Think of it like Traffic Court

Do you have to choose?

If forgiveness is a declaration of God, does a person have to choose it?

Last week’s TTOW (Theological Term of the Week) was about justification and it seems like a good idea to continue that discussion on Chasing Squirrels.

So, if justification is a legal declaration by the Judge of the universe that you are innocent, then how much choice do we really have in the matter?

After all, the judge makes pronouncements based on his authority.

The judge has all the legal authority he needs, right?

Yes. But…

Think of it like this.

Several years ago, I was in traffic court. (Yes, traffic court.)

And I will never forget how the scene played out for the person in front of me.

When he stood before the judge, the judge asked him if he was going to do it again.

The person began to explain the situation and what had happened.

The judge cut him off and asked if he was going to do it again.

The guilty party, again, began to explain the scenario around his ticket.

This time, when the judge cut him off, he told him, “The correct answer is no. Are you going to do it again?”

Finally, the man in front of me answered no.

The judge declared, “Case dismissed. Low over.”

The judge was waiting to show mercy and forgiveness to that driver. But he still had a choice to make. He had to stop defending himself. He needed to agree with the judge and accept his wrong behavior.

He had to choose.

And then the judge would dismiss the case.

The same is true for us.

God stands ready to grant you forgiveness. But you still must choose.

He has made all the necessary arrangements.

Jesus went to the cross to bear the punishment for all humanity.

Jesus made a way for us to be forgiven.

But we still have to accept it.

We still have to choose.

We still have our part to play in the eternal and divine legal proceeding.

We have been given all the instructions we need to obtain mercy. (see Romans 10:9)

He has told us what we must do.

We must agree with the Judge and accept our wrong behavior.

And, just in case you were wondering…

No. The judge didn’t give me the same option

I still had to go to traffic school.