Reasonable Doubt

 A defendant was on trial for murder. Although there was strong circumstantial evidence indicating his guilt, no corpse had ever been located. It is hard to prove a crime has taken place when there isn’t a body, so the defendant’s lawyer was hoping to use reasonable doubt to get his client acquitted. In the defense’s closing statement, the lawyer, knowing his client probably would be convicted, resorted to a trick. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have a surprise for you all,” the lawyer said as he looked at his watch.

“Within one minute, the person presumed dead in this case will walk into this courtroom.” He looked toward the courtroom door. The jurors, somewhat stunned, all looked on eagerly. The lawyer looked at the door, then down at his watch, and repeated this several times until a minute passed. Nothing happened. Finally the lawyer said, “Actually, I made up the previous statement; but you all looked on with anticipation. Therefore, I put to you that you have a reasonable doubt in this case as to whether anyone was killed, and I insist that you return a verdict of not guilty.”

The jury, clearly confused, retired to deliberate. Only a few minutes later, the jury returned and pronounced a verdict of guilty. “But how?” inquired the lawyer. “You must have had some doubt; I saw all of you stare at the door.” The jury foreman replied, “Oh, we looked, but your client didn’t.”

There is plenty of doubt in the world today, especially about the things of God. There are also people who do not struggle with doubt because they know the truth. The defendant in that story knew the truth, although it was not good truth. For you and I as believers, we know the truth that can set people free from their doubts, free from their struggles, and free from their sin. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32).” 

We probably all know someone who has reasonable doubts about the things of God; after all, we are bombarded with messages about evolution, and there are a host of other religions, each offering the way to some kind of better life.  Doubting Thomas said he wouldn’t believe Jesus rose from the dead until he could see Jesus for himself, but Jesus said we are blessed when we believe in Him without seeing Him physically (John 20:29). We know the truth; in fact, Jesus is the truth, the life, and the way that leads to the Father. We need to embrace this truth and carry it to the doubters around us.