Matthew 13:44-52
Who shall bring a charge against you? It is God who justifies. In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul won’t let you forget your salvation. God has not spared His own Son for you, but has condemned Jesus on the cross for your sins. Because He has condemned His own Son for you, He is not going to carry out that sentence again on you. For Jesus’ sake, He declares you holy, innocent, righteous… You are forgiven!
Not only has he declared this to you, but for the world: “… For God so loved the world He sent His one and only Son….” Christ has died for all, bearing all of their sins to the cross. There is really only one way to be condemned any longer: it is to reject the forgiveness won by the Son.
Sadly, so many do so. Many defiantly claim that they don’t deserve judgment because they think they’re innocent of doing any wrong. This is called “self-justification,” declaring one-self “not guilty” - such people still stand guilty before God.
Others believe that, although they’re not perfect, they are “good enough” and that God will like them for the “good works” they do and thus have no need of forgiveness. This is works-righteousness - only the totally perfect enter heaven.
There are others who do want redemption (forgiveness), but want a different redeemer, (a different savior); thus they flock to other gods; gods of their own imagination or the imagination of others, and believe that the true God will grant the substitution. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me." - no substitutes accepted!
But this is not so for you! By the grace of God and the “good work” of the Holy Spirit, you trust in Jesus, your Savior.
It’s true that in this world you will face trouble in this life, and fall into tempation, feel so far away from God, and it is true you do not deserve God’s help. But you have God's promise that nothing will ever separate you from Him. Why? Because you are forgiven for Jesus’ sake; and because God says so – you have His word on it!
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39
“Who is to condemn?” (v 34).: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1) There is no one to condemn because God is for you. The only one who has the right to condemn is Jesus; he has already answered the question with the offering of his own life. You are that “treasure of great value” in the field and you are that “pearl of great price” that Jesus metions in Matthew 13. Jesus was willing to give all for you!! Sitting next to God the Father is the one who died for you. Your advocate, your Great High Priest continues to speak to you and for you. God is for you.
Who shall bring a charge against you? It is God who justifies. And if He says you’re not guilty, your enemies (the devil, the world, and your sinful self) have no where to appeal. The Lord has the final Word. So you can rejoice this day as you hear His verdict of “not guilty” once again: “You are forgiven for all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Amen
jkr
