“I just couldn’t help myself,” said David as he was booked in the police station of a small Pennsylvania town.
The list of charges looked pretty nasty … theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, tampering with/fabricating physical evidence, possession of a small amount of marijuana.
So where did 27-year-old David get his marijuana stash? From the desk of Officer Kimball at the Charleroi Regional Police station. David had dropped by of his own free will to do the good deed of telling the police where they could find some real criminals. In the process, he noticed an evidence bag of “weed” sitting on the officer’s desk for a case that he was writing up. While the officer was distracted, David slipped it into his pocket.
When Officer Kimball couldn’t find the bag, he headed outside the police station hunting for David. Within five minutes, Kimball spotted him walking by. Upon being asked, “What did you do with the weed?” David dropped the baggie back into Officer Kimball’s hands.
Inside the station while he was being booked, David said, “Man, I’m guilty. Can’t you just give me a fine or something?”
Before you stop shaking your head and wondering about David’s IQ, answer this little questionnaire for yourself:
Are there any big criminals out there that you would be happy for God to take care of?
Do some sins sound so good that a little bit once in a while is irresistible for a mere human?
Do you tell God what size His “fine” should be?
Remember, “Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s” (Proverbs 16:11). He’ll do a perfect job of examining our “rap sheets.” Will it be wiped clean by the blood of Christ? Or will you be required to answer for yourself for the things on your “rap sheet”?
“The devising of foolishness is sin” (Proverbs 24:9).
“Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
“Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:22).
While God takes sin very seriously, He’s also made a perfect provision for any who wish to have their “sin charges” cleared from His official record. Here’s one way that He expresses it: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Societies adjust the penalties for crimes with plea bargains, reduced sentences, adjusting the legal penalties, and clemency programs. All of this helps deal with overburdened criminal justice systems that can’t handle court backlogs and prison costs. Certain actions, such as some marijuana sales, are even decriminalized.
God never needs to adjust His standard to accommodate unforeseen problems or because He isn’t able to deal with the flood of sin. Instead, He carried out the maximum penalty against sin on the cross of Calvary when Jesus Christ suffered to put away sin. Now God offers free pardon — and so much more — to any who receive His free gift.
But the offer is only on His terms. It is never a negotiated settlement. He says, “Repent, (be sorry and turn away from your sin) and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), not “do your best and I’ll let you off the hook.”
Will you say, “I’m guilty as charged and I just can’t help myself. Thank You for your free gift of undeserved eternal life”? Or, “I just couldn’t help myself last time, but now I want to try and be better next time”? Only one of those two is acceptable to God.
Bible Truth Publishers
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