Three months with hard labor," announced the judge. It wouldn't have been much of a sentence to a habitual offender, but to the first-time offender it was a terrible thing. Led away, he soon found himself dressed for the first time in prison clothing and left in his cell alone.
The full meaning of his position dawned upon him as he considered the result of his self-will and sin. The thought brought him down to his knees. Then and there he resolved that from that time on he would no longer serve the devil.
It was a good decision to make, but it did not give him the peace he expected. He discovered (as many have done before him) that resolutions for the future do not wipe out the sins of the past. There lay his black record. How could that be met?
"You ought to have prayed before you got in here," sneered the guard who saw him on his knees, "but perhaps better late than not at all."
He found two books in the cell. One was a book of instruction on how to live right; the other was a Bible. He anxiously opened the first. The writer, knowing little of God's way of salvation, advised his readers to fast and pray to secure a pardon from God.
Ah! thought that lonely reader, I have been praying without fasting; that is why I have not got the peace I want. I will fast as well as pray.
And he did fast. But, while he continued to do his allotted prison work, he found himself becoming weaker. Finally it seemed that he would not have the strength to stand on his feet.
He had done all he could. He had reached the end of his rope. He had resolved and sorrowed, prayed and fasted, but still he had not found peace. He didn't know anything else to try and the book had nothing further to suggest.
At last he picked up the Bible. It wasn't a familiar book to him, and he hardly knew where to turn. The book fell open at 2 Sam. 12 and the first sentence he saw was: The Lord also hath put away thy sin.
He still had to learn how God could do this and be righteous, but at that moment it was enough for him that God had spoken such words. It didn't matter to whom they had been spoken; he felt they were there for him.
He soon learned how God could pardon and yet be just, for that long-neglected book became his constant companion. He read of Calvary, and of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He read of His exaltation and glory too. That marvelous story of redeeming love opened his eyes.
All became as plain to him as the daylight which streamed through the barred window of his cell. He realized that his efforts to make himself good were useless and that guilt could not be blotted out by doing something. For by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight. (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20).) For sinners to be saved, the atoning work of Jesus had to be accomplished. 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).) On this firm foundation he rested his soul.
He discovered that God could freely justify him by His grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, and that, though his sins had been great, the grace of God was greater. The precious blood of Jesus, the basis of all blessing, had made him clean in the sight of God.
You may not have had to stand before an earthly judge; likely you never will, but in God's sight you are still a sinner. If your sins are not covered by the precious blood of Jesus, you will stand before God's judge. Can you risk that?