We have been encouraged to live as though we
know Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Please don't skip past this
encouragement because one would think all Christians know this simple fact.
The idea here is not in knowing the correct answer, but in living
each day with true knowledge in thankfulness and the power of
hope and perseverance. The following courtroom drama helps us
understand the implications of a risen Lord.
The prosecution is aggressively presenting the case against us. There's
a parade of witnesses and a multitude of accusations flung our way. Our
head hangs low - we sadly realize that no objection can be raised -
every charge against us is true. Our heart sinks as the prosecution
confidently concludes his case; he has demanded the maximum penalty - death!
Our defense attorney has sat silently through the entire proceeding, but
now He rises. His white robe glides across the floor as He moves
between us and the Judge. Stretching out His arms, He reveals deep
scars on both His wrists. He looks into the eyes of the Judge and says:
"Father, while they were in the midst of their crimes,
I died so they may live."
Without a moment of hesitation, the gavel sounds and the Judge declares:
"Not Guilty!" The verdict in God's
courtroom is not dependent on the balance of good verses bad.
There is no amount of good deeds and moral living which will ever cancel the charge against us:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23). And there is only one sentence we truly deserve...
"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
But God has provided an Advocate, and who now stands ready to walk by our
side: "We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1).
This Advocate has only one requirement in order to present our case.
Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,'
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Believing in our heart means much more than simply knowing the story.
It means a belief which flows through us totally and gives us life!
We need not live in fear - the verdict has already been declared for us;
"there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
We can "approach the throne of grace with confidence" (Hebrews 4:16),
because we have already been declared not guilty; we are free to worship Him
now and forever more, because our debt has been paid in full!
