Day 38: Our Death Sentence
Read: Romans 8:1-7
In Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution, it states that the President has the authority to grant pardons. “He (the President) shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” A pardon is an executive order granting clemency (or offer forgiveness) for a conviction. The conditions to a pardon are as follows: it has to be given after the crime has been committed, it can only be granted by the President, and the prisoner must acknowledge and confess they have committed the crime. The President doesn’t need to take the place of the prisoner in order to grant that forgiveness. If they had to, we could assume that they would never grant anyone clemency.
We are all sinners. We have all broken God’s law. We are all criminals, and our sentence is death. Our sins are abundant and greater than any crime we could commit against federal laws because we have sinned against a just and holy God. At the cross, Jesus, having fulfilled the law, took our place, He died, and He rose victorious from death. He pardoned us for our crimes in a way the President of this country never could. We are able to bask in the full power of this forgiveness if we are willing to accept the gift of life that Jesus made a way for us.
Romans 8:1-2 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Our King was willing to take our place, to fulfill our sentence, to forgive our crimes. We have been given a new life. How are we going to live it?
In light of such a great act of mercy, we can’t help but want to live for Christ. This motivates us to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh. While the sin nature is still within us, we are no longer slaves to it. It doesn’t have to control us, because we are free in Jesus!
What a great King we have! Matthew 9:2-8 says, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven!” Glory be to God! If He has the power to make the paralytic walk, He is able to forgive our sins. Thanks to Jesus, we are not subject to only condemnation!