Recently, the head of a well known major fast food corporation responded to a question from the news media with the answer “Guilty as charged.”  Most everyone knows the fast food chain I’m talking about and the context of the question, so it won’t be repeated here.  Suffice it to say, it was very refreshing to hear an honest and straight-forward response instead of carefully crafted double-speak and political spin we have become accustomed to.

But his words also got me to seriously consider how often do we admit to our shortcomings with “guilty as charged”?  Take the following 10 question pop quiz and see how you do:

1. Have you ever placed a god (any god) ahead of the one true and living God?
2. Have you ever made or crafted something with your own hands that you then idolized?
3. Have you ever uttered a curse that included God’s name?
4. Have you always remembered that the Sabbath day of the week is a holy day set apart by God as a day of rest?
5. Have you always honored your parents?
6. Have you ever murdered someone?
7. Have you ever committed adultery?
8. Have you ever taken anything that didn’t belong to you? Even once?
9. Have you spoken false words about a friend or neighbor?
10. Have you ever wanted something so badly that belonged to someone else that you were jealous of them for having it?

Anybody have a perfect score of 10 “NOs”?  Probably not.  We would probably think we’re pretty good if we only had three or four “NOs”.  I don’t know about you, but when I take this simple quiz of 10 simple rules, I feel “guilty as charged”.  The apostle Paul said “There is no who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12).

It’s for this reason that God sent his son Jesus Christ to take away our guilt; that we can have hope of one day of standing before Him and knowing that our sins were borne by   Jesus on the cross.  Paul went on to say in Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

If you recognize yourself as being “guilty as charged” and want to be free of the penalty of sin, call on his name and accept his free gift of salvation.

When Peter was asked by the multitude of what they must do, his answer was simple and direct “Repent and be baptized, everyone one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39).

Guilty as charged, but forgiven by God’s grace!