guilty

     As the judge slams down the gavel and officially enters in to the transcripts of the proceedings his judgement, he is concluding an evaluation process of both objective and subjective reasoning. He has heard all the evidence to both support and refute the charge laid on the defendant. He considers physical, and circumstantial evidence, along with witness testimony which establishes whether or not the defendant "did it". The subjective reasoning comes in to play in establishing the essential factors in the commision of a crime, (motive, opportunity, and a reasonable expectation on the part of the accused of getting away with it.) The latter factor may go to motive, but it also may suggest a level of denial of consequence. The objectively reasoning judge considers all the hard evidence which points to guilt.
     After all the work of the enterprise is done, a verdict is reached. The result is a consideration of guilt. Innocense is not a consideration of the judge. He only considers the issue of guilt. In our court system, innocense is already assumed, at least until proven otherwise. Our system of justice guarantees innocense right up to the time of judgement. However, because judgement is made by assesment of evidences and not first hand knowledge on the part of the judge, we allow that the standard of proof of guilt is "beyond a reasonable doubt". That is to say, that no reasonable man, after assessing all the evidence, would have a cause to doubt the truth of the charges against the defendant. In order for our system of justice to succeed, this compromise of truth must be allowed.
     So, as the judge slams down the gavel and proclaims the defendant guilty, it becomes established in the documents of the civilization of men that he is indeed guilty. But, what about the man who is falsely charged, prosecuted and convicted? Is he truly guilty? The short answer must be yes. To simplify the understanding of the process we must familiarize ourselves with the term culpability. If I am culpable of an act, it means I did it. The justice system's protection of the innocent must assume that the culpable are also innocent until proven guilty. Let's say I go to my neighbors house and shoot him dead. At that moment in time, and forever after, I am culpable. I am not, however, (in legal terms) guilty. Until the laws established to make murder a crime are imposed upon my existence, I, (while certainly not innocent), am not guilty. I will remain in a state of non-guilt until judged guilty. From that moment on I will be guilty. Only an overturning of the judgement can change that fact.
    An innocent man sent to prison, if he understood these foundational truths, would know that he is getting a just punishment for what he is found guilty of. Injustice has not been served. When a judge says guilty, he is guilty. He may not be culpable, but he is guilty just the same. His only solace is the knowledge in his heart of the truth of his innocense.
     This morning I read in Genisis the story of Jacob's daughter Dinah and Shechem. He having raped Dinah, fell victim to the retribution of Dinah's family. He and his entire clan were killed at the hands of Dinah's brothers. It's important to note two things here. First, there was no law. Moses would not climb the mountain and receive the ten commandments from God for another five hundred years or so. Technically, the rape was not a criminal offense, nor were the subsequent murders. Second, even without laws available, the actions of the sons of Jacob were guided by an unspoken awareness of right and wrong. Not only had the brothers not committed a crime, but they neither committed a sin. The apostle Paul states that he would not know what sin was, except that the law revealed it to him. Yet, Jacob was aware that they had done "wrong". Jacob said, (Gen 34:30), "You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, . . . . . if they join forces against me and attack me , I and my household will be destroyed." Here we find no fear of the judgement of God as we do a fear of the consequence of wrong actions. Jacob is then called by God to re-establish relationship with Him by moving the entire family to Bethel, and building an altar to God there. As they went, " the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them." (Gen 35:5) Not only had God not judged them, but He protected them from the consequence of their wrong doing, for there had not yet been established anything by which to convict them by. Jacob's sons were certainly culpable, but at the same time not guilty. God, much like the judge of our legal system today, did not consider their innocense, (for with God's system of justice our innocence is not presumed. As fallen man, we have no innocence to rest in.) He only considered their guilt. No law, no guilt.
     Paul teaches us in Romans 8 that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Following the theme of this essay, we may be culpable, but we are not found guilty. In our case, it is not the fact that there is no law, but that the keeping of the law has been done on our behalf. He has not wiped away the law, but has wiped away the judgement of death that the law imposes on our souls. Paul further teaches in Corinthians that there is nothing that is unlawful for him. There are, however, many things which are unprofitable. This conjecture on my part is intended to be an incouragement to all who know Christ as their Lord. For all that we are, and all that we have done, despite the length, breadth, and depth of our culpability, we are found not guilty. Not guilty by the blood of the Lamb. All glory to God.
     Our actions in this life will have consequence. We would be best served to recognize that the burden of guilt has been removed. Our best actions will be those that seek profit for the kingdom of God. Be profitable in spiritual things. Do not let guilt burden you any longer. Confess sin daily, so that you may see again that He will seperate it from you and remember it no more. Let Jesus move you to a new place of worshipping Him, as He places a hedge around you on the journey.