The April 8 Chapel speaker at Charleston Southern University, D.A. Horton, an author, speaker and pastor, addressed the tension of the last few days in North Charleston regarding the killing of Walter Scott after a traffic stop by police officer Michael Slager.

Horton said we live in a real world with real problems. There are times we don’t want to execute any kind of grace. He told the story of his mother being held at gunpoint at her job at McDonald’s years ago. Horton was not yet a Christian and wanted revenge, but his mother, a Christian, said the person was in custody, and they needed to trust the system.

Horton said our natural reaction is to want revenge when someone wrongs us. He said, “As we pursue social justice, may we never divorce the gospel of Jesus Christ from our actions.” He read the words of Jesus from Matthew 5 to make his point:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right check, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:38-42)

Horton said Christians need to be honest about their emotions. Instead of acting from a position of emotion, those emotions should be subjected to the written word of God and the Holy Spirit. “When sinfulness is the filter we view the world through, justice becomes subjective,” he said.

The social code of the times when the Bible was written called for exchanging an eye for an eye, or suing someone who had wronged you. “The worldly system wants to get you to react, and this is the opposite of what Christ says. Jesus said, don’t hit back; don’t sue; walk away and don’t retaliate.”

Horton said Jesus preached unlimited forgiveness. He said, “I know this is a hard teaching. But you and I are not without an excuse. Jesus practiced what he preached.”

Horton reminded students that what happened between Walter Scott and the officer will not be reflected on us when we stand before God. “The only way we can practice righteousness is if we have a relationship with Jesus Christ,” said Horton. And that relationship, or lack of it, will be what each one of us will be judged on when we stand before God one day.