Undeniable Evidence

I wonder what evidence Christ has verified in each of our lives - is it really apparent, so all can see?  If not, perhaps we might want to consider how evidence is actually revealed and what purpose evidence fulfills!  

^4-6Every time I think of you—and I think of you often!—I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus. There's no end to what has happened in you—it's beyond speech, beyond knowledge. The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.

(I Corinthians 1:4-6 The Message)

Paul speaks to the Corinthian believers of their free and open access to God - a gift provided through the sacrificial work of Christ.  In looking into their lives, he proclaims there is no limit to what Christ produces when a man or woman fully yields their lives to his control!  In fact, he says it goes beyond what words could describe and what the mind could comprehend!  Now, think on that one!

Evidence either proves or disproves something.  If there is enough evidence, we say the fact is proved.  If the evidence is lacking, we say the trust we place in the facts we can see is more trustworthy.  Evidence can either convey a reason to increase our belief, or if lacking, it can further eliminate our basis for believing.  

Evidence makes a clear showing of the truth.  Paul uses this word to describe exactly what Christ does through the activity of the Holy Spirit within us.  He makes a clear showing of the redemptive work of Christ IN US.  In a court of law, evidence plays an important part in proving the case being presented.  Not all forms of evidence carry as much "weight" in proving the case - some evidence is merely anecdotal to the case being presented, while other evidence is so important it cannot be discounted or denied.

For evidence to be admissible in a court of law, it must have been maintained through a "chain of custody".  In other words, it must have clearly been identified as evidence, carefully "preserved", transferred with great care, and analyzed with the toughest of inspection.  When the chain is followed, the evidence bears the greatest significance.  

There is a spiritual chain of custody, too.  In fact, the Holy Spirit has the job of identifying the things within our lives which serve as evidence of Christ's work.  He then sets out to preserve the evidence - keeping us from discounting it, losing sight of it, or seeing it as too insignificant to matter.  He also makes sure the evidence of Christ's work in us is analyzed with the toughest of inspection - ensuring the evidence is "verified".  

Verification is just the confirmation of the authenticity of something.  When others look at us, the Holy Spirit has the mission of ensuring the authenticity of Christ's work is displayed with such accuracy so as to allow the toughest of inspection without being able to find fault with the evidence!  I don't know what evidence of Christ's activity in your life the Holy Spirit may be focusing on right now, but I do know he is at work!  He wants to display the evidence in order to "convince" others of the authenticity of a life change - the very purpose of evidence is to convince others!

Think about what God is focusing on in your life today.  It is not by accident his attention is focused on the particular area - it is designed to bring forth the evidence!  Some evidence is right out there in plain view - easily identified.  Other evidence is a little deeper - needing to be uncovered by the action of one who knows where to look!  The Holy Spirit is the best "detective" we could want on our case when it comes to uncovering the evidence of Christ IN US!  So, "inspect on"!  The evidence bears uncovering!