This past week a police officer was murdered in New York City. Those within the police department came out fairly quickly and pointed out that the office had done nothing to provoke the murder. As a general rule we have to hear about the murderer’s childhood, or some poor event in his life or as always mentally unstable. Let us pause and ask ourselves, who is to blame, who is guilty ? The people marching through our streets chanting, “pigs in a blanket” have no means to wash the blood from their hands. The murderer may have no connection to any group but the atmosphere is created for killing because someone seeks to justify hate.
Let us strive to get to the heart of the matter. John in speaking about Christians states that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (I John 3:15). Living for the Lord daily requires us to be careful of our actions (I Thess. 5:22). As Christians we understand that being careful of our actions calls upon us to guard our thoughts. If I say to us, is adultery wrong before God? Of course it is. Watch now how Jesus works not on the action alone but the heart that causes the action. Jesus says that whoever continues to look on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery. Committed adultery, where? Answer, in his thoughts (Matt. 5:28). Is being drunk a sin? Then anything that leads to that sin becomes a view into one’s own heart.
Each of us can pass judgment on a murderer who for whatever reason kills another human. O, such a person is guilty. If we pose the question, who was guilty of putting Jesus to death on the cross? Certain Jews who were envious of Jesus could be an answer. What about the government of Rome which tolerated no kind of disturbance in their cities. The truth is each of us by our sins placed Jesus on the cross. John tells us that sin is a transgression of the law (I John 3:4). If you cannot have law then you cannot have sin. The person who gives up on their faith, never to come back is guilty of “…crucifying to themselves the Son of God afresh…” (Heb. 6:6).
Take for an example a person who is living a good life and would never think of stealing from or hurting their neighbor. He pays his bills, raises his children and is never a problem in the community. What about such a man? Until he finds the Lord through the teaching of the Word of God, he is guilty. Cornelius was a devout (religious) man, feared God with all of his house, gave much alms to others and prayed to God always. Yet an angel came to him and told him to send for Peter, who was at Joppa. When Peter comes he will tell you what you ought to do (Acts 10:2,6). Being morally good or accepted by society is never the standard when we stand before God (2 Cor. 5:10; John 12:48).
Paul had lived his whole life believing he was right with God (Acts 23:1). On that day on the road to Damascus he found out, he was not right. He had chosen to become a Pharisee which formed his thinking (Phil. 3:5). Concerning the righteousness which was available in the law of Moses, Paul said he was blameless ( verse 6). Pause and think, he was guilty before God. Jesus told him to continue his journey to Damascus and there it would be told him what he must do (Acts 9:6). Do you think Paul would be allowed in most churches today to give his testimony of what had happened to him. Let me answer that for you, absolutely not!
Murder is a horrible crime against society and one’s own soul. The Bible shows us that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). Make no mistake about it, God will not acquit the wicked (Nahum 1:3). Those who preach hate are guilty for preaching that. They may not feel any guilt when someone takes them at their word and moves against others. Let us stand against all evil and watch daily our own souls that we be not guilty before God (James 1:25).