Fifth Day For the New Year

The Grace Of Vindication

We have been concentrating and meditating over the past two sessions on the Grace of Blessing and the Grace of Receiving. But we must not forget that the Good News for us does not end with blessing from the Lord. Let’s look back at what the Psalmist says. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Psalm 24: 5. 

The Psalmist is clear on receiving vindication from God, his Saviour. But what is vindication? David has many Psalms which speak of God’s vindication. Nevertheless, he is not the only person of God to speak in this voice. Along with David, here are a few of God’s people who have known vindication. Listen carefully to what they say.

David’s voice – Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your power. Psalm 54: 1.

Rachel’s voice - God has vindicated me, and has indeed heard my voice and has given me a son. Genesis 30: 6.

Isaiah’s voice – He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! Isaiah 50: 8

Job’s voice – Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated. Job 13: 18.

From all that we hear, one common thread or fact is that God is the Vindicator and He uses His Power and Authority to vindicate His children.

The dictionary gives its meanings as, ‘to clear someone of blame or suspicion.’ It also says, that to vindicate, is to show or prove; to justify. 

If to vindicate means to justify, then how are we justified? We are justified by grace through faith. Romans 3: 23 – 25a. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. 

Sinners, people like you and me are vindicated or justified by grace, through faith in the Blood of Jesus. Do you know that this is still the Lord’s promise to all people in this New Year? Do you know that God makes a covenant promise with you about vindication, so that you can stand on His Word?  Please read these words carefully.

And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. Romans 11: 27.

God’s covenant, His promise, is that when He takes away the sins of all who diligently seek Him; all who have repented and turned from arrogance and pride; all who have died to self-will, He ensures that no one can blame them of sin any more.

Through His interposed Blood, the Grace of Vindication comes to you in three-fold blessing.

Sin - You are vindicated from your sin. The writer of Hebrews, in reminding us of the New Covenant God has made with His people, brings the Lord’s words to us once more. For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sin no more. Hebrews 8: 12. 

Stain - You are vindicated from sin, but sin leaves a terribly nasty stain. In Elvina Hall’s hymn, ‘Jesus Paid It All’, the chorus is clear about the stain of sin,

Jesus paid it all,

All to Him I owe;

Sin had left a crimson stain,

He washed it white as snow.

Stigma – You are vindicated from sin’s stigma. Remember Saul, the Jesus hater? He is, breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. Acts 9: 1b. Jesus gets hold of this sinner, forgives him of all his wicked and treacherous acts, cleansing him from every sin and stain. But the stigma of sin still remains. After the Lord has cleaned up Saul and he has given his life to Christ, people still think of Saul as a persecutor of Christians. He wears this stigma until Jesus Himself has to intervene and wipe away the stigma also. Can the Lord really do this? O yes He can. Look at how he does this for Saul. When the Lord sends Ananias, to serve Saul, Ananias holds up the sins of Saul before the Lord. Jesus puts Ananias straight and allows him to see His works of Grace, the Grace of Vindication in Saul. (You can read this in Acts 9: 10 – 19). 

The Grace of Vindication is the Lord’s promise. It is His covenant to you and He cannot be unfaithful to it. The Grace of Vindication is yours. Live it!

Let’s continue in God’s Grace tomorrow, Epiphany Day, the Sixth day of the New Year.