April 18, 2018 Wednesday

“Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1Jo 3:4-7 NKJV)

            This passage is like a prosecutor laying out the case before us to a Judge.

They have committed sin

Committing sin is lawlessness

To sin is to not have known God

To sin is to not have abided in God (And thus without God’s protection)

As sinners they have never seen or known God

They are therefore unrighteous and deceived

            But then Jesus, the defense Advocate, declares the court knows Jesus was “manifested” to take away our sin and indeed because of Him there is no sin and therefore no evidence!

            The Father declares us righteous and calls us to practice righteousness.  And then the prosecutor seeks to be the persecutor trying to weaken God’s redemption but only strengthens and grows God’s work!

            This court scene is held for each of us and through Jesus we are found innocent to live out God’s righteousness in the life we are given by and through Jesus.  As our redeemer Jesus has become our Advocate and has won our case already if we will only accept Him as our Advocate!

            Jesus does not win our case because we deserve to win because we in truth are guilty and deserve to be declared guilty and worthy of death!  Jesus wins our case by bearing our sin for us and taking away our guilt leaving the prosecution empty of evidence and proof.

            Our guilt and thus our fear are cleansed and wiped away unless we create them anew to bask in because it seems too good to be true that God could forgive us!  Then we are listening to the persecutor rather than our Advocate and Judge.

            Have you cried out for Jesus to be your Advocate to act against satan the prosecutor?  Have you believed and are living out God’s declaration that you are righteous because of the Righteousness of Jesus?  Or do you listen to the lies of the persecutor whispering that the grace of God is too good to be believed?