" If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. "
" If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. "
( John 15:18-19 )" If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. "
" However, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers. "
( I Samuel 12:14-15 )" And forgive us our sins,- as we forgive those who sin against us "
( Matthew 6:12 )When a legal system becomes a system based on vengeance, rather than justice, many injustices will result. Every day, we hear more and more about trying a young person " as an adult ". In the more reasonable, and forgiving, society that existed perhaps 50 years ago, it was recognized that young people do not understand the severity of their actions, and therefore should not be punished as adults. Today, it seems that in their zeal to " get somebody ", legislators, law enforcement officials, judges, and prosecutors have become advocates of the " cruel and unusual punishment ", which we supposedly abhor.
What punishment is more cruel than to take people and lock them up in brick fortresses, where they are isolated from their loved ones, causing tremendous pain to the innocent family members, as well as the convicted? Whipping would be far less cruel. At least, after a few days or weeks of healing, the offender could return to some semblence of normal life, and provide for his/her family. What about the threat to society? In 90% of the cases, this threat exists only in the minds of the legal establishment. Fear is an awful poor substitute for reason.
We hear much about child abuse. What is more abusive than to tear children from their parents, and place them in other homes, where they may very well suffer more abuse? God, protect us from the so called child protective agencies. Only in the rarest and most extreme of cases, where a child is in real, life-threatening danger, should such an action be considered. Our society seems to think it is ok to fill the media with pornography,- to turn people, especially men, into abusers, and then throw them in jail.
There is nothing admirable about a democratic nation, which has turned its back on God and His commandments. I am convinced that the hottest places in hell are reserved for zealous enforcement officials, who are convinced that they are the " good people " who have to protect everyone else from the " bad people ". If they would read the Bible, they would learn that " All have sinned " and that includes them as well. Is it reasonable to try young people as adults, who aren't adults? Absolutely not. The zealots are pushing us to accept a lie. Should a person who has lived a law abiding life for 20, 30, 40 years be prosecuted for a crime committed as a young person? It would do the zealots well to read what Jesus said about forgiveness. All the things, which these zealots have done in disobedience to God's commandments, will be brought against them at the judgement. It's very simple: FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN, OR BE UNFORGIVING,- AND BE CONDEMNED! That goes for law enforcement also!
The same goes for the " victims ". If you press charges against someone for something done to you 10, 20, 30, 40 years or more ago: Guess what! All the things you did, and said, in disobedience to God's commandments over that period of time will be brought against you on the Day of judgement. Once again, it's very simple: FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN, OR BE UNFORGIVING,- AND BE CONDEMNED!
Judgement Day ( the Day of the Lord ) is coming soon. All the signs point to it. I believe that the likely time is in the fall,- at Yon Kippur. But that is irrelevant. Judgement is coming soon. Are you ready? Are you vengfully pursuing " justice " over something that happened years ago? I certainly wouldn't want the Lord to return and find me accusing someone. Unforgiveness is perhaps the most dangerous and destructive sin. Forgive, whatever it was, while there is still time. Go to a quiet place and ask God to give you a heart to serve Him. Ask Him, as the Lord's Prayer says, to forgive you as you have forgiven others.
To learn more about Jesus' return, click here: Jesus is Coming Back Soon