On the Question of Innocents Suffering

9/22/2011 News has been buzzing about Troy Davis, a man convicted of man slaughter and was sentenced to death. The buzz about Troy Davis is that 7 of the 9 witnesses that testified against Davis already recanted their statements saying that they were pressured to place the blame on Davis.

None of it matters now as Troy Anthony Davis already served his sentence.

There were last ditch efforts to prove the mans innocence and they were all denied by their Supreme Court and his sentence was ordered to be served.

We'll never truly know if Troy Davis was really guilty of the charge that was slapped on him, but none of this stopped my grandma, who was with me while I was watching CNN, to ask the question, what happens to the judges and the people that served the sentence?

This is such a tricky question, and usually this question, when answered, gives birth to more questions that would lead to questions about God's moral righteousness. I would want to focus at the thought at hand. And please take note that this is only an opinion of an opinionated man, and my answer would only come as how scripture has molded my thinking.

All of us are sinners, and no matter what good or bad we do, we'll all end up in the same place if... and only if... we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our savior.

That was the answer that I gave my grandma. Troy Davis, the judges that gave the sentence, the prosecutors that helped the sentence be ruled, the defense that tried to prove the mans innocence, the policemen that carried the sentence, the victims, the supporters and even me and my grand mother who was watching miles away from the scene, are all equally guilty and deserving of the death sentence.

After giving that thought, I also supported my answer with this.

Nothing will ever surprise God or nothing that happens in this world is by accident. If Troy Davis was meant to die of lethal injection today, he was meant to do so. All of these things would happen, justly or unjustly for one reason and one reason alone. And that reason would all be For the Glory of God.


And before my grandmother raised her eyebrow in disbelief of what I just said, I followed it up with this fact that all Christians believe in. This situation already happened before. An innocent life was once paid for the freedom of many, and that innocent life is who we recognize as our Lord and our Savior. The Glory of God is seen with how unjustly things were brought on during his time. How? It showed God's mercy because through that event, our sins were forgiven and our freedom is bought and made possible again. If it weren't for Christ then I would be left standing here condemned and damned for eternity. His death, His unjust death  happened for one reason and one reason alone and that reason is for the glory of God to be seen by many.

Listen to the prayer that Jesus was praying when his time at the gurney was closing in John 17:1-26

I think mostly that he was petitioning to God was for Him and God to be known. That both be glorified and that everyone would believe that He is the Messiah that was foretold to come that would save men from the clutches of sin. This was the culmination of his ministry after he lived the life that we should have lived and, at that point, suffering the death that we should be suffering.

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

(John 17:24-26 ESV)

The just or unjust trial that Davis went through is part of the all things that Paul wrote in Romans 8:28. God's plan circling around this event is, and will probably be left as a mystery to me. The verse says that all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. Maybe, one way or another, a man who is involved in the trial would feel the conviction within him and come out with the truth and repent of his ways and eventually throw himself to the mercies of Christ, maybe, I don't know, but that would be an ideal reaction of how things would eventually turn out to be good.

There will be trying times in our lives, both for the redeemed and for those who aren't. We will all suffer relatively but one thing remains true, all of these would lead for good. Christ's death lead to the salvation of many, my own suffering, which would probably be another post, lead me to meet my best friends right now who eventually led me to know Christ. These things may not come into our recollection of what good is, but bottom line, towards the end of our lives, when we get to meet with our maker, we will all thank God for these times and say, yes... it is indeed good.


Troy Davis Sources: 1, 2, CNN