Witnesses Not Attorneys

Jesus was in the Upper Room with the disciples, knowing He would be betrayed, tried, and crucified. He promised His disciples that someone better, the Holy Spirit, is coming. He used the Greek term paraklētos for the Holy Spirit, which has been translated over time as “Comforter,” “Helper,” and, most fittingly, “Advocate”. He stands in our defense like a lawyer and plays a vital role in witnessing.

Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  Acts 1:8. Being a witness is one of the most demanding callings; that’s why Jesus said we need the power of the Holy Spirit. Without Him, the task is not only daunting but impossible.

The Courtroom

Imagine a courtroom. The leading roles include a judge or jury, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, and the accused, who is on trial; the prosecution and the defense present evidence and witnesses. The evidence is like scattered pieces of a huge puzzle; both the prosecution and defense try to connect those pieces to prove their point. Witnesses are those who may have seen parts of the picture being formed, and their testimony helps to connect the other pieces. A good judge or juror relies heavily on the testimony of credible witnesses to grasp the truth. 

The judge or the juror

The judge or the juror is the heart of those who are not able to believe in God and are looking for answers to the ‘Who is God?’ question. Most of them think that there is some higher spiritual power behind the universe and the origin of humans. Others believe it is science, the Big Bang, natural selection, and evolution. However, they are confused and looking for answers in the midst of competing claims.

The truth is that faith transcends logical reasoning. It does not dismiss observable logic or science; rather, it surpasses them and reveals far greater realities that are not visible and cannot be easily explained. The judge and the jurors are looking to us as witnesses for the evidence of God’s love, salvation, and the ultimate hope.  

God and the enemy

Jesus is on trial, accused of His atonement as Savior of the world.  The enemy is the prosecutor; his primary purpose is to deceive people into not believing in Jesus Christ or, at the very least, to create doubt in their hearts. He is using parents, friends, the educational system, entertainment, and fringe groups that systematically promote disbelief, doubt, confusion, and ungodly values.

He is deceiving the witnesses, like you and me, to keep us busy with the so-called good things. His deception has reshaped our understanding of God’s blessing, reducing it to education, career, house, spouse, health, and the things of the world. Instead of being the witnesses of God’s sacrifice, love, salvation, and hope of eternity, we now testify to what we own, what we lack, and what we crave.

Responsibility of witnesses

Witnesses are expected to testify only to the truth they know firsthand. They must not assume or present their interpretations as evidence. They are responsible for recounting what they have seen or experienced. If a witness is uncertain about something, it is crucial to state, "I don't know" or "I'm not sure." However, making assumptions about details can be detrimental. Preaching, dialogue, apologetics, and debate have their places, but when it comes to witnessing, our sole responsibility is to bear witness to what we have experienced firsthand.

Holy Spirit, the Advocate

The Holy Spirit is our advocate. He knows everything, including all the schemes, plans, false evidence, and the witnesses the enemy has presented to deceive. The Holy Spirit is aware of everything taking place in the courtroom. Therefore, He knows the best time to introduce the witness.

As witnesses, we need to depend on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, more than anything. Jesus said, "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit." Mark 13:11. He also said, "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."  John 14:26.  

Witnesses, not advocates

A witness does not participate in the entire trial; only the advocate is aware of the whole process, actively involved in legal arguments, the interpretation of evidence, and presenting the witnesses. Instead of being a witness guided by the Holy Spirit, in our best intentions to convince those who do not believe, unknowingly, we have become advocates, self-representing the case. It is acceptable to miss an opportunity or lose an argument, but it is not acceptable to misrepresent. The enemy is a master manipulator; He twists what we present, reshaping it to his advantage and sowing doubt in the hearts of the judges. Therefore, being a faithful witness and bearing the weight of true testimony is the most significant responsibility of each Christian.