NOT GUILTY

                        NOT GUILTY   - DR. CREFLO DOLLAR.

1. Although many people have predicted the return of Christ, no person knows the day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3).
1. Many Christians fear the day of Jesus’ return.
1. Fear brings with it the thought of punishment. We shouldn’t fear the return of Jesus but have confidence in the fact that we are new creations because of Him (1 John 4:17, 18, AMP).  
2. We have been made right with God.
2. Even so it is that Christ, having been offered to take upon Himself and bear as a burden the sins of many once and for all, will appear a second time, not to carry any burden of sin nor to deal with sin, but to bring to full salvation those who are [eagerly, constantly, and patiently] waiting for and expecting Him (Hebrews 9:28, AMP).  
1. We no longer have to fear; Jesus has already dealt with our sins.
1. We have God’s unconditional love, forgiveness, and cleansing. Why would He betray us and bring up the very sins that He chose to forget?
2. We have to understand the subject of judgment in order to grasp the meaning of certain scriptures about the second coming of Christ.
3. If we don’t understand the subject, we will misinterpret the Scriptures.      
1. There are certain scriptures that seem to contradict Hebrews 9:28 by saying all will be judged at the second coming of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:13-15).
2. However, these scriptures are not referring to those who have been made righteous. The Church has a different fate; it is not hell-bound (Revelation 21:1-3).   
3. “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God” (Revelation 21:3).
1. This is true for Christians. Those who believe in Jesus are not condemned (John 3:18, AMP).
1. Those who don’t believe in Jesus are already judged.
2. Jesus drew all judgment to Himself when He died on the cross. Therefore, when we accept Him as our Lord, we will are exempted from the punishment (for sin) we deserve (John 12:30-32).