An indictment is a set of written criminal charges issued against a party, where a grand jury, under the guidance of a prosecutor, has found that sufficient evidence exists to justify trying the party for that crime. I don’t want to opine on the current indictment in the news because we are most likely split in our opinions of it. My point today is to apply the term to our own lives.
Having a career in law enforcement, I know that it is a relatively simple task to obtain a grand jury indictment on an individual. You certainly need to present evidence, but there is a much lower standard than required in a trial. Plus the individual does not have the opportunity to present a defense. The grand jury decides if there is sufficient evidence to justify a trial.
Let’s avoid the current news and apply this to your life. Using this lower standard of a grand jury indictment, if being a Christian was illegal, would there be sufficient evidence to indict you for the charge of being a Christian? You would certainly hope so. Let’s take this a step further. I’ve heard this analogy before and it steps on my toes every time I hear it. If you are indicted and go to trial, will there be enough evidence of your Christianity to convict you? I pray that Christianity is never outlawed, but I want to live my life in such a way that provides a mountain of evidence that I am “guilty” of being a Christian! How about you?
Romans 1:16 (NLT) - For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.