GOD’S attitude towards the world is that of proclaiming forgiveness, though only the repentant want it, and only the repentant get it.
This was proved at the Cross, when His relentless creatures had pressed the thorns upon Christ’s brow; when nails had been driven into His hands and feet, that had been so active in good to man. When He had been lifted up on that cross, when, in fact, the malignity of man’s heart had been expressed toward the One Who had expressed. God’s love and tender compassion, then it was that Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:33-3433And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:33‑34)). This prayer told out the heart of God towards man, and was in full harmony with His will, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Here also was man’s heart disclosed, in its unrestrained capability—your heart and mine, dear reader. Out of it proceed “evil thoughts, murders, false witness, blasphemies” (Matt. 15:18,1918But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:18‑19)).
The death of Jesus conclusively proved the whole world guilty before God (Rom. 3:10-1910As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:10‑19)). It was man’s final test. It is important to notice that it was to guilty Jerusalem that the first proclamation of God’s forgiving grace was made, and that those who were convicted by it and repented were forgiven (Acts 2:14-4114But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 20The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:14‑41)).
It was never necessary on the part of God to make plain that there was no good in man. He knew what was in man, knew the awful extent of man’s moral defection. But the least reflective person must admit that, in view of the Cross of God’s beloved Son, any cure for our natural depravity is hopeless. He is lost. As an offender he needs forgiveness. If you are not awake to it, may God rouse you to a sense of its present importance.
Years ago hanging was more frequent than at present. Capital punishment was resorted to for offenses now considered worthy only of a fine or imprisonment.
An official, in a government capacity, had locked up his desk and wended his way home. After he had retired to rest that night, a strange foreboding oppressed him. He could not sleep. He rose and dressed himself, and at last passed out into the street, and wandered about the park that was near his residence. Ultimately, he found himself near his office. Letting himself in, he went to his desk, and unlocked it. A startling sight met his gaze. There, reclining in its official envelope, was the sealed pardon of a poor man whose execution was dated to take place on the following morning. It had not been dispatched!
No time was to be lost. He immediately hastened to the nearest posting-house, and engaged a conveyance. There was no train or motor in those days to bring him to his destination; many a mile lay between him and the place of execution, and it meant change of horses, and the possible dangers of dark roads. But a life was in jeopardy, and in his hands the power of its deliverance. Again and again, with all the anxiety and concern of a matter of life or death, he urged the driver to keep up the speed.
The day dawned, and the distance was rapidly lessening. On and on the horses dashed...
The crowd had gathered in the city; the scaffold had been erected; the poor hopeless man stood in miserable expectancy of his doom; the hangman only waited the striking of the hour. Just then, clattering hoofs were heard approaching and the crowd scattered as the panting horses arrived at the jail. Quickly stepping from the vehicle, the official cried in loud tones, “Stop! I have his pardon.”
The man got his pardon just in the nick of time, and we may be sure that though there was delay in its reaching him, there was no delay in his accepting it.
Dear unpardoned reader, the proclamation of forgiveness is brought to you and for you. “Now” is the nick of time. Your case is as urgent as this poor man’s was—more urgent. You stand on the brink of eternity. The longest life is compared in Scripture to a vapor (James 2:1414What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (James 2:14)). To you God sends by His messengers the proclamation of repentance and remission of sins. None less than. God the Holy Ghost has descended from heaven to declare that “Through this man (Christ, Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:3838Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts 13:38)), and that “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). See also 1 Peter 1:1212Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1 Peter 1:12).
How gladly would you accept such grace, if you knew your awful state, your hopeless condition! Alas for you, and forever, if you senselessly think you do not need it! L. O. L.