The Justice of Judgement Vs. The Gift of Grace

   Imagine you enter a courtroom. At first you wonder why you are here. You go to sit down in one of the chairs but the bailiff comes and puts you on the stand. You wonder why he would take you there and tell him you have done nothing wrong. The judge comes in and, after you are sworn in, he asks you “why should you be set free?” You say you “haven’t done anything wrong.” But, the judge asks you again “why should you be set free?”

   You rub your head and figure you should play along. You begin to list off some of your accomplishments. Some of those may be you volunteered many places, you gave money to charities, you were kind to animals, and so on. The judge says “so you should be set free because you did those things?” You nod your head and say “yes.”

   The judge then asks you “why shouldn’t you be set free?” You shrug your shoulders because you cannot think of anything. The judge then lists off your short comings. Those may be you lied many times, gossiped, stole something, or many other things. Then he asks you “should you be let go for doing these things?” You do not answer. The judge asks you to wait and the bailiff takes you off the stand.

   Another man comes in the room. The bailiff puts him on the stand; and, after being sworn in, the judge asks the man “why should you be set free?” The man replies “I should not be set free.” The judge says “why shouldn’t you be set free?” The man looks down “I am a sinner. I am a liar, thief, and a murderer. I do not deserve life.” You wonder what is going to happen to this man. The judge looks at a list that was on his podium. Suddenly the man on the stand burns bright and his suit turns white. The judge says to the man “you have been set free because you have been washed clean by the blood of the lamb.” The man is taken off the stand.

   The bailiff takes you back up to the stand. Then the judge asks you “now, do you deserve to be set free?”
   Many people have the idea that if they do more good than bad they will get into heaven. Meanwhile, in the Bible it clearly states that there is only one way to heaven. And, that is through knowing Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you do not know him one day you will be at the throne of judgement. Then it doesn't matter how much good you have done because God is holy and blameless; and anyone that is not blameless (in other words those who have sinned) will not be in heaven unless they have put their faith in Jesus Christ. 

   So, what would you have said at the beginning of this story when the judge asked you: “why do you deserve to be set free?” Would you have figured out any reason why you should not have been set free? Are you focused too much on what you, or others, have done wrong rather than the grace by which we are all set free? Do you know if you are washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ?

   Isaiah 1:18, Isaiah 53:5, Matthew 7:21-23, John 3:16