Concept of a file of confidential documents. By nazar12/stock.adobe.com.
Attorney General Pam Bondi released the much-awaited first batch of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein files on Thursday afternoon. Flight logs, an evidence list, a contact book, and a highly redacted “masseuse list”—which most assume includes the names of his victims—were part of what was made public.
Still, many were disappointed.
After all, much of that information was made known during the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell—Epstein’s former girlfriend who helped organize his sex trafficking operation—several years ago. Perhaps the lack of new information is why Bondi made a point to describe yesterday’s release as just the start.
That said, it remains unknown when more will come out. Bondi has claimed that thousands of additional files have yet to be turned over by the Southern District of New York. New FBI Director Kash Patel made a similar promise to ensure that any remaining documents are uncovered and turned over.
We should have some indication soon, with Bondi setting a deadline of this morning for those additional files to arrive at her desk. However, the possibility remains that the client list so many are hoping to see is simply a figment of the internet’s imagination. Journalist Julie K. Brown, who broke the story about Epstein for the Miami Herald, recently indicated as much.
Either way, the hope remains that we will know more in the coming days and weeks, even if the results ultimately fail to live up to expectations. However, given how high those expectations were—due in large part to the way the Trump administration has been building up yesterday’s release—disappointment was always the most likely outcome.
Until more is known, people will continue looking for a list in the hopes that their favorite people to hate will appear on it. Yet, all the while, there remains a far more important list for us to consider today.
Sin still matters
Chances are good that your name is not on Epstein’s list. However, every sin we commit—every careless word, selfish action, and fallen thought—shows up on God’s list. And, if you’re a Christian, the only reason those sins won’t keep you out of heaven is because the gift of grace made freely available through Jesus has paid that price for you.
Yet the fact that our sins no longer condemn us to an eternal separation from God does not minimize their significance. And Scripture speaks to two important warnings we would all do well to heed in this conversation.
The first is that, despite the forgiveness we receive from the Lord, Scripture still says that we’ll be held accountable for our sins.
Yes, there is compassion in that accountability, and he does remove our transgressions “as far as the east is from the west,” (Psalm 103:12). But God’s word also makes clear that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive what is due for what we do “in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Again, because of the grace we receive through Jesus, our sins don’t have to keep us out of heaven. However, they can keep us from having a close relationship with God before we get there and will impact our experience once we do.
That last part may sound strange given that we often—and rightly—think of heaven as a place of perfection where we will know neither suffering nor pain. Yet Jesus was clear that every day presents us with the choice of storing up treasures on earth or treasures in heaven. When we sin, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to do the latter (Matthew 6:19–21).
So while we should not be primarily motivated by the desire to store up such treasures, their existence serves as a reminder that our choices in this life—whether sinful or righteous—impact the eternity that waits for us on the other side of death.
The proof of our salvation
The second warning is if your thoughts, when reflecting on your sin, stray in the direction of minimizing their importance because Jesus paid that cost, then there is biblical warrant to at least wonder if you’ve truly received his grace.
One of Christ’s final teachings before going to the cross was the parable of the sheep and goats, in which he spoke of how the standards for salvation are considerably more than empty words and broken promises to follow his example (Matthew 25:31–46). Rather, it will be those who cared for those he cared for and served others in his name that will be rewarded.
It’s important to note, however, that the righteous in this text did not do these things in order to get some kind of reward. They were as surprised as anyone to learn why they were in good standing with God. No, they helped “the least of these” because they knew that’s what Jesus would have done.
Their actions were the proof of their salvation, not the cause. The same is true for each of us today as well.
Ultimately, Scripture is clear that we are saved by grace rather than works, but if that grace does not inspire us to do good works, then it’s at least worth taking the time to ask the Lord why that’s the case.
What is the state of your soul?
Our sins matter, and the Bible is consistent in its teaching that the closer we draw to our holy heavenly Father, the more we should come to abhor the presence of sin in our lives.
I don’t believe the Bible teaches that we can lose our salvation. However, I think we do ourselves and the people around us a disservice when we teach a form of cheap grace that makes it seem as though a quick prayer equals an automatic “get out of hell free” card. Jesus paid far too dear a price for us to reduce salvation to such an unbiblical concept.
So while we should be happy that the Epstein files are being released and pray that justice is done, don’t let the depravity of those sins blind you to the gravity of your own.
Our God judges sin by the standard of Jesus, not other fallen humans. In light of that standard, we all need his grace today. Have you received it?
Ultimately, you and God are the only ones who can know the answer to that question, but my encouragement today is to heed the warnings of Scripture and take the time to be sure of your salvation.
Going to church, serving the poor, and even professing to know Jesus are not enough. True salvation comes through the repentance of our sin and the surrender of our lives to Christ, recognizing him as our Lord and Savior. If we’ve taken that step, then it should bear fruit in the way we live.
What does the fruit of your life say about the state of your soul today?
Quote of the day:
“Hell is not a doctrine used to frighten unbelievers; it is a doctrine used to warn those who think themselves believers.” — F.D. Bruner
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