What about situations like rape, severe abuse, and murder of a child by an unbeliever? How is the offended party who has been raped, abused, or lost a dear loved one to murder supposed to respond if he/she is a Christian?
The answer: like Christ did. IN LOVE.
We’ve got to get past this tempory life. Everything in this life is temporary – except our souls and God’s Word which will live forever.
Yes, we love our children and never want them to be murdered but if it happens, we are to respond to the offender with LOVE by PRAYING for them, witnessing the Gospel to them, calling them to repentance with God, and demonstrating love to them in every way possible. This is hard core love!
We are NOT excusing the sin or minimizing it because God is Just and will punish sins. He has punished our sins in Christ alone upon the cross and that’s what we want for the offender – not to be punished by the wrath of God in an eternity of hell. To repent to God and to trust in Christ for the remission of sins – Christ Jesus received the justice of God upon the cross as God’s wrath was poured out upon Him – for our good!
Rape is terrible but it is not an unforgivable sin. Abusing a child is horrible but it is not an unforgivable sin. Sexual sins are terrible but not unforgivable. That’s why we at TIL do not like labels like “sex addict” which label someone by their SIN for the rest of their lives! How awful that is!
Some of these situations will NEVER be able to bring reconciliation in the relationship between the offender and the offended. Therefore, the offended party must be compassionate and prayerful like Jesus in Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”
Let’s have compassion upon UNBELIEVERS by sharing the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life.
-Mark (learning to be eternally-minded like Jesus in Luke 23:34)