Restored To Power

Isidore Zimmerman served 25 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Because of a false witness at his trial, he was convicted of killing a policeman. In time, however, his innocence was proven, and in 1962 he was released. But did he live ‘happily ever after’? No.

His record was cleared, but society did not fully accept him.

That is the complete opposite to our standing with God when we trust Jesus as our Saviour! We are guilty. Yet because we are given Jesus’ perfection and He pays for our sin on the cross, we are not only declared righteous (right with God), but we are fully restored to favour with our heavenly Father. He treats us as if we had never broken His law, bringing us back to Himself and adopting us into His family. That’s full acceptance.

Even though he had been innocent all along, Zimmerman couldn’t escape the shame of being an ex-convict. What few jobs he could get soon ended when employers learned that he had served time.

It’s amazing that through faith, and on the merits of Jesus’ death, guilty sinners can be declared righteous by God. It’s even more incredible that He would restore us to His favour and want us to work for Him.

But then, that’s what salvation is all about.

—Dennis DeHaan