Guilty

I am reading the book of Romans right now, and it’s one of the most important books in the Bible. That is why so many memory verses come from the book of Romans and we do well to memorize this book. The words in it cut deep – to your very soul like a sword.

The reason why there is a trial: you are a transgressor of the Law. There’s two kinds of defendants and this court room: the guilty who know that they’re guilty and the guilty who don’t believe they’re guilty.

You’re not as good a person as you think you are. I’m sorry not sorry to say that. You have broken all of the Ten Commandments either in thought or in deed. Each one of us has!

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 ESV

Judgment has passed and the verdict is in you are guilty. So am I. It’s tempting to read through Romans from the perspective of the jury and judge others, but in the courtroom of Heaven I stand on trial. Judgment has passed for me and I’m guilty.

The evidence is clear and it’s an airtight case. It can’t be appealed because an appeal would render the same verdict. It’s easy to judge others, but it’s harder to come to terms with who I am in the courtroom of Heaven. On Judgment Day I stand guilty as charged.

I’m either going to jail forever or, by some miracle, the Judge will let me go. A just judge is not going to let somebody who is guilty just go. The fine has to be paid. Fortunately for me, there is a second half to Roman 3:23

24and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. 26It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:24-26

I got the courtroom miracle! All of my sin was washed away by the cross. I will no longer live with this false notion that I am a good person and can get to Heaven by my good acts. I transfer my trust to the Saviour. That’s how God sees me in this courtroom now: I am the righteousness of Christ.

6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. 11More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:6-11

God knew what I was and yet, He paid the price. His last words on the cross were, “it is finished”. I lived in the Middle East and heard this sentence a lot. People there understand you don’t get things for free; you pay for them. I heard that term a lot about Internet credit and mobile phone credit.

• I couldn’t call you because my credit was finished.
• I had to leave the café because my credit was finished.

23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 3:23

I deserve eternity away from God, but Jesus paid the fine for me. The judge can let me go. Reader, the same holds true for you. Transfer your trust to the Savior. Ask Him to forgive your sins and He is faithful to do that.

Turn away from anything that you’re doing that’s wrong and live for Him only. Don’t live for other people or things, because in the corner of Heaven you stand alone. Don’t let anyone or anything come between you and following God.