The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney

Well, … WOW, AMAZING, COMPELLING, THOUGHT PROVOKING …
Okay, so I’ll never be a professional book reviewer, but really, WOW! This is an incredible read! The author, Randy Singer, is a fiction writer and former trial lawyer. Singer does a masterful job of portraying a believable character, Oliver Finney, who is trying, just like us, to live out his faith so that others might see Christ. He’s not perfect; he has his own struggles, failures, and vices perhaps that why I liked him so much. The author weaves intrigue, mystery, humor, and a whole bunch of faith into a must read for everyone! It’s a lengthy but easy read, and so compelling you’ll have trouble putting it down. Thanks to snow days I did approx. 50 chapters in one day! Now that’s a good book! It will leave you reflecting on the kind of impact your life makes in His Kingdom.

I’m anxious to read his other book, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ. Here’s what Singer has to say about his book –
“The purpose of this book, like the purpose of any effective cross-examination, is to reveal the truth – not just what Jesus taught but who Jesus is. His character. His intellect. His mission. The astounding depth of His love. Our verdict will be a lifestyle more like His.

Cross-examination, my professors stressed, is the most dangerous part of any trial. … That’s why you never ask a question if you don’t already know the answer.
The classic illustration goes something like this:
LAWYER (defending someone accused of assault): You didn’t actually see my client bite the nose of the alleged victim. Isn’t that true?
WITNESS: That’s true.
LAWYER: In fact, at the time of the alleged incident, there were several people engaged in a fight and your view of the victim was blocked. Isn’t that true?
WITNESS: Yes.
LAWYER: Then how can you be so sure that it was my client who bit the victim’s nose as opposed to one of the other men in the fight?
WITNESS: Because I saw him spit it out.

Tricky business, and dangerous, this road toward the mind of Christ. The devil is still a crafty cross-examiner, twisting the truth and distorting the testimony. Like Mike Tyson after his prime, Satan couldn’t land many direct punches on Christ, but he still had a nasty bite. At the cross, hell bit off more than it could chew.

“How do you know?” you ask (violating the cardinal rule of cross-examination).

“Because three days later they saw hell spit Him out.”