For the guilty criminal standing there guilty before the judge, there are no better words to hear than the judge’s declaration: “Not guilty.” That is what Jesus says to the guilty-as-sin sinner who comes to Him in repentance.
Basically Jesus says, “You’ve been set free. Pardoned.”
Jesus saved me
I’ve been “declared free of guilt”. How ’bout you? Been set “free from the penalty of sin“? (See all. Or: Matthew 20:28, Luke 4:18, John 8:31-32, Romans 6:18)
Have you been “declared free of guilt”?
Paul said this about that:
“11 And such were some of you
[before you believed].
But you were washed.…”
– 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Still in your sins, condemned
Without the “washing”, well then there you are still in your sins. And that is not a good place to remain in. Believe it! Why? Because you will have no “share in the kingdom of God“.
We all want a share in God’s Kingdom! You want some, but, like the criminal, if you stay in your current state, you will have nothing. Absolutely nothing good – because you will remain condemned. That’s just the way it is – by God. “For the wages of sin is death….”
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23
Jesus crucified. PIC by PIXABAY
Without the horrible, sacrificial “shedding of blood” by Jesus on the cross – there would be nobody “set free” from God’s very logical condemnation. His Courts demand it. How could He allow sin into His Holy Kingdom? By nature He cannot.
“…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [neither release from sin and its guilt, nor cancellation of the merited punishment]. – Hebrews 9:22 (Numbers 35:33, Hebrews 9:18, The Death of God)
“Do you not know
that the unrighteous
will not inherit
or have any
share in the kingdom of God?”
– Verse 9 of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
The unrighteous
Because we are born human, we are born “unrighteous”. You know it (Galatians 5:19-21). We all know it. We all see it in the world around us. We know ourselves. We’ve all lived it – that unrighteous state.
Thank God we are in a temporary world, each of us “a Temp in our temporary tent existence (2 Corinthians 5) on this temporary earth (Revelation 21:1). All things will change. So get ready for it!
19 Now the practices of the [i]sinful nature are clearly evident:
they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 [j]idolatry, [k]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Author Paul also said in Romans 1:19: “…that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them.” 1
Spiritual enslavement
Apparently the religious Jews of Jesus’ day “did not grasp the difference between being enslaved physically, like being sold in a slave market, and being enslaved spiritually because of sin (See: BibleGateway Footnote a John 8:33). Apparently that is true today: the majority of folks nowadays don’t recognize “spiritual” enslavement either.
I hear it a lot: “We…have never been enslaved to anyone. What do You mean!? Don’t tell me how to think or what to do! I don’ care what’s right or wrong.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone. [a]What do You mean by saying, ‘You will be set free’?” – John 8:33
See: Don’t tell me how to think!
As if your mindset is protected by God
The man of God, the lion, and obedience
Don’t stay standing there in your guiltiness, in your sins and in your guilty practices that leave you in terror. Turn to Jesus. Now! Tomorrow may be too late. Oh regret!
The sin that was
weighs
heavy
my remorse and shame and guilt
not so loving
not so kind
downright awful
wrongs I’ve done…
Now is a good time to call on the Lord. Ask Him to “set you free” (like in Psalm 118:5).
As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:11: Get washed, get sanctified […made holy], get justified [declared free of guilt]… in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God….”
______________
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; [d]neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor [e]those who participate in homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you [before you believed].
But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].
FOR MORE:
For the guilty criminal standing there guilty before the judge, there are no better words to hear than the judge’s declaration: “Not guilty.” That is what Jesus says to the guilty-as-sin sinner who comes to Him in repentance.
Being a Temp in our temporary tent
God forgives sins by His Holy, Holy Justice
Jesus can save your soul for all eternity
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
Keeping sin AND getting God’s holiness also
We don’t get into a Holy Kingdom by being sinful
The Gift by His Precious, Undeserved Grace
The one-time offer Jesus makes to everyone
Hebrews 1:1-4 “He [Himself and no other] …established our freedom from guilt”
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exception
“Oh my God – how marvelous you are!”
______________
Luke 8:17
For there is nothing hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come out into the open.
Footnotes
- Romans 1:18-23
18 For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them.
20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. 21 For even though [a]they knew God [as the Creator], they did not [b]honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for [c]an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.
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