Innocence
My vindicator is close by; let whoever dares to accuse me appear with me in court! Let whoever has a case against me step forward!
(Isaiah 50:8,89)
When was the last time you thought of your self as being innocent? I wonder if our Beloved Abba has the same definition of innocence, as do humans?
As we find, in the Book of Proverbs, there appears to be a difference between man’s understanding of innocence and Yahveh’s. Read with me, please Proverb 16, verse 2 – “All a man’s ways are pure in his own view, but Adonai weighs the spirit.” I think this clearly lays out the difference. But what is innocence and how is it manifest in human behaviour?
One biblical definition of innocence[1] states – In more than half the passages “innocent” is connected with blood, as “blood of the innocent,” or simply “innocent blood.” The purpose of using blood in the definition of innocent or innocence, is to emphasize the innate value of being innocent – to be without guile, truly blameless. How many of us today may claim to have been or to be ‘without guile’?
The Hebrew Scriptures speak of guile, with reference to the tongue, as in Proverbs 26:28 – A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth causes ruin. In the Apostolic Scriptures, guile is more often associated with hypocrisy, as Adonai Yeshua, the Lord Jesus, referred to Nathaniel, when He met the man in Galilee. Hear His words as recorded in John 1:47 – Yeshua saw Natan’el coming toward him and remarked about him, “Here’s a true son of Isra’el — nothing false in him!”.
Then we may turn to Adonai Yeshua, Himself, Who has been described by Kefa, the Apostle Peter in his 1st Book, verses 21,22, as: Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found on his lips.” Yes, there was nor will there be anyone who was as innocent as Adonai Yeshua; He embodied the very meaning of innocence in every aspect of His life, in order to be the perfect model for us. Even His anger was filled with innocence, as we may read in Mark 3:5 – Then, looking them over and feeling both anger with them and sympathy for them at the stoniness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” As he held it out, it became restored, and in Mark 10:14 we find – However, when Yeshua saw it, he became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me, don’t stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. And then, of course, how may we forget His driving the money changers and sellers of animals out from the Temple Courtyard. These are His examples for us of righteous anger, fully immersed and grounded in innocence, that is, without hypocrisy.
Beloved, I have no doubt, we would all be much better, if we were innocent, in the eyes of Abba. But, then, what would we have to learn? How might we grow closer to the image He has set for us? This is not to say we should go out of our way to be hypocritical. What I am saying is we should all strive to be without guile and, when we fall into its grasp, we pray for forgiveness and ask our Beloved Abba to remove what remains of the guile, which is residing in our hearts. Thus, will we draw closer to Him.
May the God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you richly.
[1] Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. “Entry for ‘INNOCENCE; INNOCENCY; INNOCENT'”. “International Standard Bible Encyclopedia”. 1915.