Killing and Adoption

Last week I went to two conferences which seem very far apart in nature. The first one was called The Bullet Proof Mind, and was taught by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Grossman is famous within law enforcement circles for his book On Killing and for a piece that is in that book called On Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs. The two day conference is designed to mentally prepare a law enforcement officer if and when the time comes to justifiably kill someone. A day after that conference my wife and I went to a conference on adoption called Together For Adoption. We learned about the doctrine of adoption in the Bible and the importance of the church to fulfill the command of James 1:27 to  “…visit the orphans and widows in their affliction.” 

Killing and adoption; justice and mercy. They seem to be so different, yet as I thought about them, they both have their root system in the same tree glorious tree.

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (mercy) and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

These two qualities find their existence in God who is both just and merciful, and carries out his will in perfect in perfect justice and perfect mercy because he is the definition of them. God does no wrong.

The greatest act of mercy and justice happened at the same time when Jesus was stapled to the cross. His back was torn down to the bone and thorns pierced through his head. God poured out his wrath for sin on Jesus and through his death, justice was purchased. The Old Testament tells story after story of egregious sins that went unpunished. Justice was not being served, but justice was fulfilled by Jesus’ slaughter.  He abated God’s wrath on us so that we do not have judgement from God but mercy.

It was the greatest act of mercy and kindness because we did not deserve it. Just as the murderer deserves prison for decades we deserved hell for eternity because our sin was that heinous to a holy God. Now, for those who put their trust in Christ and Christ alone, they find mercy before God.

Thank God for the good news of Jesus Christ! Because of it I can be avenger of God’s wrath to those who seek to do others harm (Romans 13:4) and desire to bring a child into our home through adoption (James 1:27). I pray that by God’s grace I do these two things in the spirit of Micah 6:8- by walking humbly before my God.