If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you.

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rrcn

Active member
Oct 15, 2023
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#1
Years ago I was given a cassette tape entitled “If you were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict?”
Technology has moved on and I don’t recall a lot of details, but I thought it was a compelling title to share.

I am studying Jesus in all the Bible this week with assistance of Strong’s Concordance. Your thoughts are kindly solicited.
 

seekingthemindofChrist

Casting down imaginations
Jul 10, 2023
1,178
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#2
If you were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict?
There would certainly be plenty of evidence where this is concerned:

Matthew 10:34-36

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."
 

Eli1

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2022
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#3
Years ago I was given a cassette tape entitled “If you were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict?”
Technology has moved on and I don’t recall a lot of details, but I thought it was a compelling title to share.

I am studying Jesus in all the Bible this week with assistance of Strong’s Concordance. Your thoughts are kindly solicited.
I mean it is an interesting topic to share but how do the details work here?
What would be the evidence to convict?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Yes, i am guilty then.

How do the details of this thought experiment work?
 

rrcn

Active member
Oct 15, 2023
246
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#4
I mean it is an interesting topic to share but how do the details work here?
What would be the evidence to convict?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Yes, i am guilty then.

How do the details of this thought experiment work?
According to several of the apostles Jesus made this statement.
“Matthew 10:22 KJV
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. “

I don’t know that this statement considered a statute of limitations so the situation could theoretically occur in any jurisdiction.
Just look at as a hypothetical scenario since there is a lot of uncertainty on the road ahead.
 

Eli1

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#5
According to several of the apostles Jesus made this statement.
“Matthew 10:22 KJV
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. “

I don’t know that this statement considered a statute of limitations so the situation could theoretically occur in any jurisdiction.
Just look at as a hypothetical scenario since there is a lot of uncertainty on the road ahead.
Okay but what's that got to do with this topic? That verse is talking about persecution.
I thought we were talking about "If we were put on trial, would there be enough evidence to convict us", no?
So, i'm curious, what would the evidence be?
Are they going to ask me if i believe in God and then i'm guilty? That's it?
 

rrcn

Active member
Oct 15, 2023
246
71
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#6
Okay but what's that got to do with this topic? That verse is talking about persecution.
I thought we were talking about "If we were put on trial, would there be enough evidence to convict us", no?
So, i'm curious, what would the evidence be?
Are they going to ask me if i believe in God and then i'm guilty? That's it?
I don’t know the details but if you are put on trial for being a Christian would that not be persecution?

1 Peter 5:8 KJV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
 

Eli1

Well-known member
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#7
I don’t know the details but if you are put on trial for being a Christian would that not be persecution?

1 Peter 5:8 KJV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
But i mean, this is some lousy trial. I was expecting something better. Just send me to the firing squad and let's not waste any time with a lousy North Korean style trial.
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
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#8
Christians would just confess Christ, so... there should be enough evidence to convict all of us, unless you're throwing out confessions.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
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#9
Years ago I was given a cassette tape entitled “If you were put on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict?”
Technology has moved on and I don’t recall a lot of details, but I thought it was a compelling title to share.

I am studying Jesus in all the Bible this week with assistance of Strong’s Concordance. Your thoughts are kindly solicited.
It's a good practice from time to time to make self-assessments. In fact, the Bible encourages us to do so. But, while we are quite good at judging others, we are generally not so strident concerning ourselves.
A bigger problem might be the criteria we use to evaluate ourselves. Do we judge by the things we do or by the changes that have been wrought in us? If we could say we prophesied in His name, casted out demons, and did miraculous works, would that qualify as proof? How about if we went to church every Sunday, taught Sunday school classes, and visited sick church members?
A better evaluation is probably how much like Christ we have become. Are we more loving? Are we experiencing peace and joy? Are we more patient, good and gentle? But, while every fruit of the Spirit is present to some degree in every believer, they aren't always readily apparent.
So in the end, people will need to plead either the 5th or plead the blood.
 

Eli1

Well-known member
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#10
It's a good practice from time to time to make self-assessments. In fact, the Bible encourages us to do so. But, while we are quite good at judging others, we are generally not so strident concerning ourselves.
A bigger problem might be the criteria we use to evaluate ourselves. Do we judge by the things we do or by the changes that have been wrought in us? If we could say we prophesied in His name, casted out demons, and did miraculous works, would that qualify as proof? How about if we went to church every Sunday, taught Sunday school classes, and visited sick church members?
A better evaluation is probably how much like Christ we have become. Are we more loving? Are we experiencing peace and joy? Are we more patient, good and gentle? But, while every fruit of the Spirit is present to some degree in every believer, they aren't always readily apparent.
So in the end, people will need to plead either the 5th or plead the blood.
There you go, thank you ! Now we're fleshing out some details.
Now we're going to assume here they're going to put us under some machine to detect if we're lying.

These questions would get you jail time:
Have you done any work that glorifies God? Yes. Guilty!
Have you gone to church? Yes. Guilty.
Have you tried to help others? Yes. Guilty.

This next question would get you the death penalty:
Do you love your neighbor as yourself and pray for your enemy? Now, if you're lucky here and say YES and it's True, you might get the death penalty and be at peace, but if you're detected lying here then it's not so good because you will be imprisoned, go through more suffering and then pray for your executors like some saints have done.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
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#11
There you go, thank you ! Now we're fleshing out some details.
Now we're going to assume here they're going to put you under some machine to detect if you're lying.

These questions would get you jail time:
Have you done any work that glorifies God? Yes. Guilty!
Have you gone to church? Yes. Guilty.
Have you tried to help others? Yes. Guilty.

This next question would get you the death penalty:
Do you love your neighbor as yourself and pray for your enemy? Now, if you're lucky here and say YES and it's True, you might get the death penalty and be at peace, but if you're detected lying here then it's not so good because you will be imprisoned, go through more suffering and then pray for your executors like some saints have done.
I'm pleading the blood. And how are you still writing? I thought you were shot.
 

Eli1

Well-known member
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#12
I'm pleading the blood. And how are you still writing? I thought you were shot.
You know, this topic also came up once in one of my Bible meetings.
I consider this scenario as hitting the lottery. Dying for God? Sign me up. People die for all kinds of reasons, some are just sad and involve suicide, others are just natural causes. I mean we're all going to die anyway, so dying for God?
That's jackpot right there!
 

Adelia

Junior Member
Apr 18, 2018
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#13
There you go, thank you ! Now we're fleshing out some details.
Now we're going to assume here they're going to put us under some machine to detect if we're lying.

These questions would get you jail time:
Have you done any work that glorifies God? Yes. Guilty!
Have you gone to church? Yes. Guilty.
Have you tried to help others? Yes. Guilty.

This next question would get you the death penalty:
Do you love your neighbor as yourself and pray for your enemy? Now, if you're lucky here and say YES and it's True, you might get the death penalty and be at peace, but if you're detected lying here then it's not so good because you will be imprisoned, go through more suffering and then pray for your executors like some saints have done.

2 Corinthians 13:5



5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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#14
2 Corinthians 13:5



5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
How would the North Korean jury measure this about us in the trial? Through more questions or?
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
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#15
You know, this topic also came up once in one of my Bible meetings.
I consider this scenario as hitting the lottery. Dying for God? Sign me up. People die for all kinds of reasons, some are just sad and involve suicide, others are just natural causes. I mean we're all going to die anyway, so dying for God?
That's jackpot right there!
I agree a martyr's death is a great way to go, I'm still trying to find a way to be martyred in my sleep.
 

Eli1

Well-known member
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#16
The thing is that compared to how Christians have been persecuted in history, we are now in vacation mode because in most of the world nobody is going to persecute you for being a Christian. Sure there are some hot spots like Saudi Arabia maybe or some other countries around that area and maybe Sudan or even China but in general we will not get persecuted.
So i guess we also need to define what the acceptable level of persecution is for everybody?

Am i going to lose my job if i say that i'm a Christian? Ha! Sure. Fire me.
I'll take a 6 months vacation and then find another job. That's no persecution.
 
#17
As a Christian believer living in an Islamic country, I have faced many persecutions, and my faith has not wavered because I believe from the beginning that Jesus Christ is the truth, and difficulties strengthen my faith when I look at what Christ did for me.
 

Eli1

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Apr 5, 2022
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#18
As a Christian believer living in an Islamic country, I have faced many persecutions, and my faith has not wavered because I believe from the beginning that Jesus Christ is the truth, and difficulties strengthen my faith when I look at what Christ did for me.
Indeed brother.
You are on a different level compared to me over here in USA , but I have also seen persecution and war myself so my tolerance levels are a bit different too.
 

Cameron143

Well-known member
Mar 1, 2022
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#19
That's a great testimony brother. I'll keep you in my prayers. Thanks for taking the time to share.