Double Jeopardy

A friend of mine recently committed a misdemeanor crime. The state supreme court tried and convicted my friend and he received his punishment. Then, a lower court decided to try my friend again, for the same crime. He, of course, was found guilty again and once again received punishment.

In the United States, we strive to deal out the most fair form of justice possible. We call my friend's situation 'double jeopardy' and it is against the law.

Today I read Romans 2 and saw this passage:

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?


I had two thoughts when I read this:

1. This seems to be a familiar situation. (People judging other people.)

2. This seems a lot like double jeopardy.


At this point I must admit that I do not have a friend who has been a victim of double jeopardy, but I merely used the story as an illustration. If we so readily sense the evil in a double-conviction in the courtroom, why can't we sense the evil in a double-conviction within ourselves. God has already passed the judgment and delivered the consequences; there is nothing left for us to do.