As I drove up to my house, I noticed a strange truck parked in my driveway. “Maybe it’s my daughter and a friend.” She’s in college, and stops over from time to time. But, the front door was wide open. I parked in front of my drive way and got out. That’s when I noticed a black male coming out of my house. “Oh shit!” he yelled. Then another one came running out of the house. My house. That’s where I live.

I scrambled back to my van in a panic and locked the door. My first thought was, “they are going to try and get me and the van.” I grabbed my phone, and they sped out through the yard. Shaking, I got out of the van and walked into what was a peaceful home. The door jam was completely shattered. Debris from the busted door was strewn all over the floor. My first instinct was to check my office. “The computer!” To my expectation, it was gone. My Bible, which is always by its side, was on the floor. “They had to have seen that. They had to have seen my Rev. Samuel M. Frost name ornament.”

As the officer arrived I also noticed that one of them was in the bedroom. A couple of drawers were opened, and the cabinet was moved. He was going for the TV on top, but didn’t have time. I must have startled them only 45 seconds to a minute after they busted my door down.

I had just gotten a haircut. I wasn’t gone for thirty minutes. I had a couple of more errands to run, but after the barbar shop, something convinced me to turn home before I did those. Had I gone on to do them, I would have been cleaned out. TV’s, stereo, jewelry. They only got the laptop and my sons IPOD Touch next to it. I can replace those.

What I can’t replace is the thoughts and feelings that come afterward. My wife was pretty frazzled for a couple of days. You feel violated. Dirty. Something very wrong happened. A wave of prejudice came over me as well. “They were black. Of course they were black. That’s what blacks do!” Only, I wasn’t using the word “black.”

The Law of God is written in the hearts of believers. I didn’t need anyone to tell me what God’s word said. It came up from within. “Forgive them.” So, I prayed and simply said, “I forgive them.” White people steal, too. “Forgive me, Lord, for harboring any evil thoughts.”

This would not, of course, relieve me of my duties to the officers involved. They would love to find these criminals. It’s happened before in our neighborhood. I would like to tell them face to face that I forgive them, but I also plan on pressing charges to the fullest extent. I see no contradiction in that for a Christian.

Some of my neighbors carry. They recommended that I take a class and carry as well. I am thinking about it. In the Law of Moses, “If a theif is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of bloodshed” (Ex 22.2). In other words, the Bible gives us the right to defend ourselves. Some may want to counter that Jesus overturned this with “turning the other cheek.” But, that’s false. Jesus came to “fulfill” the Law, not “abrogate it”. The situational context of Jesus’ injunction and Moses’ are different. In some settings, turning the other cheek is what is needed. In others, striking the person is needed. There is no contradiction here. I look back, and was encouraged by friends and neighbors, that I did the right thing. I don’t who these guys were, or if they were armed, and anything. I am thankful I am still alive. I repaired the door. Obviously, as I write, I replaced the laptop. That’s what insurance is for. God is healing the rattled state of mind through his indwelling word – and I believe is healing the nations in the same manner. I pray that these two human beings realize that they had to move God’s word in order to take my laptop. I pray that the encounter God in some way and end their stealing careers.

I was also moved in my heart in that it is just not “in me” to park in broad daylight and bust down someone’s door and take their things. But, it is not “in me” precisely because I have been transformed. It’s not there because I am some wonderfully, disciplined moral person. It’s not there because God has restrained it. I am just as capable of any manifestation of any sin or crime. God has had mercy on me. He does not will me to do those kinds of things. But, apparantly, some are not so restrained, and they serve his overall will as well – even if for reasons mysterious to us. God’s will was done, and I was confronted with several thoughts and feelings – not all good. I was faced to display what was really “in me”. Hatred? Prejudice? Anger? Bitterness? Or, grace, righteousness and peace? What would come out? What would win? God’s showed to me that he has truly placed the latter in my life. I witnessed the fruits of the Spirit that were not of myself, but from him who has transformed me heart, soul and body. And, so, once again, another crime expressed the fragrance of grace, not death. Instead of sand, water poured forth. Flowers came from dry ground. The curse has been lifted. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Those words have been healing the nations for 2000 years – and so they will for the next thousandth generation.

Samuel Frost

With a B.Th., Sam completed a M.A. in Christian Studies; M.A. in Religion, and Th.M. from Whitefield Theological Seminary, Lakeland, Florida (with combined credits in Hebrew exegesis from Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida - and in Greek exegesis from Church of God School of Theology, Cleveland, Tennessee). Author of Full Preterist works, Misplaced Hope, Exegetical Essays on the Resurrection of the Dead and House Divided with Mike Sullivan, Dave Green and Ed Hassertt. Also edited A Student's Hebrew Primer for Whitefield Theological Seminary. Samuel M. Frost co-founded Reign of Christ Ministries, and has lectured extensively for over 8 years at Full Preterist conferences, including the Evangelical Theological Society conference, of which he is currently a member. Samuel is ordained, and has functioned as Teaching Pastor at Christ Covenant Church in St. Petersburg, Florida (2002-2005). He helped host the popular debates between Don Preston and Thomas Ice (with Mark Hitchcock) and Don Preston and James B. Jordan. Samuel is widely regarded by many of his peers as being one of the foremost experts on prophecy, apocalypticism, and Preterist theology. He was highly influential in the Full Preterist movement, having been published by Don Preston (Exegetical Essays), footnoted in several Full Preterist works, and authored one Forward, Reading the Bible Through New Covenant Eyes, by Alan Bondar. He has come to denounce his Full Preterist views in 2010 and affirms the historic Christian Faith and orthodoxy. Samuel Frost owns and operates his own business and resides in Florida with his wife Ann Marie, and his children, Janet, Jacob, Hunter, and Olivia.

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