Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Courtroom dramas have a unique way that captivates the imagination of everyone. One such television series, Suits, recorded 53.1 billion minutes viewing on channels like Netflix. What exactly makes this kind of drama so popular, is not easy to pinpoint. Maybe, the dignity imparted and dress code that exudes the sense of severity and authority vested in the court. Maybe, there is the innate sense that justice should be done and people’s unwillingness to let criminals go free. Or maybe, it could be because of the formality when the door opens and the judge enters the court room. The formal announcement made by the judicial assistant is an all-inclusive call for silence in the court: “All rise, the court is now in session. The honourable Judge So and So, presiding.” Whatever the reason is, the scene captures the attention of all in the court room and all those watching alike. Once the announcement is made, the judge then takes his seat at the bench.

A similar courtroom scene is described in the Revelation 20: then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. The reverence and authority in these words, far exceed the rising of the “all” in an earthly court when the judge enters the court room.

In the courtroom, the appearance of the judge is sombre and authoritative. He is usually dressed in a plain black robe with a peruke on his head. In contrast, the attire of the Judge on the heavenly throne is described as having the appearance of jasper and carnelian in Revelation 4. Around the throne is a rainbow that has the appearance of an emerald. In addition, John saw the full bench of the heavenly court. There are twenty-four thrones around the throne and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

Once the judge has taken his seat, the prosecution is ready to present its case. In a criminal case the onus of proof rests with the prosecution. The charge is read and the prosecution explains how the evidence will be presented. The state prosecutor may or may not make an opening address. In practice this occurs only in complicated or serious cases. The purpose of the opening address is to allow the state to explain what the case is about and how it intends to prove it. This assists the court and the defence to follow the evidence. The prosecutor then leads the evidence of the state and presents its witnesses. Once the prosecutor concludes his evidence, the counsel for the defence presents the case of the accused.

Revelation 20:12 similarly, records the process of presenting evidence in the heavenly court. It reads: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. The charge, “You have all sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”  In the book of Revelation, the defence is described in one sentence. The only evidence presented, is the name of the accused written in the Book of Life.

During the court procedure, the judge may at any time request evidence as he thinks fit to inform himself as to the proper sentence to be passed. In the court process, the judge is not merely a passive umpire; he is an administrator of justice. Neither was Jesus, He came as the Saviour of world and paid for the transgressions of the world, so that all who have sinned, can be found innocent.

Once all the evidence has been presented, the court is ready to give the verdict. If the verdict of “Guilty,” is pronounced, it is followed by the sentence. The main purposes of sentencing are retribution, deterrence, prevention, and rehabilitation. In some ways, sentencing is the most important part of the trial. Equally, the main purpose of passing sentence in the heavenly court, is to determine where eternity will be spent. Jesus said "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven," Matthew 7:21. The will of God is that no one would perish but have eternal life and this life is only through confessing Jesus as the Saviour of the world. Therefore, anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Christ, died for his sins, and was raised on the third day, will have his name written in the Book of Life which proves beyond reasonable doubt, that he can enter the Kingdom of heaven. In addition to this confession, the Judge of heavenly court will judge everyone according to what they had done.

Unlike a court of justice in this world, in the heavenly court the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden remained on man and contrastively the accused is guilty until proven innocent.  Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome says, “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men because of one man.”

The pivotal point of the court procedure is when the judge reads the sentence. At this stage, the accused is requested to stand. If the verdict is the guilty, the accused is remitted to custody. 

In the heavenly court the verdict has already been captured in the pages of the New Testament. It is either eternal life of eternal death. Jesus told the Pharisees that only in Him there is eternal life. The verdict that will be pronounced on those who are found guilty, is  “I never knew you,” and the sentence will be “depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." But for those who are washed in the blood of Jesus, the  Judge of the heavenly court will say:

“Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”