Pardoned!  

Alexander H. Stephens served as Vice President of the Confederacy. He was a cripple, and died shortly after becoming the governor of Georgia . When it became known that he was soon to die, that the physicians had no hope of prolonging his life, the great men of state crowded his bedroom and besought him to sign important documents. But Stephens waved them away and called for his private secretary and told him to bring out of his desk an old, faded paper. The secretary found it. It was the petition of an old humble woman back in the hills seeking the pardon of her sinful son in the penitentiary.

With the great state officials begging Stephens to lay it aside and take up weightier matters, he replied: "No. I am going to sign this. The great matters of state will take care of themselves.” And, being propped on his pillow, Governor Stephens took the yellow, faded appeal of the heart-broken mother who had no other intercessor at the governor's mansion. He dipped the pen in the ink, and across the appeal he wrote "PARDONED."  Underneath he scrawled his name, "Alexander H. Stephens, Governor." Then he dropped back upon his pillow -- dead. *

Likewise, almost 2,000 years ago, high on the hill called Golgotha , the Son of God was dying...  All the sins of the world were upon Him. At His side a thief and murderer, an outcast, was also hung on a cross. The thief cried out, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). From the lips of Jesus came words of forgiveness and assurance: "Assuredly I say to you today, you will be with 
Me in Paradise " (Luke 23:43).

The man judged unfit to live with men was made suitable by the Savior’s pardon to live forever with Jesus!

“For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), 
and sin makes us unfit to live forever with Jesus.  Yet, because of His great 
love for us, Jesus has offered pardon to us through His sacrificial death on the cross as payment for our sins.

We accept this pardon through our obedient faith: believing in Him (Acts 16:30-31), repenting of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness (the pardon) of our sins.  As long as we remain faithful to Him, His blood will continue to cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

When our sins declared US unfit to live, JESUS – through His death – has offered pardon and life.

Will YOU accept His pardon through your obedient faith?

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

* Robert G. Lee

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