Being Found Innocent
Most of us know the story of Daniel being protected from the lions in the den by an angel sent from God. However, have you thought about his response to the king after his rescue?(Daniel 6:22) Daniel told the king that his deliverance came because he was found innocent before God, and he had done no wrong before the king. How could Daniel say this, even though he was guilty of breaking the king's decree?
First of all, Daniel had been innocent before God because he continued to pray 3 times a day. He obeyed God, so he was innocent of sin. The best way to be innocent of sin is to never sin in the first place. Of course, we can ask for forgiveness, if we sin, but that is not God's perfect will. He wants us to be faithful from the beginning like Daniel.
Secondly, Daniel had done no wrong before the king, because he had no choice when it came to keeping the king's decree. It would have been a sin for Daniel to stop praying in order to honor the king's decree. When the laws of the country violate God's laws, we are not to follow them, but we are to remain faithful to God. Even the king knew that his decree was wrong, but he had already been talked into it, so he had to cast Daniel into the lion's den. In short, God does not want rulers to make laws that contradict God's laws, but when they do, we as believers are not doing wrong to keep God's laws, instead of doing the wrong thing.
Finally, the main way we are found innocent is when we trust Christ as our Savior and Lord. He died to pay the price for our sins. His blood was the prefect sacrifice and the only payment to settle the sin debt we owed. Therefore, when we trust Him, God pronounces us innocent, and we are adopted into the family of God, and we receive His blessings and protection. I pray that each of us are found innocent in all three of these ways.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Daniel 8-10.
First of all, Daniel had been innocent before God because he continued to pray 3 times a day. He obeyed God, so he was innocent of sin. The best way to be innocent of sin is to never sin in the first place. Of course, we can ask for forgiveness, if we sin, but that is not God's perfect will. He wants us to be faithful from the beginning like Daniel.
Secondly, Daniel had done no wrong before the king, because he had no choice when it came to keeping the king's decree. It would have been a sin for Daniel to stop praying in order to honor the king's decree. When the laws of the country violate God's laws, we are not to follow them, but we are to remain faithful to God. Even the king knew that his decree was wrong, but he had already been talked into it, so he had to cast Daniel into the lion's den. In short, God does not want rulers to make laws that contradict God's laws, but when they do, we as believers are not doing wrong to keep God's laws, instead of doing the wrong thing.
Finally, the main way we are found innocent is when we trust Christ as our Savior and Lord. He died to pay the price for our sins. His blood was the prefect sacrifice and the only payment to settle the sin debt we owed. Therefore, when we trust Him, God pronounces us innocent, and we are adopted into the family of God, and we receive His blessings and protection. I pray that each of us are found innocent in all three of these ways.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Daniel 8-10.