Many people have secrets, secrets that no one else knows except God, of course. Some of the secrets people hold, if known, would cause shame and embarrassment, some would lead to emotional pain and suffering in others, some secrets if known would bring an end to relationships, and some secrets would even cause imprisonment.

Your secrets are yours to keep but there is something about your life that cannot be kept a secret, and that is (if it is true) that you have been born again from Heaven by a confession of faith in the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ.

If you are a true follower of Jesus, you’ve been forgiven of your sins and washed clean of them by the shed blood of Christ, this is not to be kept a secret. That fact about you is to be easily observed with the eyes by how you live and don’t live, and perceived with the ears of others by what you say or don’t say.

Being a Christian cannot be kept a secret before others—but today for most believing themselves followers of Jesus—it is a closely held personal secret outside of the church meeting or the bible study group one attends. That’s a problem with God especially for we that have been appointed to be alive is these last days for our testimony to the lost.

† Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

On the one hand, you and I may not be called to be missionaries or street preachers or be on the local church’s visitation ministry team—or even to stand in a busy parking lot passing out tracts. However, we are to be a shining light in the darkness of this world. You have heard me mention this more than once over the years and that is about what someone said back in the late 70s.

What I heard that has always stuck with me is this: “We should daily be in the business of representing the good news that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ—and sometimes we might use words.” The idea put forth then was and still is what you and I and all true believers are called to do and that is “lifestyle evangelism.” Lifestyle evangelism is living openly what we believe before all men—whether we mention the Name of Jesus or not.

And so we get to the title of today’s exhortation: What Evidences Will Convict You? In what I have to say today we will look at the question of what evidences are there about you that would convict you of being a true Christian in a modern day court of law.

Evidence : The available body of facts or information indicating that a belief or proposition is true or valid; data on which to base proof or to establish truth or falsehood. Evidence can take the form of testimony, documents, photographs, videos, voice recordings, DNA testing, or other tangible objects.

If you were accused of embezzlement and forced to stand trial in a court of law—to arrive at a guilty verdict by the jury, the prosecutor would use whatever was found that was the evidence (proof) of your crime (cancelled checks, bank deposits, vacations or cash purchases of things way above your income level, witnesses of suspicious or boastful actions, etc.). For one that is standing trial for murder, the hard evidence of the crime would be presented to the jury in the state’s drive for a homicide conviction (incidental witnesses, confidential informants, video, cell-phone records, DNA reports, motive, the murder weapon, etc.).

Now I ask you this today: If suddenly tomorrow laws were passed that could reach backwards in time (a law that retroactively criminalizes behaviors) leading to the arrest and prosecution of everyone that was alleged to be a Christian—would there be enough hard evidence to convict (you?) or would you, out of fear of prison or even death, defend yourself by saying, “Prove it—if you can!” knowing that there was little proof by the way you actually lived. What clear and undeniable evidence would the district attorney’s office present to the judge and jury that would lead to an easy conviction of your Christian beliefs—or would you be exonerated from the charges because of the jury’s reasonable doubt that you were, by the lack of facts, a true Christian? You were found not guilty because there did not seem to be any good proof that you actually have been a follower of Jesus Christ.

Let me read what the Word has to say about Christian want-a-be’s (tares), today’s ChINOs (Christians in name only), pretenders, the lukewarm and those weak in their faith in God, and one day to be exposed as spiritual cowards.

† Matthew 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. . . 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. . . 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

† Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

† Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

I don’t know about you but I want to be found “guilty-as-charged” by the indisputable evidence that I have been and continue to be, in spite of bad laws, a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Daniel was a man like that.

† Daniel 6:5 Then said these men [presidents and princes], We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. . . 8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. 10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

† Malachi 3:16 ...they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

What evidences will convict you and me of being true followers of Jesus—that we are the genuine article? The answers are not much different than what it takes to convict anyone of criminal acts in today’s legal system.

What testimony or documents can be presented that show you have a heart for God, His Son Jesus, the written Word of God and the work of the Gospel? Are their cancelled checks or money orders or witnesses to cash offerings that can be used to show that you are a regular giver? Are there significant tax deductions claimed on your income tax forms? Are there witnesses of times you have freely and generously helped someone in need?

What do people in your neighborhood, workplace or classrooms, where you do business, and what your own family members testify to about what you talk about and how you behave have to say about your Christianity? Do those things line up with how the Bible teaches us to think, to speak, and in the actions we take? Can a prosecutor present witnesses that confidently affirm that you love God and Jesus Christ and are not ashamed to say it and live like you do?

Are there any recordings or video, phone conversations and texts, or emails that would expose your love for and genuine faith in God to a world of God-haters or atheists, which would lead to the unanimous vote by a jury of your peers that you are a real Christian? For the true-blue born again child of God I know there would be no regrets of such evidences but instead great peace and joy in God’s salvation when by the proof of these things and others, that man or woman would be delighted to be convicted as charged—found to be a bona fide follower of Jesus.

But what if there is little or no hard core evidence that you are a dedicated follower of Jesus—which would get you off the hook here? If a man or woman is not now devoted to his or her walk with the Lord and living by strong faith in Him during fairly good times—how will that man or woman (you?) endure to the end of the great trouble ahead of us and be saved into the realm of God (I do not believe it can be done)? In Heaven’s view, no evidence in the heart or lived-out before men of being born again, living by faith in God and loving both truth and God’s Word is a serious problem!

† Mathew 24:9 ...Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

† 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. . . 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong (powerful and effective) delusion (from imposter/misleader to fraud, error, deception), that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

† John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

† Luke 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

† Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

My exhortation today is that if there is little or no evidence that can convict you of the charges of being a Jesus-lover and His disciple in a court of law, there probably are some very serious deficiencies in your relationship with God. And in view of the times we are entering, that should scare the heaven into you! By reading and knowing God’s written Word, talking to Him regularly, and adjusting all your ways to be His ways, beyond what Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 inform us of, here are two examples of what you will be ready to endure:

† Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

† Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. . . 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

† Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

When the time comes for you and for me in the days not far ahead, in perhaps the only situation where this world agrees with Heaven, LET IT BE SAID that under careful scrutiny the clear evidence of your life and mine is this: You have been found guilty of being a genuine follower of Jesus Christ!

† Psalm 34: 1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.