Defense!

April 28th, 2012| Topic: RaMbLeS | 7

Ye olde city of Dallas invited me to sit on a jury the other day.

With the force of the law behind them, and threats of dire retribution in front, I was notified that they wanted me there, on that date, at that time, for that case.

I went, I sat, I was selected.

Voir dire, they call it. I don’t know why. It is a Latin/Old French legal phrase that means something like “tell the truth.” It is the process by which jurors are questioned about backgrounds and biases before being empaneled. I kept quiet. Tried to look invisible. (One of those deathly hallows borrowed from Mr. Potter, formerly of Hogwarts, would have been real useful here, I thought.) The long and short of it is that I was unsuccessful in pretending to be not there. Before I could stand up and claim that I would be utterly biased because I was a seminary professor who believed in the incarnation, resurrection, and all the assorted miracles performed by God and his agents, I was picked.

So much for clinics that afternoon. I had to cancel all my patients.

All because of the Sixth Amendment (1791) to the United States Constitution:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.”

Yup, I was picked.

Quite an interesting affair, it was. Not the case. But the process and procedure, formality and finery, ritual and routine. Fascinating.

I was especially impressed with the flamboyant defense attorney who put on quite a show. He told stories. He swept all around the court. He flailed and bawled. He stared and grimaced. Fascinating.

(We convicted the defendant anyway!)

The defense attorney. He was somethin’ else.

I was also taken by the way he actually represented the defendant. When the defendant had to stand, the defense attorney stood with him. When the judge addressed the defendant, when the charges were read, when the verdict was announced, both stood. The defense attorney, in a more literal sense than usually understood, represented his client. For the purposes of the court, for the duration of the trial, they were, in a sense, one and the same.

Indeed, believers in Jesus Christ, those who have placed their trust in Jesus as their only God and Savior from sin, also have an advocate, a divine Advocate.

And if anyone sins,
we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:1

He is the one whose death and resurrection on the cross paid the price for the sins of believers.

… the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

And now, in the presence of God, He continues to be our intercessor, our advocate.

Therefore He is able also to save forever
those who draw near to God through Him,
since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25

Indeed, our Defense Attorney, with us.

And they shall call his name “Immanuel,”
which means “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23

And He took on humanity.

He had to be made like His brethren in all things.
Hebrews 2:17

So that we might be saved. Declared righteous. And not condemned. Praise God!