Thrilling News! You Can Be Declared Not Guilty Now
Imagine yourself standing before a judge in a federal court. You committed a crime against Him. You know you’re guilty. He knows you’re guilty. But as He raises His gavel to pronounce judgment, He looks at you and says…
“I declare you not guilty!”
You’re confused. You look at the Judge and ask, “What? Why? I don’t understand!”
And He responds, “Because my Son has suffered your punishment. Your record is wiped clean through faith in Him. Now go and stop committing crimes.”
Wouldn’t it be the most glorious, wonderful day of your life?
Paul wrote…
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Romans 5:1
Through Jesus, you and I can stand before the Judge of all creation and be declared not guilty. We’re not declared innocent; we are given a right relationship with God, who now calls us His friends. All is forgiven. We are at peace with God because of Jesus’ sacrifice and the Spirit, who gives us faith.
Paul continued…
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Romans 5:2
If God never did another thing for us, the gift of Jesus alone is worthy of all our worship and praise.
Think about it…
What would be enough for you to give to the One who set you free?
More than six hundred years before Jesus was born, the Spirit inspired Isaiah to write to Israel…
“I, the Lord, made you,
Isaiah 44:21b–22
and I will not forget you.
I have swept away your sins like a cloud.
I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist.
Oh, return to me,
for I have paid the price to set you free.”
And Jesus said to the descendants of the people to whom Isaiah’s words were addressed…
If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
John 8:36
The enemy has used guilt to taunt me for as long as I can remember. I often walk away from simple conversations and quickly think of something I wish I hadn’t said. Nope, I won’t just confess it, ask for forgiveness, and let it go.
I’ll carry around a heaviness of guilt for the rest of the day, or until I come to the next guilt-producing situation.
That’s not freedom!
Jesus said…
“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
John 5:24
And the Apostle John wrote…
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9
You and I are called to repentance through faith in Jesus. And because God is gracious, merciful, and loving, we are declared not guilty. In Christ, we have been set free.
Let’s enjoy this thrilling news by letting go of our guilt and living free in Jesus!
Let’s pray…
A Prayer of Thanks for God’s Grace
that Declared Us Not Guilty
Father God, You are so very gracious and good. I’m guilty. I know I’m a sinner. I deserve to be judged and sentenced to eternal punishment. But Your Word says You sent Your Son, who willingly suffered my punishment for me. It proclaims that Jesus would rather die for us than live without us.
Your love is beyond our comprehension. Why would God, who can do anything, humble Himself to live among sinful, selfish people? And why would He suffer a gruesome death for those very souls and generations of souls like them?
I wonder if that’s why Jesus spoke often about faith. Your perfect love is beyond our capacity to understand, but we can believe.
We can believe that every Word You have given is true. Every promise You’ve made is absolute.
You said through the prophets that Jesus would suffer, die, and rise again. You kept Your Word. Through Jesus and the Apostles, You promised that our sins can be forgiven through our faith in Jesus. That through Him, we can be declared not guilty.
Father, by Your grace and the power of Your Spirit, I believe You are love. I believe You keep Your promises. I don’t fully understand, but I believe and offer myself to You in gratitude and praise. Amen.
John Piper wrote…
“God has dealt with our guilt. It is the best news in all the world. It is the only strategy that owns up to the truth of God’s righteousness and the depth of our debt before Him. Once you have been grasped by God’s way of dealing with your guilt, every other way will seem thin and superficial and utterly inadequate by comparison. And you will rejoice with me that “Jesus Is Precious Because He Removes Our Guilt.”
Praise God! By His grace, you and I are declared not guilty. The judge says, “My Son has paid for your crime. Now go and stop sinning to show your appreciation and love.”
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Just to even imagine the God of the entire universe loving us so much as to wipe away our guilt forever is simply staggering. Yes, Jesus, help us all to go and sin no more. Blessings, Deb!
That’s the truth, Martha! He could have given up on us and started over but He chose to save us instead. His love is overwhelming. Blessings and hugs, dear friend!
How wonderful that our GOD wanted relationship with us so much that HE devised a plan in the very beginning to have us be members of HIS ROYAL FAMILY. I cannot begin to express the gratitude that I feel. Jesus is totally the ONE TRUE LOVE OF OUR LIFE!
I always love your posts and your faithful, Christian wisdom.
Blessings to you my friend! Hugs too!
Thank you, Sue! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. It is a great blessing to learn how God has kept promises in the past and that we can trust His to keep them in the future. If He said we are “not guilty” through Jesus, we can count on it! His is the best news ever!! Have a wonderful day, dear friend!
I am also guilty of dwelling on some of the thoughts that have left me feeling guilty. We are human, and unfortunately we sin, not only in our actions, but our thoughts. God knows our hearts and our intentions and we should all try to be as forgiving and loving to ourselves as he is to us. Guilt is too heavy to carry so let’s let go and let God! Jesus carried the cross so that we do not have to shelter the burden.
Very true, Emmie! What a blessing it is to know that by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, we have been declared not guilty. He has taken the weight and we no longer have to carry it! Thanks for visiting and for adding to the conversation. God bless you!
Thank YOU Deb for all of the food for thought and for feeding our souls with God’s word. God bless you.
You’re so kind, Emmie. Thank you! I love doing this and hearing from friends like is always an extra bonus blessing. God be with you!