#6 What's A Christian
 

Back Where I Belong
 

. . . to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
(Colossians 1:22)
 

    Paul has in mind a law court in which someone is presented before the judge. The judge hears the evidence, passes sentence, pays the sentence himself, and declares the prisoner free to go. No further charges can be brought against him.
    When people are reconciled to God, God brings them into his presence and declares them utterly and totally forgiven. No Further charges can be brought.
    Suppose someone living in a nice, quiet neighborhood commits a horrible crime. The perpetrator is brought into court and found guilty. He's packed off to jail, and twenty years later he's released and goes back to his neighborhood. You'd think that after twenty years the people would have forgotten, wouldn't you? You= d think that after twenty years in jail people would say, "Boy, he's paid his dues. Let's receive the guy back again.@ But that doesn't happen very often. Often he discovers he's not very welcome in the neighborhood. Guilt is still attached to him.
    I've got great news for you. When you are justified by God, you= re welcome back in God's neighborhood. He doesn't keep hitting you over the head with what you did. He doesn't keep laying a guilt trip on you. You are justified. You are presented before him holy, without blemish, free from accusation.
    A Christian can look back and say, "That's what I was, but this is what I am. I am reconciled. I have been justified. No guilt attached.@
  What are some of the things in your life, forgiven by God, that you still feel guilty about? How can you be free from accusation, even from yourself?
 

~Stuart Briscoe~