Justice and Forgiveness
Bill Cosby was found guilty on April 26, 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault fourteen years after the alleged incident. His accuser Andrea Constand filed her court case in Philadelphia one month before the statute of limitations would have expired in January 2016.
This is just another reminder to all that crime has its consequences. No matter how influential you are or how powerful you may be. Your sins will always find you out. Recently other celebrities have been made aware of this fact by their accusers. As recently as last week, accusations were made by four women against New York State's Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. He has resigned his position.
Andrea Constand wanted justice. We all expect justice to be rendered when injustices of all forms are committed. We should report injustices witnessed by us or inflicted upon us to the appropriate authorities. Should believers in Jesus Christ pursue justice if justice seems obscure? Should we pursue justice in a court of law years after the act is committed? Is there a time limit for Christians to exact justice?
What does God say about how believers in Christ should handle injustices done toward us? The police, judges and the courts are God's ministers in society to avenge evil. To execute wrath on those who practice evil. (Romans 13:1-4) We should seek justice. We are not to avenge ourselves. We should leave justice to the appropriate authority, police and the courts. Ultimately, God will repay.
We should never think that evil will go unpunished. Abraham asked the question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" while he was pleading with God for the righteous in Sodom. A resounding YES He will. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of God's throne.
Asap in Psalm 73 was disturbed about the prosperity of the wicked. It seemed to him that the wicked never got punished. Then he went into God's sanctuary and there he understood the end of the wicked. They prosper for awhile, but God's judgment comes suddenly upon them and they are destroyed.
After years of hiding unsavory events perpetrated by another in one's life, is it just to expose the events to the public? I think it is justified when the perpetrators do not repent of their behaviors. Instead they continue their criminal activity in secret. They should be exposed for who they are.
If the events took place between two believers in Christ, the church leadership is to resolve the issue. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints. The local church(s) where they attend should resolve the issue.
God is a forgiving God and plenteous in mercy. He expects His children to be forgiving as well. People will hurt us. People will abuse and deceive us. However, we are to forgive them. It may take us some time to forgive them, but forgive them we should. Even when the police and the court system are involved, we are commanded by Jesus to forgive.
