The Vilest Offender
1 John 2:2 Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too.
Hypothetical; a murderer on death row is about to be executed. In those last hours, he realises his wrong and turns to Jesus. Remember, he’s a murderer. Question: Is he in, or not?
So if you were God, what standard would you set for entry into heaven? Absolute perfection, an excellent life, good, satisfactory? How high would you set the bar?
My hunch is that most of us would go for about a 6 or 7 out of ten; someone who’s basically led a good life – yeah, they’re in … but from the really rude, objectionable, selfish people right down to the criminals – absolutely not!!
That’s probably how most people would set the standard for entry into heaven. It may surprise you to know however that God’s reality is very different, because His standard for an eternal life with Him in heaven is absolute perfection.
But hang on, no one’s perfect! which is why He sent His Son Jesus to pay for our imperfection, our “sin” as He calls it.
On that day, when you and I stand before God, the standard will be perfection. And He’ll ask us just one question – While you were living your life on earth, did you place your trust in my Son?
And that’s true for the really nice people down to the worst of all criminals. The old hymn “To God be the Glory” puts it this way:
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Bottom line? It’s about trusting in the sacrifice that Jesus made for you on that cross, not in your own good works. Remember …
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Bill Wright
Great topic. Relates to Prov 18:2 & how and an angle for Gospel outreach. Did you do a sermon on this? The hymn ...
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Great topic. Relates to Prov 18:2 & how and an angle for Gospel outreach. Did you do a sermon on this? The hymn prompted be to study the phrase (sang it yesterday 11 Apr 2022 and the words jumped out so I had to follow it up. Reminds me of the John Newton/Amazing Grace story and the Hymn with the words “thine eye diffused a quickening ray – chains fell off etc”.
Robin Edward Moore
Yes, when we think we have it all together and consider some of the “vilest offenders” we can be led to ...
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Yes, when we think we have it all together and consider some of the “vilest offenders” we can be led to think/say “why should they be forgiven”? Maybe not even the vilest but somewhere below them, why should they be forgiven? God said all sin, not vilest, lowest, small, not too bad a little sin, “ALL” sin of which the punishment is death. All back to The Garden of Eden, the first sin was disobedience and God said the punishment is death, not physical but spiritual.
Only one person could pay the ransom, the debt, the price, and that had to be a person who was sinless; Jesus was that person and He did pay the price for our salvation, that no one else could pay, and we are made righteous. Not of ourselves, but because of the righteousness of Jesus. He took our sin and transferred to us His righteousness!!! WHAT A SAVIOUR??
BUT, always remember, God knows everyone’s heart. He knows if they are being truthful, believing, repenting, and changing from old into new (of course by the grace of God, not by our works). Then we can sing “and I’m forever grateful to YOU, and I’m forever grateful to the cross, that You came to seek and save the lost!!
As Paul would say “and I am the worst of those”! Amen