We Pardon to the Extent that We Love*

The President of the United States has been granted the power to pardon federal criminals under Article II, Section 2 of the United States Constitution. The courts will not officially recognize a pardon unless it is affirmatively accepted. Acceptance of a pardon, which can be rejected, carries with it an admission of guilt. A presidential pardon does not erase or expunge the record of conviction.

The presidential pardon has been used to varying degree by all of the forty-four US Presidents except William H. Harrison and James Garfield, who each died in office less than a year after inauguration. The five presidents with the highest pardon rates (number of pardons per year of office) have been Warren Harding (400 per year), Herbert Hoover (346), Woodrow Wilson (310), Franklin D. Roosevelt (307), and John F. Kennedy (288). The five with the lowest rates have been George Washington (2 per year), John Adams (5), Barack Obama (8), Thomas Jefferson (15), and George H.W. Bush (19). Other notable pardon rates are George W. Bush (22), Ronald Reagan (51), Bill Clinton (57), Gerald Ford (136), Jimmy Carter (142), Richard Nixon (185), and Lyndon B. Johnson (198).

There are no data on what percentage of petitions for presidential pardon have been granted. Law requires a petition be in writing and addressed to the President who then grants or denies it.

There is another pardon system with similarities to this one. Pardons must be affirmatively accepted and require admission of guilt. With these pardons, however, the offender's record is expunged and the pardoned are declared "not guilty." Also, surprisingly, there is no requirement for petition of pardon. In fact, pardon is granted to every wrongdoer and freedom awaits only affirmative acceptance by the pardoned.

Where is this state and who is its ruler that has granted these universal absolutions? How can this place remain free and safe if it allows its citizens to commit any manner of act without penalty?

Jesus spoke several parables to His disciples where He said something like, "the Kingdom of God (or heaven) can be compared to …" In each case, what followed was typically a story about people; some holy, just, wise, and/or pure; others evil, prejudiced, foolish and/or polluted. Since both existed in what Jesus described as the "Kingdom of God," it should be understood that He was describing a world where some live to please God and others don't, intentionally or out of ignorance. (For details on Jesus' parables take a look at Matthew 7; 13; 21-25; Mark 4; and/or Luke 6; 8; 12; 19.)

Take a look around. This "place" Jesus calls the Kingdom of God is our world today. Its ruler, its King, is Jesus Christ. Every citizen in the Kingdom of God has been granted an absolute pardon, signed by The King in His own blood before they were ever born. This citizenry consists of those who vow allegiance to the King and those who don't, including even those who deny Him or His Father, and apparently excludes only those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29).

This pardon that has been extended to everyone (Jude 24, 25) allows the pardoned to go free. How can that be? How can Jesus pardon even those that hate Him? Love. Christ's love is deep enough to overcome everything we do to disqualify ourselves (Ephesians 3:18).

Your pardon has been granted. The door to your prison cell is standing open (John 10:9). All of the guards have been dismissed. One question remains: Are you determined to stay in your cell to serve out your sentence (eternal death with no opportunity for parole) or are you willing to accept pardon and walk through the open door to freedom (eternal life with the King in His coming New Kingdom)?

The quote "We Pardon to the Extent that We Love," is attributed to French writer François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680).

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