Not Guilty

“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.” - Romans 8:33

Anyone who has a healthy conscience is not immune to guilt. We all sin, we do wrong. We continually find ourselves dragged back into God’s courtroom to face charges. Then, we read Romans 8:33, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.”

The phrase, “bring any charge,” is one word in the Greek language. It is a legal term, which literally means, “to call in” – an official summons to appear in a court of law to face these accusations that have been brought against you. Who are the major witnesses lined up against us? Our sins sometimes accuse us. Other people will sometimes accuse us, but the biggest accuser of all is Satan. His full-time job is being a prosecuting attorney against us every time we do wrong. Revelation 12:10 describes him this way, “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”

Nobody sins in secret. We may think we do wrong in secret, but there is always one – and sometimes two – watching. God is always watching. Whenever one of God’s children does wrong the Accuser drags us into God’s courtroom and makes his charge. It is not circumstantial evidence or hearsay. We do fail and we do sin. Then we are gloriously reminded, “It is God who justifies.”

God’s grace has declared us “not guilty.” If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ the Accuser has no case against you. If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been forgiven. We have been totally, completely, finally, and eternally justified by the Supreme Judge of the Supreme Court of the Universe.

Father, thank You for declaring me not guilty by your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.