In May of 1997, Foster was sentenced to death for his role in Brown’s murder of Michael LaHood. Despite the testimony of others with them, that Foster never realized this was going to happen and that he repeatedly stated that the robbery spree needed to come to an end, he nonetheless was found guilty and sentenced to death.

In August of 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster to life in prison. Based upon the facts of the case, The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles voted 6 to 1 to grant clemency. Governor Perry granted.

God is infinitely more powerful than a Texas governor. God possesses the power to commute and pardon the spiritual consequences of sin. Death, both physical and spiritual (Rom. 5:12), is the consequence of sin. Yet through the atoning blood of Christ, those dead in their sins can be granted life (Rom. 5:6-21; Eph. 2:1).

In this process, God is the Offerer of two rich blessings. Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve (Eph. 2:8-9). Mercy is God withholding from us what we do deserve (Eph. 2:4; 2 Tim. 1:18; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:3, 2:10). Sin deserves death (Rom. 6:23). Sin got death, but death got Jesus. He paid the price so that we wouldn’t have to.