In recent days, we heard news of an interesting turn of events in the United States that everyone seems re-tweeting and writing about. The interest, it seems, surrounds President Biden writing of an executive order in this last month of his presidency, granting “full and unconditional” pardon to his son, Hunter. In June 2024, under the burden of overwhelming evidence, Hunter Biden had pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion and possession of firearms; the charges carried a possible total sentence of 42 years. In his order issued just before Hunter was to be sentenced, Biden also shielded his son from any possible charges arising from these offences over the next 10 years. As the news broke, cries of injustice were heard from every quarter, including from the judge who presided over Hunter Biden’s case. Of course, Hunter’s character was on trial as much as were his actions – an alcoholic and addict, a womanizer and untrustworthy with both people and money, and given to violence and a love for firearms. It is surprising that his father had said, “He is a good man” when he promised not to interfere with his son’s sentencing; it was a promise that he broke this week.
As I read the reports of what transpired, I felt sympathy for a father who loved his son so much that he was willing to ignore his transgressions, break his promises, and use his power as the president of the country to absolve his son of wrong. “Which father would not do so?” someone asked. Look no further than God the Father who sent His only beloved Son (John 3:16), perfect in holiness (1 Peter 2:22), living in the flesh but never with a shred of sin (Hebrews 4:15), hated by us because He told us that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and our sins were made plain by light of His presence (John 3:19). Did God intervene when we ridiculed His Son (Isaiah 53:3,4)? Did He descend from heaven with angels when we pierced Him and hung Him on a cross (Matthew 26:53)? Did He break His promise that the heel of the Son would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15)? This week, we will hear much more about how a man’s actions to rescue his own sinful son would impact our judiciary, our trust for people in power, our politics and even the next US president (who has had trouble of his own in the judicial system). I suggest that these are things that are overshadowed by the greater message: that God gave up His only sinless Son so that we who are sinners might be saved. Now, that is news worth re-tweeting.
Just Church
At Just Church, we live each day to tell the world about the story of God. “The vision of Just Church is to establish a church in just the way Christ called the church to be – true to His Word, loving Him, loving one another, and loving the lost.”
