June 5, 2008
Romans 8:33-34 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
NOT GUILTY! CASE CLOSED! NO APPEALS!
This Scripture section takes us right into God's courtroom, and what we are being told is that in God's courtroom it doesn't matter what anyone thinks but God. Satan isn't the judge over you. No human being is allowed to decide your case. You don't even have the final say. God alone does. And His decision? "Not guilty!" Why? Because God's Son endured the sentence for all of mankind's crimes and all of our sins. Emphatically and powerfully Paul declares: "Christ Jesus is the One Who died." Jesus was sentenced. He was punished. He paid. God's trial is over and done! How can we be sure? Because God's Word says, "Christ Jesus is the One . . . who was raised!" When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, the Father was announcing to the world, "Case closed!" And in this courtroom you have no right of appeal.
"But," you say, "there was that one thing I did when I was younger, and then just today . . ." NO APPEALS! You're not guilty! Those particular sins you're thinking about have already been counted against Jesus! Confess the sin, but trust the verdict! You can't undo what Jesus did on the cross! What's done is done! You can't seal up Jesus' tomb and pretend He didn't rise. And you can't do anything to stop Jesus -- your Mediator at God's right hand -- from speaking to His Father about how He paid for your sins.
Not guilty! Case closed! No appeals! Just peace and joy now forever! Just accept the verdict! Believe it! Embrace it! Love it! Live by it! Nothing is going to change it. You are "Not Guilty!"
