August 6, 2004

THE FAULTLESS MAN

"Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, 'I find no fault in this Man' " (Luke 23:4, NKJV).

After listening to the trumped up charges brought against Jesus by the Sanhedrin and its co-conspirators, Pilate concluded, "I find no fault in this Man."

Ironically, after publicly declaring Christ innocent of all charges, Pilate cowardly complied with the demands of the Sanhedrin to execute an innocent man. This was indeed history's most monstrous travesty of justice. By declaring Christ innocent, Pilate had unconsciously endorsed the verdict of Scripture. The witness of Scripture and of history is that Jesus of Nazareth is the only sinless, guiltless, harmless, and undefiled man that ever lived.

The apostle Peter testified that Christ "committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22, NKJV). Paul describes Him as "holy, harmless, undefiled" (Hebrews 7:26, NKJV). John the Beloved, saw his master as, "Jesus Christ the Righteous" (1 John 2:1, NKJV). Even his shameful betrayer confirmed Christ's innocence by his belated confession, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (Matthew 27:4, NKJV).

This faultless Man is our wonderful Saviour and perfect model. He longs for His followers to become like Him in character. Jesus alone has the power to set us free from the guilt of sin and transform us into His likeness. John paints a picture of the redeemed as "without fault before the throne of God" (Revelation 14:5, NKJV). Thank God, "Satan could find nothing in Christ by which to lead him from the path of rectitude."--Signs of the Times, October 16, 1896.

My Prayer Today: Lord, thank you for imputing and imparting Your holiness to me. Amen.