A Most Surprising Verdict

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.  My little children, these things I write to  you, so that you may not sin.  and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our only but also for the whole world.
1 John 1:7-9, 1 John 2: 1-2 NKJV

A major trial can be pretty mesmerizing.  In fact, there was a time when I considered a career as a lawyer.  This is profession that requires a special type of person.  Yes, one must desire to help others, but more than that, you must like to argue.  I mean, REALLY like to argue.  For this is one of the primary functions of a lawyers profession.  The fact that I once considered such a profession should tell you something.  It's not that I enjoy an argument, just when I'm right, which is usually only about 99.8% of the time.  Most of us recall one of the most watched trials in history, the trial of one Orenthal James Simpson some years back.  Mr. Simpson stood accused of murdering his ex wife and another man, and DNA evidence only seemed to solidify the prosecutions case.  Enter Simpsons "Dream team" of lawyers led by one Johnnie Cochran, one of the best dog and pony show lawyers money could  buy.  Rounding out Simpsons well paid hit squad were Robert Shapiro, F. Lee Bailey and a few other legal sharks.  Even with these charlatains in his court, the evidence seemed overwhelming.  Yeah, you'd think so.  However, on October 3, 1995, O.J. Simpson was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.  Now, when I say a jury of his peers I DO NOT mean that Simpson was tried before a jury of rich black former athletes who also happened to be murderers.  That thought never crossed my mind whatsoever.  In a way, we are like O.J. Simpson in that we also had overwhelming evidence of our guilt hovering over us.  We, were once presumed guilty as charged.

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we should also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.  Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  You also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6-11 NKJV

Where did our guilt come from?  Were we as bad as any murderer or cutthroat who ever lived?  I mean, I have always felt I was a good person.  Most others would say the same thing I'm sure.  But yes, we were guilty as charged.  For in Genesis we see the result of the original sin in which we were born into {Genesis 3: 22-24}.  Ou Lord tossed Adam and Eve out of His garden due to their sin.  This was the fall, this was our original sin.  Nobody could escape this guilt, for no lawyer could argue in our defense.  The ultimate devine judge had already declared our guilt, we were lost.  Enter Christ Jesus.  With the birth, death and resurection of Jesus, the guilt which we once carried now became a thing of the past.  The very same judge who proclaimed our guilt also provided for our forgiveness and salvation.  Money or influence could not purchase this atonement, only the shed blood of our Lord Jesus was sufficient enough for God to proclaim us clean of our sins.  Not only that, the body of Christ that died on that cross did away with the "Body" of sin which we once occupied!  Despite being born into sin, with our sins ever before us, we now live washed, sinless lives with Jesus.

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galations 2:20 NKJV

Washed by His blood, saved from a life of sin by His resurected flesh, we now have our indwelling Lord Christ within us.  This is the product of our Lords love for His children.

~Scott~