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Judge declares mistrial in Clemens Case read the headlines today as reported by NewsCore on Fox Sports website. The reason for declaring a mistrial was because the federal prosecutor presented to the jury "evidence" that had already been declared by US District Judge Reggie Walton as inadmissible during the pre-trial. The evidence was a video clip of former Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte's wife Laura testifying before Congress that she heard her husband say that Roger Clemens had told him that he had used human growth hormones.
The judge had ruled, during pre-trial, that Mrs. Pettitte's testimony was hearsay, and therefore inadmissible. When the prosecutor presented the video to the jury, Clemens' lawyer objected and requested a mistrial, which was granted. Lot's of tax dollars have been spent to reach this point where there is still no verdict. Whether there will even be another trial is up to the federal prosecutor's.
Through the third lens of Scripture: The Bible makes no direct comment concerning the use of human growth hormones, or even vitamins or protein shakes to enhance one's athletic performance. I do believe that the Bible makes it clear that our culture's infatuation with and idolization of sports and the stars thereof is wrong. Consider "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them...." (Exodus 20:3-4a)
These are the first two of the Ten Commandments.
Please understand, I do not sit in judgment of anyone who is a sports fan, or who is an athlete. I myself am among the former and in my younger days was among the latter. This is a matter of one's own personal conscience. I will say though that if sports had not reached the place of idolatry on a national/international level that there would not be $20MM+ salaries being paid to professional athletes who are playing games and who are unionized.
Concerning this whole matter of athletics and physical training, the Bible says: "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8). You see, this body of flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50) so anything done to improve or enhance the body has benefit for this life only. Godliness, and anything which trains the soul towards godliness (which by the way tends to keep the flesh and all its desires in check) has benefit in this life, AND the next. This is a subject worth several pages of teaching. Suffice it to say that the flesh and the spirit (soul) are at war with one another (read Romans 7:7 - 8:17), and the flesh (sinful nature) could care less about the Kingdom of God because it won't get to go there.
Now, continuing with Roger's case - the whole trial is about whether Roger lied in his testimony before the Congressional Committee. I find this a bit of a laugher because congressmen lie to each other and to us all the time. The president lies before Congress and the American people. The interesting thing is that Roger probably would not have gone to jail had he told the Committee that he used HGH (assuming that he did). That wasn't a crime, and for a number of years wasn't even against the rules of Major League Baseball. Had he admitted to using them though, his reputation would have been tarnished, and his entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame placed in jeopardy.
Let me conclude that if Roger did lie, he was guilty of breaking the 9th Commandment. Whether a court ever finds him guilty will make no difference to God. He has the last say in matters of justice and mercy. I only pray that Roger, who like me has probably broken most, if not all of the Commandments, throws himself on God's mercy. To do so will require him to confess his sins and repent from them (change his mind about them) and place his trust in Jesus Christ. And then God, who in His holiness declares that breaking one commandment is as bad as breaking all of them (James 2:10) will cause mercy to triumph over justice (James 2:13). When we stand before the judgment seat of God, there will be no mistrial, no getting off on a technicality. The only way to escape judgment is to accept God's mercy and forgiveness offered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10).
Be encouraged as you walk free from fear, children of God, and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14-17).
