The most intense moment in any trial happens when the verdict gets read by the jury. With the Kyle Rittenhouse incident, it went like this:

Judge: “The defendant with rise, face the jury, and harken to its verdicts.”

Court Reporter: “The State of Wisconsin versus Kyle Rittenhouse in the first count of the information Joseph Rosenbaum. We the jury fin the defendant Kyle H Rittenhouse Not Guilty.”

This goes on for a total of five counts.

In each count, the jury found Kyle Rittenhouse “Not Guilty.” Acquitted of the primary and secondary charges brought against him by the state of Wisconsin. With this acquittal, he is declared innocent of all charges. He can never be tried for these again.

Watch him as he hears and realizes the final verdict. He collapses under the emotion.

The Joy of Being Declared Not Guilty on All Charges

As you saw in the brief video, Kyle Rittenhouse collapses from pure emotion as he hears the court reporter clear him of all charges.

From the possibility of life in prison to freedom. In one moment, the jury releases him from all counts.

I have never been in this situation before so I do not know the depth of his joy; however, I can imagine the significance of it. Certainly you can see it on his face and in his body.

What if you disagree with the jury?

You may be 100% convinced that he was guilty of all primary charges. You may stand and accuse him for those things. In fact, you may believe that he deserved the entire book thrown at him. In fact, the purpose of this reflection is not about those things.

But whatever you or I think about the verdict or his guilt, he has been declared not guilty.

As a legal matter, he has been declared innocent. Case closed.

Friends, take a moment to consider the spiritual reality of being declared innocent.

The Bible is very clear, we are all guilty of sin.

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Consider the larger passage.

²¹ But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

What does Paul teach here? Even though a person has sinned and is guilty of sin, through faith in Jesus, God justifies that person freely by grace. When Jesus died on the cross, He both was the redeemer and wrath-bearing sacrifice for each person who believes in him.

Some key words here include justified. Justification is the judicial act of God whereby He declares a sinner innocent of sin.

When a person believes in Jesus Christ and asks to be forgiven of sin, God does forgive him or her and declares the person innocent.

This is incredible. Even though we sin, have sinned, and will sin, since Jesus took our place as a substitute and bore God’s wrath against sin, God can declare us innocent.

Consider how Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:9).

Herein lies the greatest exchange ever! Our sins are placed upon Jesus. Jesus’ righteousness is placed upon us. We’ve been declared innocent of so much more than this particular teenager. In fact, we are so much more guilty than he. Yet, God, for His great love, chooses to accept Jesus’ substitutional, sacrificial atonement for us. He held Jesus accountable for our sins and declares us innocent.

Rejoice in Your Personal Justification

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, on this day, take a moment to rejoice in your own personal moment of when you were also declared innocent of your sins. What a day! Your sins – past, present, future – wiped away because of the love, grace, sacrifice, and righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Declared innocent. Justified. Rejoice.