Declared Innocent

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

DECLARED INNOCENT

Acts 13:38-41

38 "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39 Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 40 Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:

41 "'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'"

NIV

We owe everything to Jesus. Paul makes it clear that through Jesus we have the forgiveness of our sins. That is excellent news, for who could find that kind of grace anywhere but in Jesus. They could not find justification or be declared innocent through abiding by the law of Moses. We cannot find any declaration of being just or righteous, or of being declared innocent, by abiding by any rules or regulations that we think are based on the scriptures. Of course, we want to live a righteous life as we follow Jesus, doing the right things, loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. We wonder why we still want rules, those do's and don'ts. It's not that we want to sin or just live in any manner we want, as we do want to live to please the Lord. But trying to live on our own power or strength is just like those who tried to live by the law of Moses. It is not possible for them, nor for us, to attain justification under the law. Because of Jesus, and only Jesus, can we find the forgiveness of our sins, which means that God has declared us righteous and innocent. The warning Paul quotes is from the prophet Habakkuk, about the ruthless Babylonians who overpower all cities, plundering everything , and taking captives. The warning is about scoffers, those who scoff, or despise the grace of God, Jesus. Those whom Paul was speaking to were still living under the law of Moses, and thus they were despisers or scoffers at the only means of justification, Jesus. We certainly do not despise Jesus; he is our Lord and Savior. We have confessed our sins, repented, changed the way we think, and look only to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. He is our only way to attain righteousness, be declared or rendered by God as innocent of all charges against us. Those who scoff will not be declared innocent, but will perish. Let us not take the forgiveness of our sins lightly and think that living by any rules of regulations gives us any righteousness or good standing with God. Our only hope is through Jesus, and Jesus only. We cannot add or subtract anything to or from Jesus. He is the only means of our salvation. We can never scoff or not believe that Jesus is the only way, because through him, we are declared innocent.