Spur of the Moment

We are placed on this earth in order to bring glory to God - we do that by entering into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and in so doing, we pledge to follow Him, to obey His principles. We are called to love the things of God, including His justice. I want to go back to Proverbs 24, which lays out for us a clear illustration of Biblical justice:
11 Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, "Surely we did not know this," Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
13 My son, eat honey because it is good, And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off.

Two incidents in which a man's life was taken have been in the news recently.  One involved a U.S. military veteran who saw lives endangered in a New York City subway and took steps to neutralize the threat - unfortunately, his vigilance resulted in the death of the man he apprehended.  In the other, a man walked up to the executive of a large health care corporation and shot him point blank in front of a New York City hotel.  There are some who actually applaud the man who killed a man in cold blood rather than the one who made a heroic gesture. 

In mid-December, a piece ran at Crosswalk Headlines.  Milton Quintanilla wrote: 

Two high-profile cases have been part of the national conversation lately and have sparked discussions concerning matters of justice, morality, and the sanctity of life. First, you have Daniel Penny, the 26-year-old marine veteran, who was previously accused of killing Jordan Peely, a 30-year-old homeless man, when he placed him in a chokehold as part of Penny's attempt to protect subway passengers from Peely, who had been acting erratically and threatening them.

Earlier this week, Penny was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the subway chokehold case, just days after he was dismissed from a second-degree manslaughter charge after the jury deadlocked. While some have praised Penny for being a good samaritan for his actions, others have denounced him as a racist since he is white and Peely is black.

Regarding the other case, Quintanilla said:

Then you have Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old Ivy League graduate who is charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson. Mangione had fatally shot Thompson in New York City last week as Thompson was heading towards an insurance conference, where he was scheduled to speak. In Mangione's case, he railed against the healthcare industry and believed that his actions were just, even if it was the murder of a businessman, husband, and father. He also received support online, to even be deemed a hero, as they too are frustrated with the healthcare industry.

The difference is clear, and the writer points that out, stating: "Although Penny was commended for his actions, others still see him as a murderer. In contrast, Mangione has received praise as a hero, even if he committed murder. This goes to show how far we have fallen as a society, which has called "evil good, and good evil" (Isaiah 5:20)." 

He went on to say, "Christians are reminded that ultimately, 'vengeance belongs to the Lord' when it comes to seeking retaliation or revenge for ourselves. At the same time, however, we are to practice righteousness and help those in need or who are in danger. Let us remember that each of us 'will give an account of ourselves to God" (Romans 14:12), so how we live in the now matters.'"

But, Nashville businessman Peter Demos calls for the teachings of Scripture to be applied as we wrestle with these difficult issues.  He outlines views progressives who say Penny's actions violate Scriptural admonition against murder and some Christians who believe that Penny acted as a "Good Samaritan."  He notes, in a piece at CBN.com:

The key to avoiding the misuse of Scripture is obedience to God's Word, not manipulation of it to fit our desires. Both progressive and conservative responses to the Daniel Penny case should be measured against the full counsel of Scripture, not "cherry-picked" verses that support predetermined positions. True obedience to God's Word involves interpreting Scripture in its proper context, seeking to understand what God is truly saying, and applying it in ways that align with His character.

In situations of self-defense, for example, the Bible upholds the sanctity of life and the right to defend oneself and others from harm. At the same time, it calls for wisdom, discernment, and mercy. Christians must be careful to ensure that their actions reflect the balance of justice and mercy that God calls for, recognizing that justice involves protecting the vulnerable, but mercy requires that we act with compassion and avoid excessive harm.

In Penny's situation, you could say that he acted in a merciful way in a moment in which lives were placed in danger.  But, this doesn't give Scriptural justification for taking the life of another in every dangerous or potentially dangerous situation.  In Mangione's situation, he took a life with premeditation - he committed an act of wanton murder, and should be punished for it. 

The situations are, in fact, quite different.  But, there are guiding principles that we as Christians should always rely on.  We are to always seek to act with a view of the sanctity of life. We should not store violence and anger in our hearts. But, we should always recognize that in this fallen world, we may be placed in situations which call for spur-of-the-moment decisions.  That is why we should always be in that position of abiding in Christ, full of His Word and in fellowship with His Spirit, so that we can make the tough decisions when we don't necessarily have the time for careful thought and planning.