Perhaps the most famous trials in history were known as the Nuremberg
Trials, the trials of the Nazi war criminals of World War II. One of the
masterminds of probably the worst of all concentration camps--
Auschwitz--was Rudolf Hess. His trial was broadcast all over the world.
During the trial witness after witness came forward to the stand to relive
the worst atrocities known to mankind. Witness after witness told of the
brutality, the killings, the fear, the gas chambers, the crematorium, and
of Hess in the middle of it all.
As the trial came to a close, the day of justice had come. On the day of
the reading of the verdict, Rudolf Hess entered the room, awaiting his
fate. The crowd and the media grew silent. The verdict came: GUILTY! As
the verdict was read, weeping could be heard from different locations in
the room. Some were silently crying, others openly weeping and wailing.
As the courtroom emptied, a reporter stopped one of the witnesses. He
asked, "I can understand the emotion you must be feeling at this moment.
Is it because justice has finally been served? Is it because now there is
finally an end to the horror and the pain? Why is it that you are filled
with such emotion?" The man stopped and looked long into the eyes of the
reporter, and as he wiped his face he replied, "It has nothing to do with
any of those. I weep because as I stood there looking into his eyes, I saw
myself."
The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall
short of the glory of God." We are all sinners, deserving death. We are
no better than the worst of all men. Given the right place, the right
time, and the right circumstances, we could also be the worst of all
sinners. Yet, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He took
our place so that we might have new life. Everyone is capable of evil.
God demonstrates the depth of His love in that through Christ's death on a
cross even sinners are forgiven.
