Made Innocent

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10 NIV

When I sin, for some reason, I ask for forgiveness over and over. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have a hard time living in the forgiveness that Jesus offers. 

Paul writes, … all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:23-24 NIV). The word justified, in the Greek, means declared righteous, acquitted, freed, made innocent.

God is so good. We are far from perfect, but because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, God freed us from sin and made us innocent. That is amazing!

Not only does He declare us righteous, Isaiah says He clothes us in His righteousness. 

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, (Isaiah 61:10a NIV). Can you picture that? Imagine yourself wearing a floor-length, thick, flowing, and comforting cloak around your shoulders.  

When you and I stand before Him, His righteousness is what He sees, not the ways we have fallen short. HALLELUJAH! My friend, we can rest in this promise.  

When we surrender to Jesus, He forgives us of our sin, justifies us (makes us innocent), and clothes us in His righteousness. We can't do enough good things on our own to be considered righteous. But God, in His grace and mercy, reached down and provided a way. 

Let’s embrace these truths with a fresh understanding and a new hope in our hearts. Praise Him for all He has done! We can live in the joy that hope brings!  

Johna Clemons