An offer of pardon

[Jesus] said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15-16).

Around 1830, a certain George Wilson of Pennsylvania was sentenced to be hanged for robbing the mails and for murder. President Andrew Jackson pardoned him. But Wilson refused the pardon, insisting that it was not truly a pardon unless he accepted it. This was a point of law never before raised in the United States. The attorney general said that the law was silent on this point. The president was urged to call on the Supreme Court to decide the point at once, because the local sheriff needed to know whether to hang Wilson or not. Chief Justice John Marshall, one of the best lawyers living at that time, handed down this decision: "A pardon is paper, the value of which depends upon its acceptance by the person implicated. It is hardly to be supposed that one under sentence of death would refuse to accept a pardon, but if it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must hang."

Who was responsible for Wilson’s death? No one except the man himself. This Supreme Court decision illustrates an important truth about Jesus’ work on our behalf. Jesus came into the world to save everyone from sin and eternal death in hell; the Bible tells us God our Savior…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus made this salvation possible by dying on the cross as our substitute; Paul tells us in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7).

But although Jesus offers His divine pardon to every person, many like George Wilson do not want it. Some do not feel that they have done anything that needs to be forgiven. Others object to Jesus saying, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). But to reject Jesus is to reject His pardon; Jesus warns if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins (John 8:24). Our Lord wants everyone to have forgiveness and eternal life, but we must look to Him alone for these wonderful gifts; Jesus says in no uncertain terms, Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him (John 3:36). This is why it is so very important that you and I share the Good News of Jesus’ offer of salvation with everyone, every chance we get.