Pardoned, not acquitted!

Robert Blake, the aging actor accused of shooting his wife, showed his evident relief in the courtroom as the verdict in his murder trial was announced - "Not guilty." He leaned forward on the table, breathing heavily and trembling. Later a member of the jury commented that the evidence 'didn't connect all the dots.' Suspicion about Blake remained, but the suspicion cannot be the reason for a conviction. The evidence must convince 'beyond a reasonable doubt.' 12 people agreed that the existing evidence failed that test and the former star of "Beretta" walks free today, acquitted of all charges. He later claimed that his defense left him broke after he spent nearly $10 million on lawyers and expert witnesses!

We are guilty! The Scripture announces our indictment and conviction by the Righteous Judge of Creation: "For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard." (Romans 3:23, NLT) In another even more detailed passage the Word describes our guilt - "You lived just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else." (Ephesians 2:2-3, NLT) Sinners, in league with the Devil, full of lusts and disobedience -- it's really not a flattering picture, is it?

Worst of all, the Bible says, we were under sentence of death! Not just a physical death, either. Separation from Life and God for eternity is our ultimate end - except that -- "God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) ...—all because we are one with Christ Jesus. .... And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:4-8, NLT) PARDONED! No case could be made for our acquittal. No lawyer could cast the evidence in a way that made it less convincing. The Judge, solely because of His mercy, gave us a full and free pardon.

Because of His intervention, we can live in a way that is holy and that reflects His goodness. Yes, we become participants in the Divine Nature, filled with the goodness of God - not because we did some grand thing to change ourselves, but because God stepped in and gave us the gift of His Spirit. Pardoned, not acquitted! There is no lingering suspicion that we somehow escaped judgment. We are guilty, yet released by Grace. Revel in that today, Believer. Thank God for His mercy. Then, take up the challenge of living for the praise of His Name.

• "Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received!
  
  We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
  
  So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others." (2 Peter 1:3-7, The Message)