Once again, Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church (in)fame is making headlines -- this time due to Arizona emergency legislation passed to preclude his organization's standard modus operandi -- picket signs and shouting -- at the funeral service for several victims of the recent shooting in Arizona that left six dead, including an Arizona state representative and more wounded.

But I'm not here to talk about the politics of the affair, nor Phelps's grotesque response to multiple homicide. I want to discuss something else that has me more alarmed: the response to Mr. Phelps's sick actions that I've heard in increasing quantity and volume from Christians: "Hell will welcome him when he finally dies," I've heard. "[He] will be known by [his] fruit." "He belongs in the pits of Hell."

Let me back up for a moment to set the stage. A few years ago on Facebook I encountered a group titled "Osama Bin Laden could get into heaven." The name was obviously a shock title to get attention, but the point was nonetheless well-made: if Bin Laden fell at the feet of Christ, acknowledging his sin and pleading for forgiveness, forgiveness is what he would receive, eternally. 

Fred Phelps, though he has not committed mass murder in the name of a false god, has profaned the name of Christ before a lost world. Under the law of the Ten Commandments, "the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Ex. 20:7). 

But have those who so gleefully declare that he will be known by his fruit (Matthew 7:20) forgotten the words of Christ from only three chapters before? 

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire." -- Matthew 5:21-22 ESV
 

Do we really think ourselves innocent of lawbreaking and sin? We would do well to remember the oft-repeated words of Romans 3:23 -- all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It does not say "nonbelievers have sinned", nor does it say "only the infidel has sinned". All have sinned. Osama Bin Laden, Fred Phelps, and Paul have all sinned. David, Abraham, and the Arizona sinner have sinned.

The only distinguishing factor between the believing sinner and the unbelieving sinner is the power and redemption of Christ. It is by grace we have been saved through faith and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8) If two murderers sit on death row awaiting their sentence and one is pardoned, ought he to stand in condemnation of the other murderer? 

Again, we seem to have selectively forgotten Jesus' words, ignoring Matthew 7:1-5, choosing only to remember Matthew 7:20.

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." -- Matthew 7:1-5 ESV

What part of Christ's suffering was our accomplishment? What merit can we possibly claim of ourselves that we should seek to condemn our fellow sinful man? Let us instead seek his salvation and repentance! 

Because Phelps and his followers have wrongly condemned so many in hate, are we given license to condemn him with that same hate?

We've become the Pharisees, throwing the adulterous woman at Jesus's feet and voraciously demanding that he condemn her. Jesus's decree to the Pharisees is equally applicable to us, if not more so for our reliance on His grace: "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." (John 8:7). Like the Pharisees, we must simply leave this sinner in the hands of Christ.

But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." -- John 8:9-11 ESV