Bronislaw Hajda, 75, Poland.
Maurice Papon, 87, Bordeaux.
Juozas Budreika, 78, Lithuania.
Three old men, three different countries: What possible connection could there be between them? What could these three have in common?
They are three old men living quiet and blameless-appearing lives in widely separated parts of the world. What is the deadly secret tie that has bound them together for years?
They have all been tried and found guilty and sentenced for crimes. Terrible crimes: hundreds, even thousands, murdered in Lithuania, in Poland or sent to “death camps” in Germany from France.
Fifty years have passed since those days of horror-fifty years of hiding, of establishing new identities, of living quiet, law-abiding lives. BUT -“What is important is that neither the passage of time nor a person’s subsequent good behavior and success can pardon crimes against humanity.”
Crimes against humanity? Well! You are not guilty of that! Not you! You donate time and money to humanitarian causes, you get along well with neighbors and co-workers, and you are kind to children and old people. Isn’t that enough?
No. What about God? Have you ever thought about God? And the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God - how have you responded to Him? Have you never sinned?
Fifty years did not keep justice from overtaking those three men, and - “God requireth that which is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:1515That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. (Ecclesiastes 3:15)). Fifty years or a hundred and fifty years can make no difference.
There is only one way to escape judgment. When God says that “ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)), He also says that “the blood of Jesus Christ His 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)). All who accept that sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, who receive Him as their own - and only - Saviour, are safe forever from the judgment of God.