Joe Slater
“Pardon Definition: A pardon is a government decision to allow a person who has been convicted of a crime, to be free and absolved of that conviction, as if never convicted” (Duhaime’s Law Dictionary; duhaime.org).
That is essentially what the New Testament term justification means. You know you did the crime (sin). God knows it, too. But he acquits you of the charge – finds you “not guilty” even though everyone knows you did it. How can a holy, righteous, just God do that? Only by accepting the penalty Jesus paid for you.
How can you know God has pardoned you? Sincere religious people may say, “I’m just putting my trust in Jesus.” So far so good, but is “trust” merely an exercise of the heart? Suppose a death row inmate summons the warden and says, “open the prison gate and let me go! The Governor has pardoned me!” The warden asks, “what evidence shows that the Governor has pardoned you?” The convict replies, “I have full confidence in the Governor; I’m certain he has pardoned me.” If you’re the warden will you turn him loose?
Another prisoner might say, “I know I’ve been pardoned because I feel it right here in my heart!” We can’t know what he feels, but no warden worth his salt would release him based on feelings!
Reliable assurance of pardon comes from a trust that obeys! “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). The reference to baptism is hard to miss, especially considering that baptism is “an appeal to God for a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:21, NASB).
On what basis do you have assurance of pardon?
Do you have a good conscience?
What is its basis?
Groveland, FL