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The scales of justice have become imbalanced in favor of criminal offenders.
1 posted on 08/13/2012 8:43:29 AM PDT by CHRISTIAN DIARIST
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST
But the Scripture does not command the still-grieving pastor – and those of us who sympathize with him and his family – to forgive the broken-down criminal justice system for allowing the wicked – the murderous – to delay justice indefinitely.

"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us"

2 posted on 08/13/2012 8:50:43 AM PDT by GBA
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

There is no justice for the righteous in Babylon.


3 posted on 08/13/2012 8:58:20 AM PDT by spirited irish
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

Forgiveness on our part does not in anyway mean the person skips out on the punishment.


4 posted on 08/13/2012 9:05:45 AM PDT by roylene (Salvation the great Gift of Grace.)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST
To paraphrase Willie Nelson's tune from 1975, may it be manifested and soon:

"T'was the time of the Preacher, in the year of '01,
Now the preachin' is over, and the killin's begun ..."


Those worthless thugs need to be swinging from ropes, cut down at sunset when dead, and left for the vultures to feed on.

Then God can do as He will with their souls.
5 posted on 08/13/2012 9:15:03 AM PDT by mkjessup
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

Any relation to Herburt Armstrong?


6 posted on 08/13/2012 9:43:16 AM PDT by fella ("As it was before Noah, so shall it be again.")
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

I know all too well what he’s feeling. My daughter’s killer took a plea bargain and got a 10-year sentence (went from Murder charge, to Man2). This was only after facing a sure defeat if it went to trial, wherein the monster would have gotten 50yrs - life.

Will most likely only serve 5 or 6 of those 10 years.

I hold to the intellectual logic and faith of what Scripture says, but dang...emotionally it’s a mess.


7 posted on 08/13/2012 9:54:55 AM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow (Just saved a bunch of money on car insurance by switching into reverse and driving away!)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

There is a very simple reason for this imbalance:

Judges and lawyers which support them have fallen madly in love with the sanctity of the law. They fail to realize that the law is only effective when backed by marshals, sheriffs, police officers, volunteers, neighborhood watches, and if necessary armed citizens. Laws without that level of active support are written on paper that should be stored in out houses not libraries.

Over the last decade or so I have taken great glee when ever I read stories about judges who have been robbed, mugged or otherwise exposed to real criminality not the ones they normally encounter - all dressed up and made up to look good. At elections at all levels I vote against judges who spout drivel about the law because they don’t realize what a balancing act it really is.


8 posted on 08/13/2012 10:02:30 AM PDT by Nip (TANSTAAFL and BOHICA)
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

re: “As a man of faith, anointed to preach the Gospel, Pastor Ron knows well that he is obliged to forgive the three men who sent his beloved son to an early grave – even if they are unrepentant.”

I do not believe that the Bible commands us to “forgive” those who sin against us who are unrepentant (i.e. never admit their sin, never ask for our forgiveness). I always hear the quote from Matthew 6:12-15, but does it mean that we are to forgive those who never ask for it?

Peter once asked Jesus how many times he was supposed to forgive his brother (Matthew 18:15-35). Jesus told him that he should forgive 70 times 7, meaning that we are to always be WILLING to forgive - but, the implication here is that the person who sinned against you actually asked for forgiveness. If you doubt that read the whole passage including the parable Jesus told about the unforgiving servant.

Also, does God forgive US without us admitting our sin and asking for His forgiveness?? No way.

God Himself in the Person of Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself on our behalf without our knowing or understanding what He did for us - but, in order to receive God’s forgiveness we have to admit our sin and repent, accepting Jesus’s death on the cross in our behalf, and believing in His resurrection from the dead.

The Bible does teach/command that we are to turn over to God the bringing about of ultimate justice on those who harm us. We are not to seek our vengence ourselves - “Vengence is mine, says the Lord”. The Bible also teaches that the role of government is to enforce law and order, to punish “wrong doers” (see Romans 13).

In essence - I believe the Bible teaches that in regard to those who do us harm, but never ask for forgiveness or acknowledge their sin against us - we are to be WILLING TO forgive, but if they never acknowledge that sin, then no forgiveness is possible.

We can “let go” of our hurt and anger toward that person, but there can be no possiblity of forgiveness as long as that person never asks for forgiveness (which must include acknowledgement of the harm they’ve committed against us).

Why would God ask us to do something that He doesn’t do? Forgiveness is a restoration of relationship between two parties. When someone commits a sin/crime against another, they are “broken” in relationship to one another. If you are the one harmed, if the person who harmed you is in the church, Jesus said we are to approach the one who harmed us and bring it to their attention (Matthew 16), then if that person repents and asks forgiveness, the relationship is restored (forgiven).

If it is someone outside the church who has harmed you, you can still approach them and confront them and they can still admit their crime/sin and ask for forgiveness and, once again, their can be restoration between you and the offender, forgiveness is possible.

But, with those who sin against you and never acknowledge the sin or ask for forgiveness - how is forgiveness/restoration possible?? It is not. God does not forgive without confession. He is willing to forgive and we are to do the same.


11 posted on 08/13/2012 10:26:40 AM PDT by rusty schucklefurd
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To: CHRISTIAN DIARIST

yeah God is permitting this poor man to be tested like Job


13 posted on 08/13/2012 10:42:34 AM PDT by yldstrk (My heroes have always been cowboys)
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