Perhaps it’s been this way for years, but lately it appears that every high-profile legal case has the defense attorney pleading not guilty for his client.
In essence, they are pleading innocence before the judge and jury.
Granted, we are to consider the defendant innocent until proven guilty. Then again, are any of us truly innocent?
There was a time when man was innocent. It’s described by Moses in his creation account found in Genesis 2.
Yes, not only Adam but Eve as well were created innocent by their Maker.
Sadly, it did not last as the Serpent tempted them to eat from the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.
Their original sin in the Garden of Eden has been passed down to all humankind since that most tragic of events.
Some of you will reason that babies are born innocent. Yet the first sound we hear from a newborn is the cry of the infant.
At birth, a child is totally helpless and instinctively cries out for help. I’d prefer to consider it a demand for survival — justified since the infant cannot take care of its needs for comfort and protection from the hazards we must face.
This survival instinct will remain for the life of every human being. We selfishly put our needs above the needs of others.
You see, we live in a cruel world. Sin is prevalent and we must deal with the implications of devious behavior of others every day of our lives.
We are tempted and easily persuaded to act selfishly for our needs and the needs of our loved ones.
Yes, we may demonstrate occasional acts of kindness, but such acts truly are random and may be selfish in some divisive way.
Now you may not agree with one word written so far. And that’s OK, but what matters is what God knows about our heart. He knows our every thought.
One of the most challenging duties I’ve faced took place more than 30 years ago. I was chosen by a jury to take on the task as foreman.
After a nearly week-long trial and a few arduous hours of deliberation, we convicted a known gang member of murder of another gang member. The assistant district attorney came up to us after the conviction and complimented our verdict of second-degree murder.
None of us should be the judge and jury for any soul. That task belongs to Almighty God.
Fortunately, Christ Jesus went to the cross for our sake. God came down from Heaven as a babe and lived among us for 33 years.
He’s referred to as the Second Adam for good reason. He needed to make restitution for man’s loss of innocence in that garden so many years ago.
Christ’s death, burial resurrection and ascension gave Him the right to take our place and declare our innocence to our Maker on our behalf.
All we need do is accept that salvation gift and obediently follow Him with a pure heart this day forward!
Yes, we can be innocent in the eyes of God!