Monday, July 20, 2015

Who is the Accuser? God or Satan? - Josh Felts

Who is the one reminding us of our sin, pointing fingers, and accusing us? Is it God or is it Satan? I believe this is a question we must ask. It will determine how we live in response to God and in response to humanity. 

If we believe God is the one accusing us and holding our sins against us two things will happen naturally: 1.) We will live in fear when we mess up because we know God is going to be disappointed with us and He will point out everything we did wrong. 2.) We will become the accuser of humanity because we always mimic the God we believe in. 

Here are a few passages that will help us out with this question. 

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” - Hebrews 8:12 

"And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” - Hebrews 10:17 

"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” - Isaiah 43:25 

“God was in Christ personally reconciling the world to himself—not counting their sins against them—and has commissioned us with the message of reconciliation.” - 2 Corinthians 5:19

“For the accuser of our brethren (Satan) has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. - Revelation 12:10 (Many will argue that the word “brethren” means Christians brothers but that is not the case. The word in the original language means all men!) 

The Apostle Paul shared a truth that will certainly help us understand the way God sees us, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and FREE FROM ACCUSATION.” (See Colossians 1:22) At the cross Jesus completely defeated the enemy and made a public spectacle of the one who accuses us. (See Colossians 2:15) 

There is only one accuser of mankind who holds our sins against us and it is satan, not Jesus. When we align ourselves with the voice of the accuser, whether against ourselves or others, we have taken the role of satan and we have rejected following the way of Jesus.  

We see this truth beautifully revealed when the woman was caught in adultery in the Gospel of John. They brought this woman in front of Jesus accusing her and Jesus said, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

Slowly, they all left and Jesus said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (See John 8:1-11) The only one who was without sin that had the ability to accuse her or condemn her (Jesus), chose not to because God is not like that.

God is Love and Love keeps no record of wrong. We can be confident in knowing God is not holding our sins against us, pointing fingers at us, or accusing us. He is 100% in love with us, 100% pleased with us, and 100% for us and we can do nothing to change it.

Never forget, satan accuses you, but God refuses to! 

Be encouraged, 

Josh Felts