Ron Cosby
Mankind has an accuser before God (Rev. 12:10; Job 1:6-11; Zech. 3:1). Seeking to justify his own ungodliness, Satan has worked through the agency of men for ages to charge God with being unrighteous. In the eyes of Satan,
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Abraham stands accused because he lied (Gen. 12:11-19).
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David stands accused because he took another man’s wife (2 Sam. 11).
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Peter stands accused because he was a coward in the face of enemy fire (Matt. 26:69-75).
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Paul stands accused because he ravaged and devastated the lives of many innocent saints (Acts 8:1-3).
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All men stand accused, “For we also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another” (Titus 3:3).
History records Satan’s more recent accusers, such as Robert Ingersoll. In a number of speeches, Mr. Ingersoll ranted against God taking a life, yet Mr. Ingersoll was all for the Yankees killing a Southerner. Another modern accuser is atheist Richard Schoenig. He charged God as guilty of foolishness since God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden for “eating an apple.” However, Mr. Schoenig was all for killing Hitler. Though Mr. Schoenig disagreed with God’s justice, he upheld his own faulty concept of proper crime and punishment.
How can God, with a wave of His hand, let men off the hook and yet punish Satan? He can’t because He is just. Compare the idea of the U. S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) letting Hilary Clinton off with a wave of the hand. Americans have justly voiced great outrage over that. But unlike the DOJ, God will by no means clear the guilty (Num. 14:18).
God gave the only thing possible for our justification. Christ’s sacrifice prevents Satan from justly charging God with foolishness. “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. (Rom. 8:33). “Shall lay—to the charge [egkaleo] …. Lit., ‘to call something in one.’ Hence call to account; bring a charge against” (Vincent Word Studies) ”[H]e might himself be just, and the justifier…” (Rom. 3:26). ”He spared not His own Son…” (Rom. 8:32-34).
Without God giving suitable justification for the transgressions of men, accusers could rightly stand in opposition to God. Now, however, in the face of the cross, when they seek to justify their evil, they stand without any support.