Walk

331. Blame

People on Death Row

Use your imagination and come along with me for a minute into this picture. Step into it, if you would, for a journey into the heart of God. Imagine that you are an angel, a special servant to God and you are observing this scene.

The scene is Death Row.

There are numerous convicted murderers with their heads and hands poking out the bars. Their faces are contorted in anger at one another, their fists clinched until red and white, shaking in accusation at one another. The words fly! “You this, and you that, can’t you see how bad you are!” Remember now these are all murderers, ready to die in the next few days because they all have been bad. No, not only bad, but the worst!

Now your focus changes from the mob behind bars, to the other side of the hallway. In clear sight of you and all of these murderers is a Man. He is watching with tears in His eyes. He has come with a Pardon, to set all of these people free from the sentence they really deserve. His hands are outstretched in yearning. Is He the governor with that pardon in His hand? Is He the President with some sort of executive order? No, that can’t be. Neither the President nor the governor has permanent scars with blood stains in their hands.

You hear Him speak and He calls out for real judgment as in Zechariah 7:9-12 (Amplified Bible) which says, “Thus has the Lord of hosts spoken: Execute true judgment and show mercy and kindness and tender compassion, every man to his brother: and oppress not the widow or the fatherless, the temporary resident or the poor, and let none of you devise or imagine or think evil against his brother in your heart. But they refused to listen and turned a rebellious and stubborn shoulder and made heavy and dull their ears that they might not hear. Yes, they made their hearts as an adamant stone or diamond point, lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore there came great wrath from the Lord of hosts.” (And the wrath of God was satisfied on His Son fully… Nothing was left out).

If these people could have just re-focused their attention away from their anger at one another long enough, they could have seen the God of Grace and the Lamb of God who had borne their sins of which they were accusing each other. Were these people accurate and correct in their accusations? Perhaps they were; perhaps they had hurt each other. But they were so busy trying to fix blame that they did not see the One Who accepted the blame on their behalf.

“We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10).

Many believers stay as slaves in prisons inside of their own bodies and souls because they refuse to accept responsibility for their own actions. Instead they find it more comfortable to blame someone else for their misfortune. Why? Perhaps it is pride. Perhaps they are saying, “I have no sin, it is the other person’s fault.” Nowhere does Jesus say that if we blame someone, we will be set free.

“As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free?”’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:30-36).

This lesson is the sole property of ISOB. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this lesson must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 1998 by ISOB."). This lesson may not be used without the permission of ISOB for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold.