We once lived and worked in a small country town where a brutal double-murder was committed. The majority of towns people couldn’t cope with any suggestion of redemption for the murderer – “lock him up and throw away the key” was the dominant sentiment! I agreed.
In the famous story of the murder of Abel by his brother Cain in the Bible, God judged Cain’s actions as wicked and evil, witheringly declaring, “cursed are you”, and prophesying that he would be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth (Genesis 4:1-16). For his crime, according to God’s Word, Cain deserved to die (Leviticus 24:17).
Yet God says that He Himself will put a mark on Cain, so that no one may ever kill him. It is like God placing His personal signature upon Cain guaranteeing that He will always be his faithful protector. This didn’t mean that God was withdrawing His judgement and punishment of Cain’s evil, rather that together with them God was also giving him grace, hope and life – the possibility of salvation and redemption.
The only reason God could save and redeem is because the blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ, shed for Cain, all people, and us, is powerful enough to pay for and forgive all sin and murder (Hebrews 12:24). Perhaps God is the true friend of many we consider “beyond the pale”?
Grace upon grace, Jonathan.