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The Greatest Injustice
In 1984, Kirk Bloodsworth, an ex-Marine with no
criminal history, was arrested for murder after one of
his neighbors thought he looked like the man in a
composite sketch he had seen on TV. Throughout the
trial, Kirk steadfastly maintained his innocence. In
1985, Kirk listened in horror as the jury rendered a
guilty verdict and sentenced him to death. Kirk spent
the next 2 years on death row in a prison cell below
the gas chamber. Somehow he found the inner strength
to move past his anger focusing instead on fighting to
prove his innocence. He wrote letters, made telephone
calls, trying to get someone, anyone to listen.
While reading a crime story, he learned about DNA
testing and demanded to be tested. The DNA test was
ordered and when the results were obtained, they
proved that he could not have committed the murder. He
was finally freed after serving nearly 9 years in
prison. Had he not been his own best advocate - had
DNA testing not been available, he might be dead
today. And so, Kirk Bloodsworth was released from
DEATH ROW after being wrongfully accused, wrongfully
convicted and wrongfully sentenced to die.*
But Kirk Bloodsworth is not the ONLY innocent
man to have been wrongfully accused, wrongfully
convicted, and wrongfully sentenced to die….
An angry mob of Jews brought JESUS to
Pilate, the Roman governor, making false accusations
against Him and demanding His execution.
After questioning Jesus, "Pilate called
together the chief priests, the rulers, and the
people, and said to them, 'You have brought this Man
to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed,
having examined Him in your presence, I have found NO FAULT in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him … Indeed NOTHING
deserving of death has been done by Him" (Luke
23:13-16). The Jews cried out in opposition. Pilate tried to reason with them: "Why, what evil has He
done? - I have found NO REASON for death in Him!
I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go." "But they were insistent, demanding with LOUD voices
that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and
of the chief priests prevailed.
So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as
they requested" (Luke 23:22-24)
And so, after enduring the mockery of a trial and a
severe public flogging, this INNOCENT man was led
away…. and was crucified between two criminals.
Here was a Man who was not only wrongfully ACCUSED,
wrongfully CONVICTED, and wrongfully SENTENCED
to die, but also One who was wrongfully EXECUTED for crimes that He did NOT commit. And what's worse -- THIS man
is the Son of God!
Truly, the death of Jesus was the greatest
injustice of ALL.
However, the crucifixion of Jesus accomplished
the eternal plan of God to provide salvation from SIN
for each one of us. Although He had
committed no sin, Jesus "bore our sins in His own
body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might
live for righteousness; for by His wounds you were
healed" (1 Peter 2:22-24). "God made Him who
knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him" (2
Corinthians 5:21).
The Greatest INJUSTICE of mankind turned out to
be the greatest BLESSING for mankind – as it became the
means of salvation to all who will: place their trust in Jesus (Hebrews 11:6), repent of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), be baptized (immersed) so that their sins can be forgiven (Acts 2:38), AND
live faithfully to Him until death (Revelation 2:10).
Will you allow Him to bear the punishment for YOUR sins?
God
bless you.
David
A. Sargent,
Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*Oprah.com (adapted)
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