July 22, 2011
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To Be or Not to Be-- Guilty
Casey Anthony. They are angry with the state that apparently failed to prove Anthony’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt. They are outraged with a system that would let such a travesty of justice stand. And they are especially angry at the jury that has allowed the possible murderer of this little girl to go ‘scot’ free with only a limited amount of jail time. Really the only reason I bring all of this to your attention--again, is a comment that I heard from a radio broadcaster who also has had a career as a lawyer. The other day he made the remark that though this jury had come to the unanimous conclusion that the state had failed to make its case for murder, their verdict did not make Casey Anthony innocent. In fact he made the case that there is no jury anywhere that can make anyone innocent. A person may be declared guilty or not guilty, but a jury can neither create a person’s guilt nor innocence. That person is guilty or innocent by virtue of the actual facts and circumstances of that particular event. And that truth can never be altered by any decree of either a jury or a judge. It just IS.
Now this conclusion makes real sense. It has the ring of truth. But it isn’t true! And thank God that it isn’t--otherwise we are all screwed! The Divine declaration is that all have sinned, falling far short of the perfection and glory of God--we are guilty. Along with the Jews and Romans of Jesus’ day, we as well as they carry the burden of guilt in the murder of the most innocent Christ of God. As sure as "it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime", our willingness to side with satan against God in our sin sent Jesus to the cross! We are guilty and there is no judge or jury ‘under the sun’ regardless of the herculean efforts to the contrary that are able to make us innocent. We are guilty of this man’s blood. We are without hope and without God in this world (Ephesians 2:12).
It is, therefore, with much more than just a little interest that Paul’s statement snags my full attention:
"For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed . . . . " (Romans 1:17)
When you read the words ‘righteousness’, ‘righteous’ or ‘justification’ in Scripture, think ‘right’ or ‘innocent’ because that is the significance of those Biblical words and concepts. Though it is a human impossibility to be right or innocent before God, there is a rightness--an innocence that Yahweh God calls into existence through His message of good news. It is called the Gospel! That Gospel declares that Christ in His righteousness (innocence) came to earth for the sole purpose of becoming a sin offering for the whole world that lies in sin (John 1:29) so that all those who wholeheartedly embrace what He has done for them on the cross might receive His righteousness (innocence) as their very own (II Corinthians 5:21). The power of God’s declaration that we are no longer guilty and our willingness to joyfully claim that truth as the most important reality in our lives dramatically transforms the whole dynamic of our lives. We have been set free from the guilt of our sin to walk before God with a pure conscience in His declared innocence. We are redeemed from the degradation of our guilt to walk in a new life (relationship) as new creations (II Corinthians 5:17) --creations of God being renewed each day through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Because of this reality purchased for us, we stand tall with great confidence, courage and assurance. We are no longer badgered or humiliated by our guilt and shame. Rather, just as the universe was called into existence by the mere words of Yahweh God, so too He decrees the reality of our undeserved innocence by the suffering and death of His most beloved and cherished Son. Praise be to God for His undeserved and unspeakable gift! We are indeed innocent of His blood and death! And a new day dawns every single day of our lives!
[read also Rom.4:18-25]
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