Christian Living

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NOT GUILTY

Sometime ago, I read a story of a youngster who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he returned to Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching.
After lunch that day, Grandma told Sally to help with the dishes.
Sally responded, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!” So, Johnny did the dishes. What choice did he have? For the next several weeks he was at the sink often. Sometimes for his duty, sometimes for his sin.
“Remember the duck!” Sally’d whisper when he objected. He was imprisoned by his sister’s accusation.
You have been accused as well. You have been accused of dishonesty. You have been accused of greed, anger, and ignorance.
Every moment of your life, your accuser is filling charges against you. He has noticed every error and marked each slip. Neglect your priorities, and he will jot it down. Abandon your promises, and he will make a note. Try to forget your past; he’ll remind you. Try to undo your mistakes; he’ll thwart you. This expert witness has no higher goal than to take you to court and press charges. Even his name, Diabolos, means “slanderer.” Who is he? The devil. Can’t you see him? Pacing back and forth before God’s bench? Can’t you hear him? Calling your name and listing your faults?
He rails, “This one you call your child, God. He is not worthy. Greed lies within.
When she speaks, she thinks often of herself.
He’ll go days without an honest prayer.
Even this morning, she chose to sleep rather than spend time with you.
I accuse him of laziness, egotism, worry, distrust, hatred, indecent speech…” As he speaks, you hang your head. You have no defense. His charges are fair.
“I plead guilty, your honour,” you mumble.
“The sentence?” Satan asks.
A moment of silence fills the court room. Everyone watches in expectation. Satan’s eyes dances in anticipation. Your heart beat doubles as your fingers tremble in fear. The Judge’s strong and firm voice finally breaks the silence.
“The wages of sin is death…”

On this edition of FRANK TALK, I have in the panel with me, Apostle Paul, John, Peter, and our Master, Jesus. And I am Conscience, your anchor. You’re welcome Panelists.

PANELISTS: “Thank you.”

John, in your vision of heaven, you saw the devil being cast down to earth. What led to his falling down?

JOHN: “There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down – that serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the world astray. He was hurled to the earth and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “…the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down…but woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.””

Peter, what has he been up to since then?

PETER: “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Or rather, someone to accuse. But interestingly, all Christians worldwide are in his accusation list. He tempts us, we fall for it and then he accuses us. Sounds like we’re in for big trouble. What can we do?

PETER: “Resist him. Stand firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings (accusations).”

With what can we resist him? Poor Adam and Eve had no defense against him. The charges were fair and they were duly punished. Job was also a victim. Let’s see his case:

“One day, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan,
‘Where have you come from?’
Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going to and fro in it.’ Then the Lord said to Satan,
‘Have you seen my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.
‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’”

He actually accused Job in advance and was definitely going to accuse him again – but that the chance never came. He accused him of not denying God because of God’s protection around him. And then he deprived Job of everything in life – he took away all he had.

JESUS: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

That’s his plan. He deprives you of love, thereby causing you to hate and thereafter stand before God and accuse you of hatred. He deprives you of time, causes you not to pray and then accuses you of negligence. He deprives you of the truth, causes you to look in the wrong places, and then accuses you of sin, unfaithfulness, impurity, pornography, idolatry and so on. His charges are then fair, and we have no defense. What can we say?

JAMES: “Confess your faults...”

Confess. He tells God that we’ve sinned and are worthy of punishment, which is death.

JESUS: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Once set free at the cross, we’re free forever.

PAUL: “We know that our old self was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God.
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

If you were in our shoes Paul, what will be your defense?

PAUL: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

So the written code of the punishment – death – has been cancelled.

PAUL: “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us, and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

All accusations and charges are null and void.

PAUL: “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.”

Interesting.

PAUL: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set them free from the law of sin and death.”

Wow! We’re vindicated?

PAUL: “There is no condemnation.”

Discharged and acquitted?

PAUL: “… no condemnation.”

Forever saved?

PAUL: “… no condemnation.”

No matter what the devil says?

PAUL: “What then shall we say in response to this. If God is for us, who can be against us? For those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”

Thank you so much panelists for your contributions. We hope to hear from you again next time.

PANELISTS: “You’re welcome.”

Let’s conclude our story before we round up.
So weary of the chore, Johnny decided that any punishment would be better than washing more dishes, so he confessed to killing the duck.
“I know Johnny,” his grandmother said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave out of you.”
He’d been pardoned, but he thought he was guilty. Why? He had listened to the words of his accuser.
And in case you haven’t heard the Judge’s conclusion of the sentence, well, here you are. Read it aloud.
“…but in this case, the death has already occurred. For this one died with Christ.” The Judge concluded.
Satan is suddenly silent. You are suddenly jubilant. You realize that Satan cannot accuse you. No one can accuse you! Fingers may point and voices may demand, but the charges glance off like arrows hitting a shield. No more dirty dishwater. No more penance. No more nagging sisters or devils, because you have stood before the Judge and heard Him declare, “Not Guilty.”
Christ has died for you. And so the death penalty has already been paid. You’re free. You’re saved. The life you now live is not unto sin and death, but unto God by faith. But you must admit your fault the moment the Holy Spirit convicts you, else, you stand accused. So live on in victory by the blood of Jesus, because the Judge Himself has declared you Not Guilty.


SCRIPTURES USED IN ORDER OF USE

1) Revelations 12: 7-10, 12
2) 1 Peter 5: 8
3) 1 Peter 5: 9
4) Job 1: 6-11
5) John 10: 10
6) James 5: 16
7) John 8: 44b, 36
8) Romans 6: 6-11
9) Galatians 2: 20
10) Colossians 2: 13-15
11) Romans 8: 33-34
12) Romans 8: 1-2
13) Romans 8:1
14) Romans 8:1
15) Romans 8:1
16) Romans 8: 31, 30.

All scripture are taken from the New International Version of the Bible. Italicized words were changed.

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