The Christian’s approach to crime

THE EDITOR: Without a biblical understanding of man as a fallen creature, in need of God’s grace, one would not be able to comprehensively treat with the crime situation. The clear biblical declaration is that God did not create the world, as it now exists. Indeed, our Creator was well pleased with the world in its original condition.

In creating man in His own image and likeness God gave to him the awesome gift of choice — the ability to decide on his own options, even to the extent of rebellion against the sovereign authority of Divine Law. Subsequent to his creation, man disobeyed God and experienced a radical change of his nature. He became “ungodly, captive to a sinful and rebellious disposition.” His rebellion so fundamentally affected all aspects of his being and existence that Jesus Christ declared, “out of man’s innermost being  flows evil intentions — murders, thefts, avarice, adultery, malice, deceit, envy, slander, pride, (and we may add kidnappings). All these evil things come from within and make a man unclean.” This ungodly, criminal and rebellious nature cannot be regenerated or renewed by psychology, sociology, or even theology, but only through confession and acceptance of all that the Bible declares about Jesus Christ. (Romans 10: 8-10) When man fully accepts the biblical declaration of the Person and work of Jesus Christ, he becomes a new creation. In other words, he is re-born with an entirely new nature. No longer is he in bondage to an ungodly disposition absolutely weighted towards evil. He is now able to respond to the imperatives for life in a God-pleasing manner. As a matter of fact, this is the essential reason for the advent of Christ, that man may experience this new life which is free from the pervasive and corrupting bondage of sin. (Sin, being defined as a disposition, which produces activities that are not pleasing to God.)

Now, although man’s rebellious and ungodly nature cannot be renewed or regenerated through human initiatives, it is possible for it to be restrained and controlled to an acceptable degree. In other words, the rebellious nature can be tamed to an extent that will allow for the development of a relatively peaceful, safe and secure society. A fundamental work of any government is to give leadership in collating, analysing and subsequently the implementing of strategies for the restraining and the taming of man’s ungodly and rebellious nature. (“The Tiger in man’s tank”). Now although a tiger is tamed and trained it still retains its beast like nature, so if the controlling conditions are relaxed its vicious disposition will be readily evident. God gave human government the responsibility and authority to implement strategies, which will restrain the rebellious disposition of man, to punish deviant behaviour, and to promote the formation of a just society. The present unacceptable situation concerning crime offers a great opportunity to unite the country. The political leadership must strive to mobilise the respective sectors of the society and to challenge them as responsible citizens (corporate or otherwise), to rally to the need of Trinbago as it reels under this vicious criminal onslaught. This is the time for us to reflect on the statement of the late President John F Kennedy — “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

In this respect the media probably more than any other sector, has a particularly responsible role, since more than any other group it shapes and forms public opinion. Trinbago’s media must therefore avoid the general tendency of the media to destroy and breakdown, but to be solution-driven, assisting with the general mobilisation of the country as it confronts our common enemy — the criminal. All sectors of our society — the religious groups, business, NGOs, schools, political parties, trade unions, sporting organisations, UWI, Defence Force, Coast Guard, the Police, Customs etc and every citizen of Trinbago — should be enquiring of themselves — what is my sector doing or can do to positively contribute to the eradication or control of criminal activity and to improve the quality of life being experienced by the marginalised and under-privileged of our country. Maranatha.

REV JUNIOR YUILLE
Marabella