DECLARED

DECLARED

  verb: to state as a fact usually forcefully; to make known, proclaim, affirm 

“…But everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.” Acts 13:39 

Declared.

Such a formal, official-sounding word. On occasion, we are asked to truthfully declare things to agents and authorities–the contents of the box we are mailing, the items packed in our luggage, and the amount of our taxable income for the year.  A declaration is an often public and assertive statement of fact. 

And in this verse, God declares something really important about you and me. 

 In Acts chapter 13, Paul and his missionary friends were attending a Sabbath meeting in Antioch. The readings of the Laws and the Prophets had just concluded, and Paul was offered a chance to speak to the people. Many in attendance were surprised to hear that Paul had much more than a lighthearted word of encouragement to share.

Luke tells us here that Paul stood up, paused, took a deep breath, then launched in to the whole story of God’s plan for his Jewish people–recounting the exodus, the wilderness, and the promised land. He continued on with how God worked through King David, the role of John the Baptist, and then the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. He wrapped up by emphasizing that Jesus brings freedom to believers from things that the law of Moses cannot.

I imagine that these rule-followers were more than a little bit uncomfortable.

Paul wanted to make it clear that forgiveness for sins is available–promised, even– only because of what Jesus did.  

In the first part of verse 39, he says, “He accomplishes, in those who believe, everything that the Law of Moses could never make good on.”

So, this careful law-abiding, this rigid rule following, this list of do’s and don’ts is not enough?

Some of the people in the meeting that day were so relieved and excited about this news. They spent the next few days listening wholeheartedly to Paul and Barnabas who taught them more about living in and by God’s grace. But others felt threatened. The way they had learned how to show themselves as worthy followers was no longer valid. This was hard to process, and really scary.

It still seems scary sometimes. We need real faith and a surrendered heart to stop trying to earn our “rightness”. But we don’t have to be afraid.

God declares it:

We belong to him and he loves us unconditionally.

He knows how impossible it is for us to follow all the rules.

He freely gives what we could never earn.

And we are redeemed–good and right and whole because we believe in his raised-up son Jesus.

INVITE HIM IN

Ask Jesus to help you rest in this truth. Let him remind you that he is in charge of your rightness, no matter how fantastic or how miserable you are at following the rules. He has already declared that you are forgiven and free and deeply loved.