The Ultimate Pardon - Romans 10:13

    
 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” - Romans 10:13

    A friend once told me that as far as he was concerned there are some people who can never be forgiven, no matter how much they ask. Well, to begin with, my friend used one of the most extreme situations he could muster up: a serial murderer. And not to diminish his example, I myself have used extreme situations to make a point many times. I once told someone that if I suggested on September 10, 2001, that someday there could be a terror attack using commercial airliners, they would have said that I was using the most extreme example that I could think of. Not anymore. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” - Jeremiah 17:9.
    My point is that all humans regardless of their station in life are prime examples of depravity in one way or another. No, we’re not all serial murderers, thank the Lord. But many of us have committed sins that we don’t believe even God can forgive. And, in the usual human fashion, we would be wrong. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - 1 John 1:9.
    According to the promise of God, no matter who we are, no matter what we have done, no matter how despicable and heinous our transgression may be - we can be forgiven! Notice that I have said “we can” be forgiven, not that we are forgiven. There are requirements for forgiveness, especially when it comes to God. Out of the very mouth of Jesus Chris,t we hear these words to a woman accused of blatant adultery - “Jesus stood up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.’” - John 8:10-11.
    The ramification of Christ’s words are clear and without any ambiguity - stop sinning! If, with contrite hearts, we repent and believe, God will forgive us. Period. In fact, repentance is called for by Christ from the beginning of His earthly ministry - “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” - Matthew 4:17.
    Our repentance and contrition must be sincere otherwise we are merely mouthing words without truth in them. We truly are ‘clouds without water.’And until the truth of our remorse and penitence is known by God, we will remain in our sins. “So he said to them again, ‘I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’” - John 8:21. What Jesus was saying is simply this: sin is such a pervasive human condition that it takes the forgiveness of God to relieve us of that burden; the burden being ‘death,’ both physical and spiritual. While none of us are able to forego the natural process of death, we can avoid spiritual death if we repent and believe in Christ Jesus. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23.
    Yes, life eternal awaits us in Christ alone and in no other. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12. We cannot be saved in any other manner. The ‘Universe’ cannot save us because the universe is nothing but another creation of God! We cannot be saved by the creation; we can only be saved by the Creator.
    Perhaps the greatest example of God’s forgiveness and salvation to sinners is recounted to us as Jesus was dying on the cross. The thief crucified next to Him was being executed for robbery and murder. The interaction with Christ has eternal implications. “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’  And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” - Luke 23:39-43. The penitent thief knew he had committed the gravest of sins and deserved the fate he was now experiencing. In his words, he and the other thief were receiving the just dues of their deeds. Having remorsefully acknowledged his sin, he turned to Jesus and begged Him to ‘remember’ him when He entered His kingdom. In Jesus’ response is the ultimate pardon, the amnesty of amnesties; eternal salvation through Christ!
    No matter what we have done. No matter who we have hurt. No matter how great our sin; Christ is willing to forgive us if we all bring our sins to the foot of the cross and put our faith in Jesus Christ.