Hi Mr. Vinson,

I am a loyal reader of your site. I read your commentary about serving in the military and about voting, but I didn’t see anything about jury duty. I get these jury summons about once a year, and my feelings are that I should judge no man.
Are there any Scriptures concerning this matter that you know of?
Kind Regards,

N____

Hi N____,
You are right. This is not a matter of what I believe. We are told that we are to judge those things within our own fellowships, but we are not to judge the things that are without:

1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
1Co 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
1Co 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

The way God “judges them that are without” is through “the powers that be” [ which] are ordained of God to punish evil doers:”

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4 For he [ rulers of this world] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

An ambassador does not do jury duty in a foreign country any more that he serves in that country’s military.
When I was drafted into the military at the age of 18, I told my draft board that I could not submit to a government which required that I kill my enemies. I explained that I considered my citizenship to be in heaven and not on this earth.
(ASV) For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

I told them that I could not serve in the military in any capacity and that I was willing to face the consequences of my convictions. I literally lived in fear of going to prison for over three years before the Vietnam War ended, and the draft was abolished. I do not expect that everyone who faces these trials will be where I am, but you asked what the scriptures teach, and I have given you those scriptures.
I cannot see Jesus Christ as either a Roman soldier or as a Roman juror. I cannot even see Christ as a judge in cases involving the law of Moses which He saw fit to reform in nearly every “But I say unto you …” statement which He made in His so- called sermon on the mount. Here is part of His reformation in that ‘sermon on the mount:

Mat 6:24 (a) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other…

What applies to military service applies to jury duty. One of the greatest trials while in this flesh is to stay aloof from the affairs of this age. The Adversary is constantly drawing us into the things which nourish him. He is constantly drawing us into the things of the flesh.
Go back and reread the principles laid down in those scriptures relating to military service. Jury duty is just a less obvious way of being asked to become involved in the affairs of this age. Very few Christians and almost no ministers are willing to be faithful to the words of Christ in these days of “the war on terror.”

I pray that God will give you the strength to stand for your convictions and that those convictions will be based on His Word and not on your fear of what man can do to you.

Mike>