The Christian, Criminal Justice System, And God's Love

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF SOMEONE TRIED TO ROB YOU?

Criminal Justice System

Almost a week ago, a man broke into our home at 2:30 am.

He was on the process of robbing us of our personal valuables (laptops, camera, musical instrument, kitchen utensils and groceries) when the guard on duty apprehended him. He is now detained at the city jail.

I have a personal burden of ministering to the guy.

I might not be able to change his natural tendencies,

but I know God can, if only this guy surrenders his life to Him.

I also have a burden to reach out to his family,

knowing these would be much difficult times for his wife and young children.

Just the other day, the guy's aged mother, sibling, wife, with their months old baby came to see me.

Their intent was to ask for an apology - not necessarily on behalf of the detained guy. They were somehow hoping that i can do something to facilitate a lighter charge on or even the release of the guy. 

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SHOULD I FORGIVE AND FORGET?
When i consulted a number of people about this, i was met with varied responses.

Some were for the idea, a number of others were not.

Some thought it would be great for me to meet with the family and somehow convey concern towards them. Some thought otherwise, because this gesture can be manipulated towards their desired end.

How Must A Christian Respond?

There were some who appealed to my being a Christian and preferred I just forgive the guy and have him released from prison. There were some who thought otherwise and preferred the guy stay in prison, serve his sentence, in the hope that he would learn his lesson. Some believed that through his imprisonment, similar robbery attempts in the city will be diminished.

How then should a Christian respond to this experience?

Should one forgive the robber? Of course.

Does forgiving really mean withdrawing the case filed against the robber?

Should one go beyond the offense, and still value the guy and his family as individuals who need to know of the love of God in very practical ways? Definitely. 

Does such a care mean not sending him to prison, so he can still be with his family and face life's challenges with them?

FOLLOW THE LEADER: WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

As Christians, we are called to be "Christlike" in every aspect of life.

Jesus Christ commends what is good and hates what is evil - so should we.

As Christians, we are not to be apathetic against evil ways. 

Instead, as light, we are to expose the evil deeds of darkness.

Jesus Christ upholds justice - so should we.

He submitted Himself under God's divine justice.

Sin is an offense. In His love, he took our place, and satisfied the demands of God's justice.

Today, God has instituted government, to be an extension of His justice - rewarding what is good, punishing what is evil.

As Christians, we are expected to tell the "truth" and acknowledge the authority God vested on government.

For as long as we do our part in testifying truthfully about what we know really happened, we have fulfilled our Christian responsibility of upholding truth against evil. The government is likewise expected to fulfill its God-ordained duty to institute godly justice in response to the given situation. 

Jesus Christ hates sin, but loves the sinner.

Jesus Christ always hates sin. Likewise, He is grieved, angered, over one who chooses to continue living in sinful ways.

However, His love reaches out to the sinner by grace.

His love doesn't want anyone to perish in their sin and sinfulness.

He cares for the sinner, and calls him towards repentance.

And as one confesses one's sinfulness, He is faithful and just to forgive.

As Christians, we must be motivated by love, in everything.

If we love what is good, we must hate what is evil.

if we love what is for the common good (safety, well-being), then we must hate what is evil (by upholding law and order).

If we love people, we must not tolerate the evil that seeks to continuously destroy them. We fight the evil of ignorance through education; the evil of illnesses through medication; the evil of harm through safety measures; the evil of addiction through rehabilitation; the evil of temptation through moral decency and conduct; the evil of all evils through evangelism and discipleship.

If the guy ends up in jail, for as long as justice is being upheld, this should be viewed from the vantage point of love.

Love for the guy - by not tolerating the evil way/means he chose early on.

Love for the greater public - by instituting just measures for the common good.

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God's Love

A Christian doesn't stop there though. 

A Christian knows that significant change must begin from the inside out.

A Christian then reaches out with the message of God's saving grace (the Gospel) to the one who is in prison.

Such an act conveys the message that though one is serving the just consequence for its offense (sin), he is still the object of God's love. He must be helped to understand that though the wages of sin is death, God's gift is a life of being forgiven, restored, renewed, set free from the grip of sin. All these, only if one acknowledges one's need for it, through Jesus Christ alone.

A Christian chooses to forgive, not on the basis of the degree of another's offense.

But on the basis of the degree of God's love and grace - first experienced by the sinner, now expressed to another sinner who desperately needs it as well.

A Christian should still demonstrate God's love to the guy's family.

By respecting them as individuals valued by God.

By responding in ways possible to any need they might have.

Not because their family man is in prison, but because God loves them equally well.

In other words, the primary motivation and burden for caring is based on God's love for them and not their very predicament.

God's love and care isn't dependent on one's status and condition in life.

He loves because He is love.

Considering their tendency to leverage that "show of concern" towards their own ends,

perhaps greater wisdom must be exercised in dealing with them.

But this should not keep us from reaching out in love - even to their extended community.  

There will always be the needy among us - and we are called to reach out, care, and share.

Through this, the hurting out there will know of God's love, expressed in tangible means.