We need to love the murderer, rapist and mobster!

[hishandmaiden]

When we see a murderer, a rapist, or a mobster, our first reaction is to be disgusted by what these people did. It is natural. God created us with conscience, and it seemed that these people have no conscience or they would not be doing what they did. Our knowledge of what good and evil is made us despised these people who seemed delighted in only doing evil and not good. We think they deserve to go to jails and even to go the electric chairs!

What we often forget is that while our own sins may seem small in our eyes, they are large and big in God's eyes. We may think we are good people, but we are sinners, too, in God's eyes, just like the murderer, rapist, mobster we despise.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8 ESV

Before we know God or receive Jesus into our lives, we are just as hopeless as the mobster, rapist or murderer we despise. Yet, God does not think we deserve to go to eternal jail, hell but deserve to be blessed with Him in our eternal home, heaven. God gives us a second chance. Jesus died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. God did not give us what we deserve.

So, it is important that we do not look with disdain at the murderer, rapist or mobster but we look at them with compassion, instead. We also ought not to give to them what we think they deserve--jail or electric chair but our compassions.

"Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor." Proverbs 14:21 ESV

God loves these hopeless scums we despise. God do not want them to perish without knowing Him. If they repent and receive Jesus into their lives, even they can be saved. They can turn from a life of crime and live a righteous and blessed life, just like us.

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18 ESV

Let us care for these rapists, murderers and mobsters like the way God wants us to. Let us look at them not at what they currently are, hopeless scums but see them the way God does--- His beloved sons and daughters, who Jesus came down to die for.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10 ESV

No sin is too great in God's eyes. Every murderer, rapist and mobster needs to know Jesus. Let us not judge them for their sins, but pray fervently for their salvations, instead. Let us not think we are more righteous than them, but remember that we are sinners like they are, until God saved us.

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7: 3 ESV

We need to look at these prodigal sons and daughters from a different perspective, not as scums that deserve to be judged for their sins but as precious human beings, made in God's image, who deserve to be reconciled with God!

 

[Whatever]

who deserve to be reconciled with God!

What did these people do to "deserve" anything other than their punishment.

Dictionary on deserve = to merit, be qualified for, or have a claim to.

New King James
Romans 1:32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

All of us have merited damnation. None of us deserve to be reconciled with God. People are only reconciled to God by God's unmerited grace.

Yes, we as sinners should pray for their salvation exactly because they don't deserve it.

 

[WIP]

I would have to say yes and no to what you've written here. You said, "God does not think we deserve to go to eternal jail, hell..." Actually, it is quite the opposite.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
Isaiah 59:1-2 NKJV

You are indeed angry, for we have sinned—
In these ways we continue;
And we need to be saved. (from what?)
But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.
And there is no one who calls on Your name,
Who stirs himself up to take hold of You;
For You have hidden Your face from us,
And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
Isaiah 64:5-7 NKJV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Romans 1:28-32 ESV

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NKJV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 NKJV)

I said that I would have to say yes and no. This is why. It is true that God would love for everyone to be saved but it is only by the grace of God through fellowship with His Son, that we can be saved from the death we deserve.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
John 3:16-18 NKJV

 

[jasonc]

There is forgiven sex offender that is faithful to God that attends my church .he said I am guilty of that crime .

 

[Tenchi]

When we see a murderer, a rapist, or a mobster, our first reaction is to be disgusted by what these people did. It is natural. God created us with conscience, and it seemed that these people have no conscience or they would not be doing what they did. Our knowledge of what good and evil is made us despised these people who seemed delighted in only doing evil and not good. We think they deserve to go to jails and even to go the electric chairs!

Well, God says that all unrepentant sinners - not just murderers or rapists - will go to eternal hell, if they don't avail themselves of His mercy and grace extended in Jesus Christ to all lost sinners. God says the wickedness of all unrepentant sinners is so bad, so offensive and evil, that the appropriate response to it is to punish it with everlasting torment and separation from Himself in the "blackness of darkness" where there is "wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Romans 2:4-10; Jude 1:13; Matthew 13:50; 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). It seems to me, then, that a feeling of revulsion at things like rape and murder are exactly in keeping with God's feeling about these things, though our feeling doesn't begin to approach God's.

What we often forget is that while our own sins may seem small in our eyes, they are large and big in God's eyes.

Do we forget this? I sure don't.

Before we know God or receive Jesus into our lives, we are just as hopeless as the mobster, rapist or murderer we despise. Yet, God does not think we deserve to go to eternal jail, hell but deserve to be blessed with Him in our eternal home, heaven.

I'm afraid this isn't accurate. In fact, what God actually says in His word is that we all deserve eternal hell (Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23; Romans 2:4-10). We don't get what we deserve, though, because God is loving, gracious and merciful, as well as holy and just. There is nothing in us that warrants God's love and mercy; He is just, by His essential nature, this way and we are the indescribably fortunate recipients of His undeserved goodness.

So, it is important that we do not look with disdain at the murderer, rapist or mobster but we look at them with compassion, instead. We also ought not to give to them what we think they deserve--jail or electric chair but our compassions.

We ought to take up God's view of sin. And He views sin as being so awful, so vile and wretched, that the appropriate response to all of it is to cast those guilty of sin, and unrepentant about it, into eternal hell.

Concerning the sinner, we ought to do as God has done and extend the offer of His forgiveness in Jesus Christ to them. But this does not entail suspending the consequences of their evil. Consider the thief on the cross, for example. Though he was saved, he was not miraculously liberated from his death by crucifixion.

No sin is too great in God's eyes.

Actually, the sin of unrepentance, of the rejection of the salvation offered in Christ, is "too great." Those guilty of such sin will be cast into outer darkness forever.

 

[NoahK]

When we see a murderer, a rapist, or a mobster, our first reaction is to be disgusted by what these people did. It is natural. God created us with conscience, and it seemed that these people have no conscience or they would not be doing what they did. Our knowledge of what good and evil is made us despised these people who seemed delighted in only doing evil and not good. We think they deserve to go to jails and even to go the electric chairs!

What we often forget is that while our own sins may seem small in our eyes, they are large and big in God's eyes. We may think we are good people, but we are sinners, too, in God's eyes, just like the murderer, rapist, mobster we despise.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8 ESV

Before we know God or receive Jesus into our lives, we are just as hopeless as the mobster, rapist or murderer we despise. Yet, God does not think we deserve to go to eternal jail, hell but deserve to be blessed with Him in our eternal home, heaven. God gives us a second chance. Jesus died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. God did not give us what we deserve.

So, it is important that we do not look with disdain at the murderer, rapist or mobster but we look at them with compassion, instead. We also ought not to give to them what we think they deserve--jail or electric chair but our compassions.

"Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor." Proverbs 14:21 ESV

God loves these hopeless scums we despise. God do not want them to perish without knowing Him. If they repent and receive Jesus into their lives, even they can be saved. They can turn from a life of crime and live a righteous and blessed life, just like us.

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:18 ESV

Let us care for these rapists, murderers and mobsters like the way God wants us to. Let us look at them not at what they currently are, hopeless scums but see them the way God does--- His beloved sons and daughters, who Jesus came down to die for.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10 ESV

No sin is too great in God's eyes. Every murderer, rapist and mobster needs to know Jesus. Let us not judge them for their sins, but pray fervently for their salvations, instead. Let us not think we are more righteous than them, but remember that we are sinners like they are, until God saved us.

"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7: 3 ESV

We need to look at these prodigal sons and daughters from a different perspective, not as scums that deserve to be judged for their sins but as precious human beings, made in God's image, who deserve to be reconciled with God!

God tells us to seek His Righteousness. He doesn't let evil go unpunished. So until a criminal repents, the right thing to do is jail time imo.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I’m conflicted .

Jail and prison often create more hardened criminals who now have additional criminal connections. In many countries there’s also the issue of a permanent record although some countries and USA states offer expungements more often now than in years past.

But honestly? Some people really need to not be in society. I’m serious. It’s not just about punishment or accountability but rather about everyone else…the common good.

From a Christian perspective I think prison ministries are a good place to start and thankfully many churches ️ do those.

If a person comes to truly know Jesus Christ then they will be changed. This is true of people with convictions and people who were upstanding citizens at the time of conversion.

 

[follower]

I’m conflicted .
Jail and prison often create more hardened criminals

Good and honest testimony, from your life and posts/statements by Jesus' Grace a Gift From ABBA YAHWEH.

Notice why the Creator did not give His people instructions to build nor to even have jails. (no, you won't find the truth/ the answer/ on this nor any other forum that I know of.

Give up man's thoughts and ways about justice, jails, voting, society, and so on, ;

seek only the Truth, only as Revealed by the Creator, as He Pleases (seeking Him and waiting for Him in all things).

You won't then stand in the company of sinners, nor sit in the company of gossipers liars and thieves.

Yahweh the Almighty Gives Peace in Truth, Victory over the world, by and in Yeshua. Not many people at all.

 

[Christ_empowered]

God’s justice often leans heavily on mercy with an overall focus on redemption and restoration. I know this because of His work in my own life.