In the United States, a person who has a driver’s license may be called to serve on a jury. On the day that I was selected to be a juror, the young man who was accused of a crime insisted that he was innocent. The State Prosecutor called a witness who had been at the scene of the crime, and not only had she been there, she also had her video camera with her and had taken a video of the whole action. It was very clear to me after watching the video that the man was guilty. He had to watch the video at the same time, and I thought, With this testimony against him, he will admit he is guilty and the trial will be over.
When this first part of the trial was over, the judge excused us to go to lunch. When we returned to the courtroom, it was just as I thought; the judge told us that something had brought the trial to an end, and all the jurors were dismissed. I concluded that the video had proved his guilt.
Have you ever been proven guilty? Do you realize that God knows every word you speak, every thought you think, and everything you do? He doesn’t need a video camera, but He has your life recorded from the moment you were born right up to the present time. Do you think that you can stand before God in His courtroom and insist that you are innocent of all sin?
Here is a test. Truthfully, before God, check the box after each question that is true in your life.
1. I have always loved the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind. Yes no
2. I have always loved my brothers, sisters and neighbors as much as I love myself. yes no
3. I am always happy when other people have things that I want and don’t have. Yes no
4. I have always obeyed my parents. Yes no
5. I have never taken anything that doesn’t belong to me. Yes no
If you answered each question honestly, you will probably have checked “no” to at least one question, which means you are a sinner. But the wonderful news is, “Christ Jesus came into the world to SAVE SINNERS” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous, but SINNERS to repentance” (Mark 2:1717When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mark 2:17)). Have you admitted to God that you are a sinner?
I thought that the young man who was on trial had admitted to the judge that he was guilty, and that that’s why the trial had ended. However, the next day I learned that in spite of all the evidence, he still insisted that he was innocent and was looking for another lawyer who would be able to convince the judge and jury that he was not guilty.
Are you thinking, What a dishonest and foolish young man! But if you think that you can convince God that you are innocent of all sin, you are just as dishonest and foolish. No, you must confess to God that you are a guilty sinner who deserves the punishment of being cast into the lake of fire, just as the Bible warns. If you believe that you are a sinner and admit to God your guilt, He will forgive all your sins. He doesn’t forgive you because He thinks lightly of sin. He will forgive you because He loves you. He cannot bring us to His home in heaven with our sins, but He commends “His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
But if you refuse to admit your guilt and come to God in repentance, you will find yourself in His courtroom among the guilty, small and great, who stand before God, “and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead [guilty] were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. . . . And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12,1512And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12)
15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)).
Will you admit your guilt to God and be forgiven?
ML-09/12/1999