It was a crime that shocked the whole city. Saturday night meant an evening of dinner and friends in Society Hill. The two men stopped at a MAC machine and waited in line. A surveillance camera honed in on their faces as they made their transaction.

But as they turned, one of the men was approached by a 17 year old with a .22 caliber handgun. "This is a stickup" the teenager said. One of the men hesitated a moment and was ten shot in the back of the head. He died instantly.

Days later the teenager was captured and held for trial. During an interview with the newspapers, the teenager said, "For real, he brung this on himself". He claimed that the man who had been killed had caused it himself by hesitating. Everyone is supposed to know that when you are approached by a thief, you are to do exactly what he says. "If he'd a done that, that man would still be here today."

The criminal blamed the victim for his own death. He felt no blame and felt no shame. He never even said that he was sorry or wished it had not happened. He never changed his mind about it or "repented".

In interviews with 57 teenagers charged with similar murders throughout the city, almost everyone of them saw themselves as not responsible for the murder. They were very upset if they were told that they were violent and did not want to be called a killer.

Admitting to guilt is the hardest thing for most of us to do. We either deny that we are guilty, or admit it with qualifications. "I did it, but..."

The thief in the Bible story of the crucifiction realized that he was guilty and deserved the punishment which he was receiving. Because he was honest with God, salvation was possible. God can only forgive those who admit they need forgiveness. The Bible says that God is waiting for "every mouth to be stopped and all... guilty before God". Romans 3. When a man realizes he is guilty and that God is just, there is salvation available.

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