‘Rolf Harris has admitted he is
good at disguising a "dark side" of his character as he gave evidence
for a second day at his sex abuse trial. The 84-year-old TV entertainer said
his wife and daughter had not known of his relationship with an alleged victim.
Prosecuting lawyer Sasha Wass QC said the court would need to fathom "how
dark that dark side actually is"’. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27600141].
This is part of the BBC report
of the criminal case taking place in London featuring the once famous Australian
entertainer Rolf Harris. Whatever we may think of the case or Mr Harris for
that matter, the comments of the prosecuting barrister are interesting. The
accused has admitted to having what has been described as a ‘dark side’ and of ‘disguising’
it. In what way that might affect the outcome of the trial we shall have to
wait and see.
For me the interesting point is
that we all have a ‘dark side’, not just Mr Harris. God’s message is this: ‘The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’
That is God’s verdict, not the verdict of a barrister, court, or jury. God
searches each of our hearts, scrutinizes them in a way that we cannot, compares
them with His standard, and declares them ‘wicked’! Like the defendant in the
trial mentioned above, we are all capable of disguising the fact of our ‘darker
side’. We can dress in our finest array, be ‘on our best behaviour’ in public,
and perform all the niceties that will gain us acceptance in society. However,
that will only change what is external. It will not change anything inside! We
all remain guilty before God as sinners – those who have fallen short of God’s
standard!
I do not know what the jury
will decide in the Harris court case. I haven’t heard the evidence, or even
kept up-to-date through the news. However, if the verdict is guilty, Harris
will have to face judgement and an appropriate sentence. As guilty sinners, we are
all facing the judgement of God – separation from God in Hell. What a sorry
situation! The good news of the Bible is that we don’t have to remain sinners
under the judgement of God. Seeing our need, God has provided a Saviour in the
person of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to save us from sin and
guilt because of His death upon a Roman cross some 2000 years ago. He died
there to carry the burden of our sin and guilt, and to pay the price to secure
our freedom. The big question today is will you accept God’s offer of mercy in
Jesus Christ? Will you admit you are guilty? Will you accept Jesus Christ as
your Saviour, or will you continue to try and disguise the facts and live on as
you are?
