THE TWO LAWS OF PARDONGus Nichols

THE TWO LAWS OF PARDON
Gus Nichols

A great many people are confused concerning the two laws of pardon. They make no disctinction between the conditions of pardon to the alien sinner and the terms upon which children of God, or members of the church are forgiven. It cannot be successfully deneid that there are two classes. Speaking to alien sinners, Jesus said: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your fathers ye will do." (Jn 8.44). John speaks of the "children of God" and the "children of the devil" (I Jn 3.10). All accountable persons who are not the children of God are the children of the devil. Our loving Father offers pardon to each of these classes of persons. And it is important to know that God does not pardon both classes on the same terms. They are not on the same basis before God, and he does not deal with them as if they both stood in the same relation to him. In civil government there is a distinction between an alien, or foreigner, and a citizen. An alien cannot qualify to vote on the same terms as a citizen. If a wife leaves her husband, she may be reconciled to him and become one with him without a second marriage ceremony (I Cor 7.11). But a maiden must get married before she can live as a wife.

THE ALIEN SINNER NEEDS PARDON
The alien sinner needs pardon from God. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rm 3.23). Thos who die in their sins, or without pardon cannot go where Jesus is (Jn. 8.21). No accountable persan can detouraround the new birth and enter the kingdom of God. "Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (Jn 3.5). No man can be so morally good that he does not need the new birth, or that he does not need to be converted and saved. "Except you be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18.3).

CHILDREN OF GOD ALSO NEED PARDON
David was a child of God and he sinned grievously (II Sam 12). He went so far as to commit adultry and murder (II Sam 12.8,13). The apostle Peter denied his Lord, lied, cursed, and swore, after having following Jesus for more than three years, and was forgiven as an erring child (Mk 13.66-72). The best of God's children need to be cleansed from sin alon the heavenly way (I Jn 1.7). "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I Jn 1.8). "There is no man that sinneth not" (I Kng 8.46). "For there is not a just man on the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Ecc 7.20). This being true, the children of God need to be forgiven when they sin, as did David, Peter, and others.

THERE IS A LAW OF PARDON
Many are being taught that is no law of pardon--that God has no certain law by which to convert ans save sinners. They think God saves in different ways, and upon no certain conditions. According to them, there is no certain rule or regulation about the matter, and the sinner must grope his way in darkness and superstition, not knowing at what point salvation may be had. They are taught to feel their way and "pray through to God." The whole matter is left in confusion.

But there is a law of pardon, a certain way of salvation, and one can know exactly the time and the place where it takes place where he became a husband, or was married to his wife. While we are not saved by the "law of works," or by a perfect moral life, we are saved by "the law of faith" (Rm 3.27). to say one is converted and saved without any sort of law is to deny the Bible, which says: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (Ps 19.7). The idea that there is no law of pardon also contradicts Paul's statement: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rm 8.2).

THE LAW TO ALIEN SINNERS
Isaiah prophesied that the church would be established in the last days, and said: "Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Is 2.3). This "law" includes the terms of pardon which were to go forth from Jerusalem. Jesus said: "thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Lk 24.46,47). Pentecost is called "the beginning" (Ac 11.15). It was on that day that Peter began to preach repentance and remission of sins in the name of Christ. When alien sinners believed in Jesus as Lord and Christ and asked what to do to be saved, Peter said unto them: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Ac 2.38). This is "the law" and "the word of the Lord" which was to go forth from Jerusalem and to be preached among all nations. Thos who obeyed the gospel received the promise of the commission, which said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk 16.16). Such is the first law of pardon, the law to alien sinners.

[To Be Continued]