The Associated Press (“AP News”) reports that United States (“US”) District Judge Robert Colville formally sentenced Robert Bowers to death by lethal injection today for shooting and killing 11 Jewish worshipers at Pittsburg’s Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27, 2018.
Bowers (50), a former truck driver from suburban Baldwin, Pennsylvania, ranted about Jews online prior to carrying out the attack. The attack killed members of the Dor Hadash, New Light and Tree of Life congregations, which shared the synagogue building.
Bowers told police at the scene that “all these Jews must die” and has since reportedly expressed pride in the killings.
The AP News article may be read HERE.
CNN is also reporting in this matter. The CNN article may be read HERE.
My brothers and sisters, this degree of unrepentant hate is pure evil! Scripture is clear that when one knowingly walks in the ways of evil, refusing to accept the grace of God, the Lord may give the person up to a debased mind.
As Christians, however, we should not pray for any person to be cast for eternity into hell, but rather, that even Bowers would still have the capacity to see the goodness of God, have a change of heart and to repent unto salvation.
Even great men of the bible committed great sin, including murder (e.g., Moses, King David, Apostle Paul), yet the mercy of God prevailed.
Here is some scripture for consideration:
God’s Plan for Mankind
Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘[t]he righteous shall live by faith.'”
The Consequences of Ignoring God
Romans 1:18-20 (ESV)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For [H]is invisible attributes, namely, [H]is eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
Submission to Civil Authority
Romans 13:1-4 (ESV)
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore[,] whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”
The Judgment
Romans 1:28-32 (ESV)
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die [emphasis mine], they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
Praise Jesus forevermore!