Forgiveness-A Christian Requirement

I am sitting here wanting-no, needing-to cry. A few minutes ago I relayed a story told to me several years ago by a then-coworker, an incident that he had witnessed. It was about a man who had robbed a well-known big-box store at gunpoint. He got only about $200, and was chased by the store's loss prevention team out into the Texas 110 degree heat. They tackled him in the parking lot, taking the gun, which was not loaded, and wrestled him to the pavement. The man was shirtless, and immediately begged to be let up. He gave the money back, promising not to run. Instead, the four of them sat on him until the police arrived. By that time the skin on the man's back had melted into the asphalt. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital, but it was too late-he later died from third degree burns. Ezekiel 33:15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

The topic of conversation had been about security in big-box stores, and how it had changed over the years. The point that I was going to make with the story never got voiced, for as soon as I said that the man died, the person to which I was speaking spat out "Good! That would teach him a lesson!" I was so dumbstruck that I could not finish. This man claims himself to be a Christian, yet he has no forgiveness in him. (Just for the record, this is not the first time I've heard this kind of poison come out of him-it's just the first time I was directly involved.)

No one knows the state of the thief's mental condition. No one knows why he felt he needed to steal. Maybe for drugs? I'm sure that is most people's first assumption. Maybe he was hungry? Was it a silly, childish dare and he thought he had to prove himself? He was 'cleancut, in his early 30's'-he didn't look like a thief. I'm sure, had this man lived, he would have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and possibly would have served time for his crime, which is what should have happened. The crux of this writing is not whether the man did anything wrong. That speaks for itself. I am taken aback by the attitude of someone who claims they have been forgiven and accepted by Christ, yet finds pleasure in condemning a man that died in the midst of a petty crime. James 1:26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Have we not all robbed, stolen, or murdered one another with words and attitudes of anger and hatred?

Where would the thief be in his life now if he had been shown some forgiveness? Not for the crime, but for the value of his LIFE? Was this man's life worth a measly $200??? For the person who said 'Good' so emphatically, the answer would be yes. It is no wonder the human race need a Savior. With attitudes like that one, everyone would be trying to kill one another. Oh, wait, they already are!!!!

Scripture says plainly that evil begets evil. This video shows it in action. Gary Ridgeway was charged with over 40 murders of women, and sat stonefaced as people condemned him. But knowing he was forgiven caused a very different reaction. 

When are we Christians going to wake up and realize that we are FORGIVEN? Without forgiveness, we are doomed! Why would we want to see anyone in a condemned state? Did we not come from there ourselves?

Jesus had nothing but compassion for those that needed it, and God is just, merciful and long suffering. That means the attitude of condemnation can come from only one other place-the spirit of evil. How can we call ourselves Christian if all we are spewing out is hatred?