My Plea at the Final Judgment: “Guilty” and “I Beg Your Pardon”

“Sunday Sermon”

When I am “arraigned” at the Final Judgment, I will enter a plea of “guilty.” I willingly, and publicly, confess that I am a sinner.

 However, I will immediately beg for a full pardon. I will say: “Pardon me.” Or, “I beg your pardon.”

I will not seek commutation.  To “commute” merely reduces the sentence.

I will not request a reprieve. A “reprieve” simply delays the sentence.

I will not ask for expungement. To “expunge” sets aside the conviction and dismisses the case, but the arrest and charges remain.  

Instead, I will beg and plead for full pardon.  To “pardon” means to “absolve from any consequences of guilt,” “to excuse all offenses without exacting a penalty,” “to release from all liability.”

As the Lord promised: “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.” (Jeremiah 33:8) 

In order to persuade the Judge to pardon me, I will need an Advocate to represent me.  No way will I go “Pro Per” and represent myself! After all, “he who represents himself has a fool for a client.”

Jesus is the ultimate Public Defender.  For Him to be my Advocate, I must accept His representation, have faith in Him, and “hear Him.”  I must be willing to heed His advice.  I must strive to “follow Him.” And then, He will hopefully convince the Judge that I deserve to be pardoned.

As the Lord explained: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7)

I have faith and hope that, because of my Advocate, the “Judgement Bar” will be a “Mercy Seat.”

(www.londonedition.net)