as you study that passage, recognize the larger purpose of God's plan is to bring all His children home. you know the prodigal son, the laborers in the vineyard, Peter asking how many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me...?
there is both a human and a divine purpose for earthly justice, but don't confuse the two.
the human purpose is to maintain the integrity of the human community -- allowing evil to go unchecked is like a cancer.
the divine purpose here is to increase the possibilities that sinning person will come to see the light -- understand how he's hurt others, and in his despair may seek a better way. it's far better for us to come to these realizations here on earth, when we can still do something about it.
it's like step 8 in AA: “Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.” it's much better the alcoholic experience the fullness of consequences of how he's harmed others. likewise, when we isolate the criminals and take away whatever evil cup they drink from, we are giving the Heavenly Father a greater chance to reach that lost son and retrieve him.
of course some have so solidified their association with evil - have made their final conscious choice to reject the Father and all his Love and Mercy and are truly lost, un-salvable. but only the Father can know the spiritual status of His children. what if there was, buried deep within that tortured mind, the tiniest ember of faith? what if that ember were fanned and had the potential to ignite into a burning light of living faith? even the most sinful could be saved by faith.
but Jesus gave us a technique to deal with the conundrum. Love the sinner, Hate the sin. He demands we be ruthless and unyielding in rejecting Sin. so pour all your passion against evil into that. and though you may find it impossible to love the unrepentant sinner, you can turn your love to the Father and pray for His Will in that sinner's life. you may find it easier to make these difficult prayers in a community of fellow believers.
as you study that passage, recognize the larger purpose of God's plan is to bring all His children home. you know the prodigal son, the laborers in the vineyard, Peter asking how many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me...?
there is both a human and a divine purpose for earthly justice, but don't confuse the two.
the human purpose is to maintain the integrity of the human community -- allowing evil to go unchecked is like a cancer.
the divine purpose here is to increase the possibilities that sinning person will come to see the light -- understand how he's hurt others, and in his despair may seek a better way. it's far better for us to come to these realizations here on earth, when we can still do something about it.
it's like step 8 in AA: “Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.” it's much better the alcoholic experience the fullness of consequences of how he's harmed others. likewise, when we isolate the criminals and take away whatever evil cup they drink from, we are giving the Heavenly Father a greater chance to reach that lost son and retrieve him.
of course some have so solidified their association with evil - have made their final conscious choice to reject the Father and all his Love and Mercy and are truly lost, un-salvable. but only the Father can know the spiritual status of His children. what if there was, buried deep within that tortured mind, the tiniest ember of faith? what if that ember were fanned and had the potential to ignite into a burning light of living faith? even the most sinful could be saved by faith.
but Jesus gave us a technique to deal with the conundrum. Love the sinner, Hate the sin. He demands we be ruthless and unyielding in rejecting Sin. so pour all your passion against evil into that. and though you may find it impossible to love the unrepentant sinner, you can turn your love to the Father and pray for His Will in that sinner's life. you may find it easier to make these difficult prayers in a community of fellow believers.