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PARDONED BUT STILL JUDGED

It was a pretty rough Sunday morning for the 38th President of the United States. September 8, 1974. After not quite a month in office, Gerald Ford had decided to grant a pardon to his predecessor, Richard M. Nixon. There was no question: he had the power to do it. According to Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution, he was able to give Nixon a “full, free and absolute pardon . . . for ALL offenses [he] has committed or MAY have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969, through August 9, 1974.” President Ford signed his name, and that was it. It didn’t matter what Nixon had done: lie, cheat, cover up, abuse power, obstruct justice. He couldn’t be touched for any of it. This was a security blanket with no holes in it. The former President lived almost 20 more years, and not one prosecutor, not one jury, not one Supreme Court judge could accuse or indict him of anything. Article II, Section 2 had put Watergate forever out of reach. In Ford’s own words, he had the constitutional power to “firmly shut and seal this book.”

In a way, the person who comes to the foot of the cross, accepting Jesus as his or her Savior, and “seeking a pardon” — to use a bit of Watergate language — faces the same incredible opportunity. John 5:24 is the hallmark verse describing our assurance at that moment; here it is:

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus says, “whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me HAS eternal life and will NOT be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”

The New Revised Standard Version puts it this way:

“Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life, AND DOES NOT COME UNDER JUDGMENT.”

It sounds like the heavenly constitution has just put a box of safety around us. “You can’t be touched,” this verse promises. “There will be a judgment, but you won’t have to face it.” In the case of Watergate, many, many others trials weren’t canceled at all; they dragged on for years. Dean, Colson, Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Magruder, and scores of others got lawyers; they showed up in court. Many of them served time. But because of the pardon dated 9/8/74, Richard Nixon was completely shielded from prosecution.

In the Tyndale New Testament Commentary for the Gospel of John, which is authored by R. V. G. Tasker, professor of New Testament Exegesis at the University of London, Jesus is at complete liberty to grant pardons based on Calvary.

“Jesus has been given this divine gift of eternal life to bestow upon others,” Tasker writes. “He has also been given as Son of Man the right to pass judgment; and His present almost unconscious exercise of that right is a prelude to the final judgment which He will pronounce upon all mankind after the general resurrection at the last day.” Then he adds: “By accepting Jesus, and giving Him the honor due to God, men can HERE AND NOW avoid a verdict of condemnation when that FINAL judgment is given, and enjoy a foretaste of the eternal life which a verdict of acquittal on the last day will secure for them.”

But this opens up an interesting, Nixonian question. Doesn’t the Bible teach that we all ARE going to face judgment, regardless of this blanket escape clause written into John 5:24? Yes, it does. Here’s Revelation 22:12:

“Behold, I am coming soon!” Jesus promises. “My reward is with Me, and I will give to EVERYONE according to what he has done.”

The Old Testament carries the same warning in Ecclesiastes 12:14, the very last sentence of the book:

“For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

The apostle Paul, who preached a powerful message of salvation assurance, says this in his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 10:

“For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

So friend, this is one of those hard moments where the inspired Word of God APPEARS to say two diametrically opposite things. “If we accept Jesus as Savior, we cross over from death to life; we DON’T face judgment,” writes John, quoting Jesus. That would give assurance. And yet Paul, speaking directly TO CHRISTIANS, seems to be saying: “No, you WILL still have to face judgment.” Which threatens to take our assurance away again. How do we resolve this?

Interestingly, just two verses before Paul warns about all of us appearing before Christ’s judgment seat, he still says, in verse 8: “Yes, we do have confidence.”

A couple of the Bible versions we use here on this broadcast add very helpful text notes. The NIV has this to say about II Corinthians 5:10:

“This accounting has nothing to do with justification, which is credited to the Christian fully and forever through faith in Christ; instead, it refers to what we have done with our lives as Christians.”

The New RSV has similar notes; here they are:

“Many Christians distinguish THIS judgment of Christ from the great white throne Judgment” — that’s described in Revelation chapter 20. “To them, the former is a judgment before which only believers stand and at which their works will be judged, while the latter is a judgment at which only UNbelievers will appear before being consigned forever to the lake of fire. The believer’s judgment occurs at the coming of the Lord. At this time all believers must appear before the judgment seat; all will give account of themselves; the good deeds and the bad ones will be reviewed; rewards will be determined according to our deeds.”

Let me ask a sobering question — and I look deep into my own soul as well. Is it possible to be a saved Christian, with that blanket pardon of John 5:24, and then just plain let God’s kingdom down by my repeated failures? Or by my refusal to witness? My laziness? My meager devotional life? My taking the easy way out, trying to pass all spiritual tests with just 51%? Would I possibly have opportunities to give out cups of cold water and make prison visits . . . and stay home instead? Friend, all of us, even though saved, will have to give Jesus an answer for what we’ve done and how we’ve lived.

It’s helpful to discover that Paul writes about this very situation. Remember that he had personally stood before the bema, the judgment tribunal, right there in Corinth. The Tyndale commentary for II Corinthians observes:

“What then does Paul have in mind here when he speaks of receiving good or evil according to what a person has done in the body? It is a recognition that God will evaluate the lives and ministries of HIS CHILDREN and reward those who have acted faithfully, while those who have not will suffer the loss of any reward.”

Back in his FIRST letter to these same Corinthians, Paul describes how different believers — all saved followers of Jesus — build differently on the one true foundation, which is Christ, of course. This is chapter three, starting with verse 12. Some use gold, silver, and costly stones. That would be obedience, good deeds, faithful service. Others go to Home Depot, however, and bring home a pickup-truck full of what? Wood, hay, or straw. That’s not as good, is it? And Paul writes:

“His work” — either way — “will be shown for what it is, because the DAY [of judgment] will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.” Now please notice this important point: “If it is burned up” — wood, hay, and straw — “he will suffer loss; HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED, but only as one escaping through the fire.”

In researching for this topic, we were digging through a book that takes a very strong view regarding security of salvation; John 5:24 is emblazoned all the way through it. And yet the writer attaches absolute importance to obedience and sanctification.

“Does our behavior matter once we are assured of our salvation?” he asks. “You bet it does. Are there any eternal consequences when a believer sins? Absolutely.”

Let’s think again about Richard Nixon, who had to get on that Air Force chopper Friday afternoon, August 9, 1974, and leave America’s capital in disgrace. Do you remember how he paused at the doorway and waved? And then stepped inside, and was essentially not seen again? True, he soon had Gerald Ford’s pardon in his pocket. He escaped judgment. But did he still pay a price? Will he forever be known as the “Watergate President,” the only President who resigned? For almost 20 years, he tried to re-enter society, to write important books, to get back some respect. And to a very limited extent, he did. But the sins he committed left scars that would never be erased. There would always be a price. In fact, when Nixon accepted Ford’s pardon he issued this statement:

“No words can describe the depth of my regret and pain at the anguish my mistakes over Watergate have caused the nation and the Presidency — a nation I so deeply love and an institution I so greatly respect.”

How is it for us, then? Salvation is free. Salvation is assured. The pardon is complete. But friend, don’t we also want to hear the Master say “Well done”?