No one can say he has never sinned. But the real crime is to ignore God’s offer. We persist in our unbelief and disobedience when God is speaking. We rather sink with the boat (lock, stock, and barrel) than admit we need to grab God’s helping hand. In Romans 2.4-6 we read:
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
The nature of the crime
It is a crime to consider our way of thinking and cultural traditions as being higher than God’s law.
Because we are not always conscious of doing wrong. And it is not always what we do, but what we do not do. Our cultural thinking (about migrants or for example) cancels God’s commandments to love our neighbor as ourselves. He sees it all.
Mathew 15.3 : 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
All our transgressions against the law of God, are they not registered in the heavenly archives?
Isaiah 59:12-14 12 For our offenses are many in your sight,
and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:
13 rebellion and treachery against the Lord,
turning our backs on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,
uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice is driven back,
and righteousness stands at a distance…
But the worse criminal can be forgiven if he pleads guilty
Romains 3.10-12 10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
But like Chateaubriand said,
“Where a river of blood is needed to wipe away our faults in the eyes of men, only one tear is sufficient for God.”
More precisely one drop of blood of an Innocent Man offered as a sacrifice for all humanity is sufficient for us to receive Divine forgiveness. All that is needed is to ACCEPT the “Presidential Grace” that God offers us in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5.19: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
And God can change the heart of any criminal and forgive their crimes
2 Corinthians 5.17: “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;[a] the old has passed away, behold, the new has come”.
The fact is we are all former criminals, the author of these lines included. But there are so many testimonials that show how God has saved and forgiven us. Our lives are “Under Construction” as we accept His work of transformation.
Summary
· We call our bad language or behavior “mistakes” or “errors”. But God calls them “crimes” against others and ourselves.
· We all think we are innocent. And that many others are worse than us. But sometimes we wish someone would save us from our bad habits. However, there is a distance between us and God that cannot be bridged.
· We say some crimes are worse than others when we know about them. But for God, it is already worthy of condemnation even if it is just a criminal thought in the mind.
· We are not always conscious that we are doing wrong. But it is also what we don’t do when we have the possibility to do it that is important to God.
· One drop of blood of an Innocent Man who offered himself as a sacrifice for all humanity was enough for God to forgive us all. In response, He is waiting for that “tear of repentance” and willingness to accept the Presidential Grace that He offers us in Christ Jesus. This will completely change our destiny.
The real crime is to ignore God’s outstretched hand
Check out the first part of this article “Me a criminal? I’m not worse than anyone else!”
Let’s Pray
Lord Jesus, I’ve always considered myself innocent, at least not worse than anyone else. But I have to admit that your Word shows me the contrary.
I see that You have declared all of us « Guilty » so that we realize we only have one option. That an Innocent pays our debt to society and to God on our behalf. And that a second chance and a new identity are granted. And you also give us the means to make it good. Thank you for this wonderful discovery.
Forgive me Lord and give me the desire for your Word of truth.