Wisdom in an Age of Terror

We are living in an age of terror. Our news reports are filled with violence: school shootings, road rage, mass murders at schools, parades, malls, churches… nowhere seems to be safe.

Proverb 6:17 tells us that “God hates hands that shed innocent blood.” Don’t we all? I know I do.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, I supported the voices that called for war. I signed up for the National Guard. We demanded justice for the nearly 3000 lives lost. Ironically, our desire for payback cost the lives of 2500 more Americans in Afghanistan as the longest war in US history dragged on. Twenty years later we would leave, and Afghanistan would quickly revert to Taliban control. Perhaps, war was not the answer.

Following the 9/11 attacks, the world was on our side. Even Yassar Arafat, leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), denounced the attacks. Democrats and Republicans gathered in front of the Capitol and sang “God Bless America.” That seems like such a long time ago. Partisan politics rules the day once more and we squandered our global good will. Perhaps, war was not the answer.

What if we had responded differently? What if we had not gone to war? Was there a better way? What does God do about hands that shed innocent blood?

Adam and Eve's son, Cain was the first to shed innocent blood. He killed his brother in a jealous rage. God reached out to Cain and offered Cain an opportunity to confess his guilt and show remorse and repent. When Cain rejected God’s grace and therefore received judgment, God still extended the mercy of protection on him.

In 2006 five girls were killed and six injured in a school shooting in an Amish community. The father of one of the girls urged against hatred. He said about the shooter, “He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he's standing before a just God".

An Amish midwife who had helped birth several of the girls murdered by the shooter reported that they were planning to take food over to his family’s house. She said, "This is possible if you have Christ in your heart."

The victim’s families forgave the shooter and invited his wife to their funeral. Resist the thoughts of violence and terror! Let self-control and love for God and the sanctity of life rule in your hearts. Surrender to God and let His power deal with your pain, your bitterness, your thoughts of revenge, your hatred.

Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Come near to God
and He will come near to you.
James 4:7

They Love the Sin but Hate the Sinner

Fred Phelps

Fred Phelps died yesterday. He was the pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas; the one that held demonstrations at the funerals of soldiers. He was infamous for hateful signs rejoicing in the death of soldiers and others believing that all violent deaths were signs of God's judgment on America.

Although Phelps has died, hate is still alive. While most people disagree with Phelps views, many agree with his methods. On Twitter this week (#FredPhelps) I have seen many tweets celebrating his death; some tweets contained weird homoerotic fantasies about Phelps. He makes people who don't believe in Hell wish it existed. The most amazing irony is that some are calling for a demonstration at Phelps funeral.

Really? It's like, “Hey Fred, thanks for the idea.”

The hate words are not directed in support of gay rights nor against freedom of speech. They are personal against Phelps. It is hatred of an enemy.

Christian leaders are, on the other hand, calling for prayers for the family and restraint from hatred.

It comes down to who you want to follow. Is it Jesus who said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:43-48)

On the other hand, you can do it Fred Phelps' way.

Fred Phelps is dead but Satan reminds us that Hate is alive and well.

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Second Chances

Mark 14:66-72

Following Jesus is a decision to be made today and everyday, not a historical event from your past. You are either drawing closer to him or you are pulling away. If you drift far enough away, you can suddenly find yourself denying him, even if it was never your intent to do so.

The Apostle Peter had been following Jesus closely but, now that Jesus has been arrested, he keeps his distance; staying close to the enemy's fire. Not wanting to be identified as a follower of Christ, he hangs out where there are no disciples and tries to fit in with the crowd.

Peter's spiritual collapse reached a peak with his appalling three denials of Jesus. However, his failure wasn't final. God’s love is not dependent on our performance or success. After Jesus' resurrection, he seeks out Peter and asks him three times, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-19)

Jesus provided Peter with an opportunity to reaffirm his loyalty and commitment to him. We want to condemn Peter but Jesus gives him another chance. Peter is a changed man. He soon preaches a powerful sermon and 3000 souls are saved.

He no longer hides his faith from the authorities. Instead, he tells them, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)

No matter how you have failed; no matter what sin you have allowed into your life, the Savior who died for you still loves you. Maybe you feel that, because of something you have done or experienced, you are counted out. Listen to the voice of Jesus who asking, “Do you love me?”

Yet to all who did receive him,

to those who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12

God responds when his people pray.

The book of Judges describes a repeating cycle where Israel becomes disobedient to God resulting in terrible consequences for their nation. When they realized the consequences of their sin, they cried out to God for salvation. God would raise up a champion who delivers God’s justice to Israel’s oppressors and brought revival to the nation. This cycle is repeated seven times in Judges.

This lesson can be applied to our own spiritual lives. The Bible teaches that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJV)

Can we wear out God’s patience? When Peter asked if we should forgive a person who has wronged us seven times (Peter believed he was being generous), Jesus said that the number was seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22).

This lesson is also seen repeated in history. By the 1500’s the church is being led by corrupt leaders. Worship is dead and the people are superstitious and fearful. Martin Luther and other preachers lead a great revival of Bible teaching. The Bible was put in the hands of the people and the church was reformed.

In England, John Wesley preaches in the streets and starts small groups in response to the Anglican Church’s lack of concern for the soul’s of the poor in England. Revival spreads across England and prevents a bloody revolution like the one in France.

In 18th Century America, it was said that worship waned and immorality flourished. Thomas Jefferson and other influential thinkers believed that rationalism left no room for orthodox Christianity. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall stated, "The church is too far gone ever to be redeemed." In 1794 churches set aside the first Monday of every month to pray for revival. By 1803, the Methodist church grew from 2700 to 12,000 and 10,000 people joined the Baptist Church. The American Bible Society and the American Sunday School Union were organized in the decade to follow.

God has also raised up champions such as John Wycliffe, who translated the Bible into English in the 1300’s, William Wilberforce, who labored to abolish slavery in England, and William Carey, who started the modern missionary movement. He continues to raise champions in our time. There is Martin Luther King, Jr., who led the civil rights movement, and Mother Teresa, who ministered to dying outcasts in India.

Disobedience is the natural tendency of humanity and results in defeat and judgment by God, however, God is patient and faithful His people and responds when we call upon Him in repentance.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV)

GOT GRACE?

When Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous serial killer, turned his heart to Jesus and was baptized, many people were skeptical; some Christians were outraged. Is it just that a man so vile can gain entry into heaven so easily? It is if you believe in salvation by grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9 NIV).”

To say that one sinner is more worthy of hell than another is to argue that some people are more worthy of heaven; and that our worthiness (or righteousness) comes from something that we did or did not do (works!). Salvation is the gift of God. We cannot boast about it nor can we argue the injustice of another’s salvation.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells of a young man who squandered his inheritance on the fast life. He was immature and wanted nothing more than to indulge his lusts, no matter how expensive. He shamed himself, humiliated his family and embarrassed his community. After having lost everything, he decided to return home. There was no “I told you so” lecture. There were no tests of loyalty. His father welcomed him with open arms and celebrated his return. All his rights as a son were restored. John 1:12 tells us that, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (NIV).”

The elder brother felt this was unfair and was livid. He had been faithful and loyal and believed himself to be deserving of the attention that his brother was attracting. Unfortunately, this is the mind-set of some Christians when one our own falls into sin and returns to the church. They don’t rejoice with the angels. They react as if they had been cheated. They want to put a limit to God’s love and grace.

Consider the woman caught committing adultery in John 8 who was going to be stoned to death. Jesus did not disagree with the woman’s guilt or her death sentence. Jesus confronted the mob with their own sin and need for grace. When the crowd left, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. The woman did not ask for forgiveness and there is no evidence of her repenting or coming to faith in Christ. We don’t even know if she said thank-you. Jesus showed that woman grace, even though she did not deserve it. That is an example of how we are to treat the lost. “…While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)”

Lost people matter to God and they ought to matter to us. “The Lord…is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).” Church ought to be a place where the lost can encounter God’s grace and where Christian’s who have lost their way can come back home.