We need to love the murderer, rapist and mobster!

[Neighbor]

 Excerpt Romans  9 

..."You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”  But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”  Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,  and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,  even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"

[warrior12]

12 hours ago, hishandmaiden said:

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.

Don't conflate the spiritual with the physical as to love.  How do we define this love then. 

Would you let a rapist come into your community and be trusted around around your children and women, men too, as now there is no boundries.

The penal system is there to serve a purpose and when crimes are committed , then there are penalties that has to be paid as stipulated by the law.  There are means provided for them to be reformed and let back into society, and the is their just rights. Many has been to the prisions as hard core criminals and by the time they are out, they are pastors.  

The inate ability to love the hardcore criminals from believers still would be a tough pill to swallow, but scriputre shows us the reflection of who we are essentially as is pointed out.   I think though, most believers would love from afar and pray for the offenders, but the physical aspect of that love would be painful, especially if the offenders acted on their loved ones.  

[Jayne]

16 hours ago, hishandmaiden said:

 We think they deserve to go to jails and even to go the electric chairs!

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. 

Galatians 6:7 - "Whatever a man sows, that will he REAP!"

Sister, just because God forgives someone like you and me or forgives a serial murderer or serial rapist, does not mean that consequences here on this earth don't have to be paid.

Yes, God can save anyone and we should pray for these people, but even if they turn to Christ - that's not a get-out-of-jail-free card as you are claiming it is.

I had a terrible boss once.  If I went to her office, cursed her up and down and told her all of her terrible faults - I would have to pay a HUGE consequence.  I would be fired!  And deservedly so.  She might forgive me and I might repent and God might forgive me for it, but I would still be fired.

God forgives and we pray for salvation of the worst of the worst.  But consequences for actions must still be paid.

I knew a serial rapist once.  Personally.  He sodomized ALL of his children.  Four girls and two boys.  He sodomized a nephew.  He beat another nephew until he was permanently deaf in one ear.

I prayed for him.  But if he were saved - do you believe he should have been let out of jail?

That's what it sounds like you are saying.

[missmuffet]

If we take a better look at their past and why they are what they are today. Maybe some compassion and understanding.Having some empathy.

[In the Clouds]

I can pity a person; but, I don't necessarily have to empathize with him/her depending on the situation.  There is a name for the disorder of when a victim defends or falls in love with the abuser/perpetrator.  It's called the Stockholm Syndrome.  Granted there are times when a crime or trespass is just more than victims can handle.  That's when the victim needs to hand it up to the Lord. 

[Marathoner]

I didn't read what others gleaned from the OP. Conflating love with permissiveness (or a lack of consequences) is commonplace in this world. It's why the love of Jesus Christ offends so many; to love one who is your enemy, and to bless them regardless of evil that is done to you. This is most assuredly not a work of the flesh, for it doesn't come naturally to men in their fiefdoms and estates. It's not a tradition of this world. 

I have looked on while men and women have been cast out and denied both food and water, chased away because they happened to be moving through someone's private turf. Some of these men and women have been shot at with the intent to kill them. 

This lack of charity and goodwill toward strangers is often zealously defended by the transgressors, and there is no reasoning with them because their sense of ownership is more important than other concerns. 

I understand how difficult it is for a victim to cope with what was done to them, for I work with victims in my occupation. I have also been a victim myself, and a witness of horrible things that are heinous crimes. Before I came to the Lord, those things tormented me to the degree that I sought to end my life so that the memories would come to a merciful end. 

The work of the Lord freed me of that bondage. It's no small matter to forgive your tormentor. Forgiving them released me from the horror that defined much of my life, so that I might serve the Lord acquainted with sorrow with suffering. But then, that's my calling. I look upon the reviled and instead of loathing, I weep for their sake.  

[Jayne]

57 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

I didn't read what others gleaned from the OP. 

The OP said.....

"We think they deserve to go to jails and even to go the electric chairs!

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."

I'm thinking of the man I knew who sodomized all six of his children and a nephew and brutally beat a nephew.  I had to work with some of those children.  It was a nightmare beyond belief.

God could have saved him.  That would have been great.  But he's dead from a heart attack.  

All I'm asking the OP is  - is she saying what I think she is saying that these people should not go to jail that we should just love on them.

Her words confuse me.  I wish she would come back and explain what she means.

[BornAgain490]

There is but one sin in which there is no forgiveness by God. Murder, rape, robbery, arson, kidnapping, etc., are not it. See, Matthew 12:31. 

When considering this issue, if you've been blessed by God's grace and mercy,  we all need to ask ourselves: what have I done against God to which God has extended His grace and mercy and forgiven me?

I've seen it, as I'm sure most of you have seen it, where a man or woman found guilty in court is required to listen to the victim's family give victim impact statements. The vast majority of those family members are wishing a hellish life in prison for the convicted, but there's always that one person, a spouse or mom or dad or brother or sister or grandparent, who'll take the stand and, before the entire world, offer his or her forgiveness, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and hope for repentance and restoration for the convicted. 

I've seen awfully violent men break down like babies when they hear those words "I forgive you." 

How did you react when you finally knew you'd been forgiven by God and granted the gift of salvation?

I know how I responded as a prideful and boastful middle-aged man who walked a tough beat in law enforcement for over thirty years, when the gospel message sunk in to my marble head, when I knew God had forgiven me for all my sins. I was inconsolable. 

I pray to God that if I am ever in the same place as those family members, that I could be so strong, and show the same grace and mercy and  forgiveness as those family members did, and as God did with me.  In Jesus's name. Amen amen. 

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, BornAgain490 said:

There is but one sin in which there is no forgiveness by God. Murder, rape, robbery, arson, kidnapping, etc., are not it. See, Matthew 12:31. 

When considering this issue, if you've been blessed by God's grace and mercy,  we all need to ask ourselves: what have I done against God to which God has extended His grace and mercy and forgiven me?

I've seen it, as I'm sure most of you have seen it, where a man or woman found guilty in court is required to listen to the victim's family give victim impact statements. The vast majority of those family members are wishing a hellish life in prison for the convicted, but there's always that one person, a spouse or mom or dad or brother or sister or grandparent, who'll take the stand and, before the entire world, offer his or her forgiveness, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and hope for repentance and restoration for the convicted. 

I've seen awfully violent men break down like babies when they hear those words "I forgive you." 

How did you react when you finally knew you'd been forgiven by God and granted the gift of salvation?

I know how I responded as a prideful and boastful middle-aged man who walked a tough beat in law enforcement for over thirty years, when the gospel message sunk in to my marble head, when I knew God had forgiven me for all my sins. I was inconsolable. 

I pray to God that if I am ever in the same place as those family members, that I could be so strong, and show the same grace and mercy and  forgiveness as those family members did, and as God did with me.  In Jesus's name. Amen amen. 

Yes, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only sin which is not forgiven. If God can save Paul,He can forgive anyone. He was one mean dude.

[BornAgain490]

14 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Yes, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only sin which is not forgiven. If God can save Paul,He can forgive anyone. He was one mean dude.

Exactly. Look also at King David: took advantage of his power and authority for sex (constructive rape by intimidation), had his loyal military leader killed (murdered), and David is called a man after God's own heart. 1 Samuel 13:14.