Weighing the Evidence

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

This week I have been summoned for jury duty. Over the years I have been called as a witness for the prosecution on many occasions, but this will be possibly be my first time to fill the role of a juror. I was thinking this afternoon about the burden of proof required in criminal and civil cases. In a criminal case, the prosecution must prove “beyond a reasonable doubt,” that the defendant committed the crime they have been accused of. In a civil case the plaintiff must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant is responsible for a particular issue of litigation.

This got me thinking about a question that I have heard ministers ask over the years: “If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Acts 4:13-16 (NASB)
13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in reply.
15 But when they had ordered them to go aside out of the Council, they began to confer with one another,
16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

In the 4th chapter of Acts, Peter and John have been brought before a council of religious leaders to face questioning over a miraculous healing. In this healing, Peter had used the name of Jesus. During this time of questioning, a few things stood out to the religious council:
• The boldness with which Peter and John spoke
• The influence of Jesus upon their lives
• The once crippled man standing near them, completely healed

In the face of examination the words and actions of these two men bore out the faith in Jesus that they claimed. The harmony between their convictions and their actions left the religious council no place to go.

Every day people are examining the evidence and testimony of your life. When the evidence is weighed, what conclusions will be made about your life? Can it be said with certainty that you have been with Jesus? Is there evidence to corroborate your testimony of faith?

This week, I encourage you to go through a process of personal “discovery.” Evaluate the evidence that you are leaving day by day and ask yourself: Is there enough evidence to convict me of a vibrant, growing walk with Jesus?”

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl