Declared Right
"Brothers, listen! In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God -- something the Jewish law could never do." Acts 13:38-39
As all the rest of the potential jurors were being interviewed by the defense and the prosecution, I tried to keep my mind occupied. I imagined the scene of the defendant's arrest and how his attorney was going to try to present a case for his innocence. I then thought about what this newly formed jury would decide. As it turns out ... guilty.
In our verses for the day, Paul speaks of the courtroom of heaven. He was telling the people that their trip before the divine judge didn't have to end with a guilty verdict. He assumed they all knew they had done wrong -- "...your sins." He tells them the turning point of the trial is what they (what we) do with the person of Jesus. Belief in him results in forgiveness, freedom and the declaration, "Not guilty!! ... by reason of association."
We may or may not have had to stand before an earthly judge. However, the Bible speaks to the reality that we will all stand before a heavenly one. That truth doesn't really surprise us. The true wonder is that the heavenly judge has done everything he possibly can to ensure that we stand before him innocent. He awaits our decision regarding Jesus to declare us right in his eyes.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
As all the rest of the potential jurors were being interviewed by the defense and the prosecution, I tried to keep my mind occupied. I imagined the scene of the defendant's arrest and how his attorney was going to try to present a case for his innocence. I then thought about what this newly formed jury would decide. As it turns out ... guilty.
In our verses for the day, Paul speaks of the courtroom of heaven. He was telling the people that their trip before the divine judge didn't have to end with a guilty verdict. He assumed they all knew they had done wrong -- "...your sins." He tells them the turning point of the trial is what they (what we) do with the person of Jesus. Belief in him results in forgiveness, freedom and the declaration, "Not guilty!! ... by reason of association."
We may or may not have had to stand before an earthly judge. However, the Bible speaks to the reality that we will all stand before a heavenly one. That truth doesn't really surprise us. The true wonder is that the heavenly judge has done everything he possibly can to ensure that we stand before him innocent. He awaits our decision regarding Jesus to declare us right in his eyes.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
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