I’m a die-hard fan of legal dramas on TV. Whether it’s the serious-themed The Practice, Law & Order, or Murder One or the somewhat comedic Eli Stone, Ally McBeal, or Boston Legal, I love entering the confines of the courtroom. It’s fascinating to witness the adversarial confrontations between the attorneys for the plaintiff and those for the defendant. Invariably, the prosecutors do their best to prove the guilt of the accused, while the defense attorneys go all out in their efforts to have him acquitted. You gotta love those legal eagles!
In 1 John 1, the apostle John transports us into a courtroom. God is the presiding Judge. We, as believers in Jesus, have been accused of having sinned against God. Satan is identified as the prosecutor “who accuses [us] before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10; see also Job 1:9; Zechariah 3:1).
Beyond reasonable doubt, we’re guilty as charged: “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8). But John doesn’t leave us doomed to being sentenced to a jail cell. He provides a two-pronged strategy to help us gain our freedom.
First, we have to admit our guilt and “confess our sins to [God].” He is the “faithful and just” Judge who will “forgive us our sins and . . . cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). Second, we must rely entirely on our “Advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous” (1 John 2:1). Jesus is the only advocate who can allow us to be set free. He alone provided “the sacrifice that atones for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2); His blood “cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Do you have a defense attorney to plead your case before the righteous Judge? Jesus Christ is your only hope!
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Samuel 12:1-25
More:
What assurances do you find in Romans 8:31-39 concerning the charges and accusations thrown your way?
Next:
What is the devil accusing you of today? How will you deal with the charges he’s bringing against you?
R R Kelkar on April 6, 2011 at 5:46 am
That was a good post. I often try to imagine how I will react when the Book of Life is opened in my presence and all my deeds are read out and laid bare before one and all! There will be so many accusers to give evidence against me and corroborate the records, people whom I hurt, people whom I did not love enough, people I ignored, people I treated unjustly, even though I had every opportunity to act otherwise. And my secret thoughts, desires and actions which would no longer remain secret! What excuses can I possibly give to justify myself? In hindsight, none whatever! Only Jesus, my advocate, would be in a position to plead my case and win it too!
roxanne robbins on April 6, 2011 at 8:17 am
I echo RR Kellar’s sentiments, and humbly thank God for His mercy and forgiveness.
lindagma on April 6, 2011 at 6:41 am
The closer we walk with Jesus, the more we realize how unworthy we are…and how much we need Him. Personally, I think that judgment day for the Christian will not be about our sins…Christ already died and atoned for those…and He was the only perfect one to walk this earth. Rather, I believe our judgment day will be to evaluate what we have done for the kingdom. How many seeds have we sewn, led others to Christ, met the needs of the hurting, the widows, etc. What we have done for Jesus credit rather than our own.
cuddles on April 6, 2011 at 8:12 am
My brother died 7 weeks ago. He had suffered from mental illness all his life and I doubt that he would have known Christ. We are being told today that our mental health is in our hands, diet, exercise and a positive attitude are what we should strive for. I have been in a mental hospital myself and apart from medication the support of family and friends are what help your recovery. If our mental health is down to ourselves then where does that leave my brother who suffered from a more severe mental illness known as schizophrenia. While Christians may mean well about their interpretations you may be adding to others suffering as I have always believed God will do the right thing by my brother. You on the other hand are putting doubt in my mind that because my brother brought his illness on himself through neglect or ignorance and the fact that he did not know Christ in this life then he will not be with Christ now. I choose to believe God’s mercy because I believe that God’s final judgement is about setting all free from the pre-conceived beliefs which have been brought about by false teaching for far too long and have resulted in people turning away from God.
daisymarygoldr on April 6, 2011 at 9:57 am
cuddles, so sorry to hear about your brother. Yes, God will do the right thing for him. He will surely heal and comfort you and your family. God loves and cares for you. I love you too and am praying for you.
GChoo on April 6, 2011 at 11:10 am
Cuddles, thanks for your sharing and sorry to hear about your brother. May God gives you and your family comfort, peace and strength at this difficult moment. May He continues to guide you to understand Him deeper as you seek His Word and Truth.
dr.lightsey on April 6, 2011 at 11:28 am
K.T., this is an excellent post. I am a fan of TV legal dramas. Unlike, tv courtroom dramas where guilt is seldom admitted, we, in God’s courtroom are encouraged to admit our guilt (sins) knowing in advance that He (God) will forgive us. It is important to know that even though we are forgiven, there are consequences to be dealt with because of our disobedience. I like to refer to these consequences as “spiritual community service work.” In our state of forgiveness, we have victory and the opportunity to address and correct some wrongs we have caused.
Cuddles, be assued that God will comfort and keep you and your family. Also, know that no one but God has the final say-so about where your brother spends eternity.
daisymarygoldr on April 6, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Quite frankly, I get lost when stories or characters from godless movies and TV shows are used as word pictures to illustrate divine principles. These examples are not bad but being unable to relate to secular media thousands of others including me are left out in the dark to remain completely clueless.
Human justice is flawed and ungodly defense attorneys are unjust. Those legal eagles go all out in their efforts to seek justice at the expense of oppressing others. They revel in revenge and bitterness, and not transformation and love.
Instead of making blanket statements, it is better to judge myself—to examine myself regularly in the light of God’s word and repent when convicted. For the time has come that judgment must first begin with God’s household.
There is no condemnation provided I no longer follow my sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit (Rom 8: 4). For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body (2 Cor. 5:10).
And so, I’m a die-hard fan of the Judge of all the earth who will do what is right (Genesis 18:25). His judgment is just (John 5:30) because He is all in all—Judge, Jury, Prosecutor, and Defense Attorney.