We need to love the murderer, rapist and mobster!

[christgal33]

I agree. It is important that we must love those who had fallen as well as we loved those who are saints. It is not easy. Our natural man will not like to love a murderer, or a rapist but that is why we need to take up the cross and sacrifice our own natural instincts.

 

[Tenchi]

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.

What is so ironic in the statement above is that God hates sin - all of it, from a proud look to murder, it's all abominable behavior in His eyes (Proverbs 6:16-19). But the OPer seems to be urging us to take a soft view of sin because we, too, are sinners. This isn't God's command. Instead, He tells us to hate and reject our pride and selfishness, our "pettier" sins of resentment, and gluttony, and sexual lust, just as much as we ought to hate and reject rape and murder.

Are we to cast aside the sinner? No, of course not. We are to love the sinner as God does. But this love never requires that we condone or soften the terrible sin of rape, or murder, or whatever. Our condemnation of these evil things ought to be crystal clear and unyielding - just as our condemnation of arrogance, divisiveness, gossip, and bitterness ought to be.

It isn't godly compassion that moves a Christian to pat the back of the convict in prison and tell them they aren't such a bad person. They are so evil, God says, that if they don't repent of their sin and submit themselves to His authority, they will go to hell. This is what the convict needs to hear above all else, not that, underneath all of their sin, they're actually a good person.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I dunno

Teaching one’s desperate need for forgiveness is part of the good news. So is the love of Jesus Christ. I don’t know….

How to properly explain it to any unbeliever without resorting to manipulation. Fire and brimstone to put fear in him? The mercy of Christ because he had a hard life?

Thankfully all Christians can do is water and wait and pray . God gives the increase…

 

[Whatever]

Gen 9:6 "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.

Life in prison for murder is a cruel and unusual punishment. It especially punishes all the tax payers that have to pay for this murdererto be fed, clothed and get health care for 50 or more years.

The Civil magistrate:
Romans 13:4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

Notice the sword is an instrument for killing.

Earlier in chapter 12 Paul says:
Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

I always thought by "the wrath of God" it was talking about Judgment day. But then in chapter 13, Paul tells us that the civil magistrates executes wrath on evil doers. In other words, leave it to the police or courts. Don't be a vigilante.

 

[Hopeful 2]

I dunno

Teaching one’s desperate need for forgiveness is part of the good news. So is the love of Jesus Christ. I don’t know….

How to properly explain it to any unbeliever without resorting to manipulation. Fire and brimstone to put fear in him? The mercy of Christ because he had a hard life?

Thankfully all Christians can do is water and wait and pray . God gives the increase…

Nicely put...
The sower doesn't always get to see the harvest.

 

[Whatever]

Fire and brimstone to put fear in him?

That was a lot of what the Puritans did. Did you ever read Jonathan Edwards sermon "sinners in the hands of an angry God."?
It's free and about 11 pages.

https://www.jonathan-edwards.org/Sinners.pdf

This is a 2 page abridged version.

https://www.livingston.org/cms/lib9/NJ01000562/Centricity/Domain/790/Sinners%20in%20the%20Hands%20of%20an%20Angry%20God%20Abridged.pdf

Anyhow we got away from this and now we have gay churches and gangs of kids roaming the streets.