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Accusation

Revelation 12:10
   And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

   The Devil, Satan, the god of this world, is the accuser.  He comes before God day and night to accuse the believers.  The true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, on the other hand is love.  He is continuously building us up and encouraging us.  Look at the difference between the two in Job:

Job 1:6-11
   Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
   And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?  Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
   And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? [EDIFICATION]
   Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
   Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land.
   But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. [ACCUSATION]

   God is the one who edifies.  God said Job was perfect, upright, and God fearing.  God blessed him.  Satan said, Sure, Job fears God now, but just you wait - he will curse thee to thy face.  The Word of God says that the Devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

   Satan promotes accusation and the world is full of it.  We need to be God centered and seek to edify one another.   We need to avoid the temptation of the world to accuse.  Even the Lord Jesus Christ had to face the accusations of the world.  The Word of God says he was tempted in all ways like we are yet without sin.

Matthew 12:10
   And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered.  And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?  that they might accuse him.

   The Pharisees were not interested in edification or in healing the man with the withered hand.  They just wanted to accuse Jesus Christ.  When Jesus healed the man, the Word of God says the Pharisees held counsel against him to see how they might destroy him.  Now which god was influencing their actions?

Luke 11:53-54
   And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:
   Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

   The Pharisees urged Jesus Christ to keep speaking.  They did not want to hear God's Word.  They wanted to provoke him to make a mistake.  They were lying in wait to catch and accuse him.  When we find ourselves acting in this manner we need to stop and think.  Who is the accuser?  Who lies wait trying to catch people making a mistake so that he can accuse?  Do we want to act that way?

John 8:2
   And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down and taught them.

   Jesus was in the middle of teaching the people God's Word when . . .

John 8:3-6a
   And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
   They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
   Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
   This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.

   The actions of the scribes and Pharisees were the same toward the woman as they were toward Jesus.  We watched, we waited, we caught her.  Then, right in the middle of the teaching of God's Word these men threw this woman into the midst.  They were accusing the woman, they were tempting Jesus, and they were looking for a way to catch and accuse Jesus.  These are the kind of actions that Satan inspires.

John 8:6b-11
   But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
   So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
   And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
   And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
   When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers?  hath no man condemned thee?
   She said, No man, Lord.  And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.

   Jesus simply got quiet, asked God what to do, and dealt lovingly with the situation.  The accusers continued accusing throughout the incident.  The purpose of accusation is condemnation.  Now, Jesus did not ignore the fact that the woman had made a mistake.  But, the loving response was: "Ok, you messed up, God forgives you, now go and sin no more."  When we ask for God to forgive us, He forgives and forgets and continues to edify and bless us and encourage us to walk His Word.  Accusation and condemnation do not bring healing or blessing.

1 Corinthians 8:1b
   . . . Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

   Charity, the love of God, edifieth.  God is love and God wants edification.

Ephesians 4:11-12
   And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
   For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

   Leadership is given to the church for edification, for the work of the ministry, to perfect the saints.  God wants believers to be blessed.  God wants us to be built up.  God wants us to know of His love.  God does not want us to live in condemnation.

   There are two gods in this world.  The Devil is an accuser of the believers.  God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who came that we might live a life that is more than abundant.  He came to bring forgiveness of sins and a spiritual sonship relationship with God.  Now, we have that ministry to bring to a world filled with accusation and sin.  Let us make sure that we also are focused on edification and the love of God.


Cortright Fellowship
URL http://www.cortright.org/accedify.htm
© Copyright November  2000 Michael Cortright