The Law and the Gospel

The court system in Minnesota is very interesting -
Being called for jury duty last week was a very worthwhile experience......one of those things that you learn in a text book, but to really know how it works - you need to experience it.

I had plenty of time to think (if you've ever been summoned - you know what I mean)
The ways of our nation are a tremendous blessing since they follow closely the text of the Old Testament. (The facts that witnesses are crucial, and breaking the law is a serious matter and the burden of proof rests on the accusers - make our justice system so great)

I sat on the jury for a gentleman accused of assault and disorderly conduct.
I can't tell you how weird it was to transition from being in a position where my opinions DON'T matter whatsoever, to a place where I am accountable to judge circumstance, and essentially a person's innocence or guiltiness. The weight that that carried hit me like a ton of bricks.
I mean, God is omnipotent, he knows everything, every secret motive, every private conversation as well as the actions - he perceives them exactly as they are in truth - He is truth.

But me, even saved - I'm still a fallible, sinful fallen human to be set to judge something based on the minimal amount of information given and with the testimony of fallible fallen, sinful humans.....this is a very sobering thing.

In the end I would not yield to what I was convinced of by the evidence.....that we didn't have enough to convict the defendant of assault. In the process....the other 5 jurors and I bonded a bit, and after the verdict was read, we were sent back to the jury pool - (the assembly room) and sat together at a small table.
God gave much grace that day.......I shared how the law, the hennepin county court system and judges are as God Almighty....except that He is Holy and all his judgments are just and that no one will escape punishment but by someone else paying their debt. We're debtors to wrath.
No good that any defendant would plead would excuse them in court. Period.
How muslims do not get this is beyond me. God would be UNRIGHTEOUS to just let sinners go. A hennepin county judge wouldn't ever even do that!!!

Anycrux, it was a tremendous blessing for my own soul to be reminded of the reality of why Christ was born - He was born to ransom us from the wrath of God.

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us."
1 John 3:16