS SAVIOUR A RELEASE FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN. REMEMBER WHAT DAVID SAID TO GOD: “AGAINST YOU AND YOU ONLY HAVE I SINNED AND DONE WHAT IS WICKED IN YOUR SIGHT.”
THIS IS WHY WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AND EASTER – THE BIRTH OF JESUS, HIS CRUCIFIXION FOR OUR SINS, HIS RISING FROM THE DEAD, PROVING HIS DEITY, AND THE PARDON HE FREELY OFFERS TO ALL WHO COME TO HIM. DO YOU HAVE YOUR PARDON? I’M CAL THOMAS.
