The Judge walks in, and immediately the atmosphere shifts. It was already tense before but now it’s heavier so much so that you find yourself unable to breathe. You want to take a deeper gasp but you’re afraid to make a sound, scared to move, scared to even disturb the air around you lest you capture the attention of The Judge and He turns His gaze towards you. You bow your head, eyes fixed on your trembling feet, wishing—praying—that you could shrink. Shrink until you vanish.
The Judge finally at His throne takes a seat, the whole room trembles. A lady at the front, the one in pink faints. She is immediately carried away by two Orderlies dressed in pure white. You wish that it were you, you wish for the momentary reprieve away from His Holiness but a power unseen keeps you standing.
“You cannot run away” the voices sing, malicious course whispers, “judgement, judgement” in unison they cry.
“Please be seated” The Judge commands.
You’re unable to move but His voice you cannot resist.
The pin drop silence ensues, your teeth chattering is the only thing you can hear until Mr. Accuser arises.
His voice is a paradox, smooth and silky yet tinged with venom and a brutality that leaks from his dark eyes. You can tell that he hates you, though you wonder why as this is the first time you’re seeing him.
He snarls at you, as the course whispers hum, “destroy- we want your destruction, kill kill- we shall feast on your blood, steal steal steal- rob the very life within you. Complete annihilation!!”
Mr Accusor and the voices are in agreement, you sink lower into your seat.
Mr. Accuser calls you to the stand, it’s rimmed with red, blood of every accused who came before you. “No escape” the voices promise.
Mr. Accuser:Meet The Accused, the paradigm of virtue. A committed member of Saints are Us, Church of the Holies. She leads praise and worship every Friday and Sunday, morning and evening, and never misses practice. She mentors younger men and women from far and wide, inviting them for Bible study every Thursday morning. Her skirts sweep the Church floor, and her arms no brother has seen. Oh paradigm of virtue, no foul words leave your lips, no service have you missed, in every Christian man’s list all boxes you have ticked? Isn’t she the perfect Christian?….(He asks the crowd)
Voices, course and merciless : Wolf! Wolf! In sheep’s clothing, she is a wolf.
Mr Accusor: 2015, 17th August a Tuesday night at 1 am, Accused where were you?
The Accused: I… I…I waaa…I was,I was (bows head in shame, too guilt ridden to answer)
Mr. Accuser: I…I.. let me help you, as the benevolent person that I am. At this ungodly hour, our paradigm of virtue instead of attending the 24 hour midnight prayer kesha, instead of praying for the lost souls of Burkina Faso, instead of tarrying for the economy of her nation, decided to spread the gospel in the personal chambers of a Mr. Wainain…(he yells)
There’s a collective gasp, the courtroom erupts into chaos, you sink further into your seat, voice barely a whisper,“ I repented, it was a mistake, it was before I was sav…”
The room explodes, the voices chant, “Unclean, unclean, corrupted is she!!”
The Judge: Order!!!
At once the room is silent.
Mr. Accuser: Oh paradigm of virtue, isn’t that your friend? (He points to a lady at the back) Your very good friend in fact, whom you yourself prayed for and got a revelation of her current husband?
The Accused: Yes that is my friend.
Mr. Accuser: If she is your friend, why haven’t you called her in the last two years? I’ll spare you the stammering, isn’t it true that you cut her off due to the envy that has so wrapped itself around your heart? Haven’t you spent hours questioning, why her and not you? Why has she been promoted when you’re still looking for a stable job? Why is she married with 9 children when you haven’t dated anyone since University? Why her not you?
You cry and sink even further into your seat, you don’t dare to look at your friend who’s missed calls are still piling up in your phone.
Mr. Accuser: Would you Paradigm of virtue say that you are contented with where you are at in life or will you truthfully admit that you are tempted to grab a few extra thousands every time you are in charge of collecting the offering? Will you Paradigm of virtue hold on to that veil of kindness and not in fact admit to all and sundry that you have been too proud of the image you created, to ask for help when you’ve barely opened your Bible in the last year? Will you oh great paradigm of virtue confess and let everyone know that you’ve been lazy at work, putting in the bare minimum and nothing else? Won’t you Paradigm of virtue not let everyone know that you’ve been cursing in your heart at your head of department because he will not incorporate your suggestions into the Ministry? Paradigm of virtue, won’t you take off that armor of pretence and hypocrisy?! Admit today that you have been putting on airs as in fact there is nothing, nothing pure or righteous about you, you wolf! Admit that you’re a hypocrite, admit that you’re not perfect You Accused, ADMIT!!!
You don’t sink into your seat but at The Judge’s feet you crawl, body weighed down by a guilt that has shattered you to your core. And with the voices you sing, “ I am a sinner, worst of them all. I am deserving of death. Failure, failure that is my name. I am not deserving of your grace, only of death. I cannot stand in your presence Lord, send me away. Impure am I. Death, death, death nothing less”
And in your despair, you reject His saving grace and under the Accuser’s condemnation forget that your sin has already been paid.That “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).
You forget that the verdict was already spoken;
Romans 8:1-2 NIV
[1] Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, [2] because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
And you forget these words He said…
~ Anonymous