briar patch

[JohnH]

Probably where we get off track, is demanding mercy for ourselves, when the verse is really teaching us to extend mercy towards others.

They were asking for mercy for a convicted criminal, though - not for themselves.

[GaryK]

Possibly this kind of mercy:

Jesus said:
Luke 17:2
King James Bible
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Do you think this verse is addressing mercy? Again. when you say "a Christian is not to rejoice at this" are you suggesting that Christians should have a merciful attitude toward the criminal?

Right, I was making a point. We need to discern when mercy is appropriate and when justice is.

I'm happy to Let God decide that. As a follower of Jesus, I am called to be merciful, not administer justice.

Luke 6:35-36 NKJV 35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

[Valerie]

Do you think this verse is addressing mercy? Again. when you say "a Christian is not to rejoice at this" are you suggesting that Christians should have a merciful attitude toward the criminal?

Right, I was making a point. We need to discern when mercy is appropriate and when justice is.

I'm happy to Let God decide that. As a follower of Jesus, I am called to be merciful, not administer justice.

Luke 6:35-36 NKJV 35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

They’re separate issues- government handling murderers and Christians living their own enemies. I respect Gods decisions- I really wasn’t refer to our own enemies but killers on the loose.

[GaryK]

Right, I was making a point. We need to discern when mercy is appropriate and when justice is.

I'm happy to Let God decide that. As a follower of Jesus, I am called to be merciful, not administer justice.

Luke 6:35-36 NKJV 35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

They’re separate issues- government handling murderers and Christians living their own enemies. I respect Gods decisions- I really wasn’t refer to our own enemies but killers on the loose.

Notice Jesus' statement above, "For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful"

[JohnH]

But it's not merciful to demand lesser sentences for crimes of great immorality, particularly when that person goes on to reoffend, and I don't see where the New Testament somehow teaches us we're supposed to promote that.

Again, I think Anabaptists have been getting this one horribly wrong. Indeed, it's actually a pretty bad witness, because to outsiders, it doesn't look like obedience to Jesus' teachings about mercy: instead, it looks like an ethno-religious group that just wants to protect their own, shield them from consequences, and show no concern for victims.

I would also argue this isn't "mercy" for the person who engages in such immorality; indeed, the New Testament teaches us that such an immoral person should be excommunicated until such time as they repent, which includes admitting their wrongdoing.