Jesus came into the world to be its Saviour, not its Accuser (it is Satan who is described as ‘The Accuser' in Revelation 12:10).  As Jesus said in John 3:17: "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."   The finger of blame which pointed out sin, was already in the writing of Moses.  He said that everybody must listen to another prophet God would raise up, and those who refused to listen would be accountable to God (Deuteronomy 18:15).  Jesus was to be that prophet and yet the religious leaders of His day refused to believe Him.

Jesus did not need to accuse anybody of sin.  Jews and Gentiles alike, who were open to God, knew that their consciences confirmed what the Law said (Romans 2:13-16).  But many religious people masked their guilt with repetitive ‘spiritual rituals’, believing that if they tried hard to do ‘holy things’ then they would be considered holy by their peers.  They were blind to the fact that they were in the wrong before God: they had a distorted view of God's Word and of themselves.

The teaching of Jesus was to correct that distortion, so that God's Word illuminated the sinfulness of their own hearts so that their need of a Saviour become personally obvious. As John 3:18 says, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."  Jesus' work was to provide a way for guilty people who had lost their way to be saved (Luke 19:10).  

Some people think that gospel preachers are judging people.  That should never be the intention, because the gospel is the good news of how God's judgement was placed on Jesus.  Sinners will be convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit so that they will repent and be saved, and those who have been forgiven may be falsely accused by Satan; but those who have been saved are defended by Jesus from all accusation (1 John 2:2).  On the Last Day, Jesus will review the evidence and judge fairly.  All those who have accepted His death in place of their own punishment will be saved.  It is a great message to share with friends and colleagues (see www.crosscheck.org.uk)!