By Dr. Thurman R. Hayes Jr.

I was sitting in a house in Haiti when a member of our mission team said, “Did you hear about what happened in Charleston?” When I heard there had been yet another mass shooting, I felt sick.

And something is desperately sick in our culture for this to keep happening over and over again. But in the aftermath of this latest episode of mass murder in America, something beautiful has happened.

Given the recent racial tensions in Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, Md., this act of evil had the potential to ignite a powder keg. Indeed, that is just what the racist shooter intended. But he did not get his wish.

Instead, the opposite has happened. In the words of Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, “A hateful person came into this community with some crazy idea he’d be able to divide, but all he did was unite us and make us love each other even more.”

Why was this the case? It had everything to do with the genuine Christianity of the victims and their families. The reality of their faith was on full display as the murderer of their loved ones stood before them by video feed in handcuffs. They said the following to him:

“I forgive you…You took something very precious from me … I will never talk to her … ever again. I will never be able to hold her again … but I forgive you.”

“I forgive you, and my family forgives you … but we would like for you to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the One who matters most … Christ.”

“We welcomed you, Wednesday night in our Bible study … with open arms. You have killed some of the most beautiful people I know. Every fiber in my body hurts. But as we say in Bible study … we enjoyed you. May God have mercy on you.”

(The phrase, “We enjoyed you” is something church members say to guests. And indeed, the killer had been welcomed to the Bible study, stayed for an hour, and later said that he thought of not killing the people, because they were so nice to him.)

Only people filled with the Holy Spirit of God could make statements like the three mentioned above. There is absolutely no other explanation. Only people who have experienced the reality of God’s mercy and forgiveness in gospel could have the power to forgive in this situation.

These ordinary Christian believers have allowed God to speak through them, and they have had a transforming effect on a situation that could have been horrific for our nation.

In doing so, they have honored Christ, and surely they are saying exactly what their slain brothers and sisters in heaven want them to say. For those who fell and are now with the Savior know that the most important thing any of us can do on this earth is to help others know Him.

The family members of these victims and the members of their church family are doing just that. And the people who were killed by the hateful individual are also doing it. They “being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).

On this July 4th, let’s remember that Jesus gives us freedom from hate and the freedom to forgive. “For if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Dr. Thurman R. Hayes is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Suffolk. Follow him on Twitter at @ThurmanHayesJr.