Newbury Park Adventist Academy sophomores held a mock trial to defend God’s character earlier this year and invited me, Pastor Simon Liversidge, to be the prosecutor, since I have a law degree as well as one in theology. The student counselors and their staff of research attorneys wore ties for the occasion. Only designated counselors were allowed to speak, but their staff fed them Bible verses and other ammunition in God’s defense.

The only exceptions: counselors could defer for personal testimonies by their support staff, or for a recitation of God’s law. After being sworn in with a pledge to tell the whole biblical truth, counselors gave their opening statements. They stated that God is just and merciful, that they would prove from the Bible that He is above reproach.

I then began my prosecution. I initially accused God of being evil since He gave Adam and Eve a choice to eat of the tree, knowing that they would choose to sin. “Only an evil God would make such a decision,” I told the court.

The counselors responded with Bible passages showing God’s mercy toward humanity; His willingness to let them choose, but His desire that they not sin. Most tellingly, they pointed to their belief that Jesus on the cross showed that God is not evil, but willing to take the punishment of man on Himself. They responded that, in the end, God will wipe away all evil and show Himself just in His treatment of humanity.

Other accusations included lack of mercy in not forgiving Adam and Eve, killing so many people, especially innocent children; inconsistency in His dealings with people; harshness and brutality in wiping out the world with a flood, killing the Canaanites and much more.

The students presented a great deal of biblical evidence showing God’s consistent love for mankind, yet His ability to change and treat His people differently as His people grew in understanding of Him. They defended God’s mercy in offering forgiveness and His justice in dealing firmly with sin, demonstrating particularly that His law was not meant to make life difficult, but to be a blessing.

Although the students had to work extremely hard responding to the myriad of accusations against God, they ultimately vindicated Him, solidly portraying His character as just and merciful. Moreover, the students came to a much greater understanding of who God is and in their ability to prove what they believe about God from the Bible.