It seems that the murder rate is up by 30 percent in major cities across America. In rural areas, the murder rate rose by 20 percent. All violent crimes have risen across our land in the last couple of years. While political policies have helped the situation, there are elements that should be considered if we are going to reach some real solutions.
Some of the videos that catch the violent crime in action show that there is no motive behind the crime but is motivated by a desire to hurt someone for no reason. 1 Timothy 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers.
I was watching a documentary about two brothers and how they followed different paths though raised in the same environment. In their adult years, the older brother ended up a Pastor of a church. The other was in and out of jail and finally was given a life sentence for murder. While I was watching the interviews of both men, one from the church building and one with a man sitting behind bars for the rest of his life, it was plain to see what happened as they spoke. More than flesh was involved. The older brother followed Christ and surrendered his life in service to his Savior. The younger brother followed his own path and decided no law would keep him bound. The interesting thing was the crimes he admitted to doing; he had virtually no memory of doing them. He described that as if there was something overruling his senses and thought process. I believe he was telling the truth. I believe today's rise in crime is connected to the rise in demonic power and even possession.
In America, instead of dealing with the reality of what happens, everyone wants to understand why it happened and arrive at a conclusion. So, let's try and understand. Violent crime in America begins in a place political policy can’t reach. To try and take weapons from a criminal will never change the crime.
The violation of the law finds its origin in the heart of man, not in his hands or any weapon he may have. While political policy could help by issuing punishment to fit the crime, it will not stop crime without going to the origin of the heart of man. It may be that many who are moved about by demonic power have entered our country along the southern border; building a wall may help but will never be the sure solution we need to overcome the crime problem. It is true that poverty can be a motivator of violent crime, but we are told in the Word of God that the poor we will have with us always.
I’m for strong prosecution of violent criminals. I’m for securing the border. I’m for trying to eradicate the problem of poverty. However, these things are natural solutions being applied to a spiritual problem. The Church has left the public forum for a more internal type of lifestyle. What America needs is the gospel of Jesus Christ preached with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It may make the Church uncomfortable, but somehow, we need to begin to go beyond the walls of the Church into the street and preach.
The Church is to preach a message of the grace of God and make disciples of all men. When the grace of God is rejected, we have to enforce laws designed to keep our country safe. To despise the law is to reject grace. When we teach people to give no resources to those who enforce the law, we despise the message of grace. When those in positions of authority no longer use their authority to punish those who break the law, you are not only despising grace but also embracing the rule of the Anti-Christ on the earth. The Church must set the standard for the political world to follow. That is the way God designed in the Bible. This is the definition of being salt and light in a dark and corrupt world.
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