Sunday, 01 May 2011
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The Death of Osama Bin Laden and the Christian Reaction
As I write this the twitterverse, facebook, news stations, and general U.S. public is buzzing about the reported death of a well known terrorist named Osama Bin Laden. To many this death means justice is being served, that the United states is the hero of the world, and/or that the war on terrorism is a good idea. I'd disagree with about all of these things. However, I'm not writing this to debate those issues. I have one simple message right now for Christians.We are to be a people of love who imitate Jesus Christ. Jesus loved all people so much that he died for all of them, wiping away their sins, calling them his children. He forgave all evildoers as they tortured and killed him. During the greatest of injustices he suffered and exampled perfect love, asking God to forgive those evildoers. In his teachings he told us to emulate our Father in heaven who is faithful to the wicked and the righteous, causing his rain and sun to fall upon both. He sent his son for all the sinners of the world. The public sinners, the private sinners, the violent sinners, the sexual sinners, the mental sinners. He did this in an effort to bring all people to him. He wanted all people, all sinners, all wicked men and women, to repent and join his kingdom. He gave us Jesus, the "Way", so that we would have unity with him.
That is what love looks like. In the book of Ezekiel God speaks to his people and twice makes it clear that he does not delight int he death of the wicked because his true desire is for them to change their ways and join him in his way. Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11. The second states, "...As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!..." Jesus commands us to forgive others nonstop. Paul instructs the Romans to never seek or invest in revenge but to be people of love who bless others and do good to their enemies. THIS is a huge aspect of the Christian life. The Christian is defined by love.
So when men like Osama Bin Laden die we should not celebrate their death (or killing/murder/whatever) but mourn for someone died without repentance (as far as we know). That is worth our mourning. That is worth sadness. If we are people of love then someone dying outside of love should touch us deeply and not cause us to throw our arms in the air rejoicing. The fact that people, even Christians, rejoice in the death of other men proves that this world is broken, sinful, fallen, and in need of true redemption. We know that God will judge all and justice will come to pass but right now, for us, mercy, compassion, grace, forgiveness, blessings, and love are our focus, duty, and supreme pleasure. Let us not get caught up in the "victory" of the United States (which is no victory at all to those of us who know the love and salvation of God, the meaningless of nations and the value of every human being who is created int he image of God) but let us mourn the sadness that penetrates the kingdom of heaven as a brother sleeps in sin and may not enjoy eternity with us and with God. How could we celebrate such a tragedy? Let us not think that bombs have brought redemption and justice but instead let us remember that redemption and justice was already brought in the greatest of ways through Jesus Christ dying on the cross, as a weak and seemingly defeated criminal. Violence is not the hero. Christ is the hero. Love wins, it never fails.
This death is not the depiction of God's justice. The cross is that portrait. This death will unite us in mourning and love or in revenge and hate. We can not be a people who support endeavors which consist of top priorities such as killing a particular man. We must support evangelistic and gospel-oriented endeavors that have goals of converting men into repentance. Our military belongs to heaven and not a specific nation. The terrorism we stand against is not made of flesh and blood but of powers and principalities. We must have a gospel based view of reality and no lesser view.
Therefore, let us invest in love, mourning this day, not celebrating the ways of violence and shallow justice. Let us align ourselves with the God who does not delight in the death of wicked men but desires that all men come to him and may he be a part of drawing others near. Today we can do that with how we approach this popular death. We can pray for the middle east and what may come as a result of this death. We can pray for all the people in various militaries that they find safety. We can set an example by mourning and speaking love. We can do many things to distance ourselves from hate, revenge, nationalism, and all the evil things that are floating around in our society at this very moment. It was once said that Christians are the reason the good flows on in this world. Let us live in such a way that this may still be true even if we are accused of loving too much.
Proverbs 24:17, "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice"
How do you feel about the death of Osama Bin Ladin? Do you think God is happy that he is dead? How should Christians react to this moment in a way that will accurately reflect the love, compassion and message of Jesus Christ?
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- From: TheGreatBout@xanga
- Name: Travis
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- About Me: Seek and you will find... or something.
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Comments (147)
@x_SwIm4ShArKs_x@xanga - Nicely put! Im embarrassed at some of the aBOVE comments.
I celebrate his death! And I also Love and worship Jesus Christ. I ask his Forgiveness if I am wrong.....because it feels so right!
@TheApostleSC@xanga - "vengence is Mine, says the Lord" He is just and His vengence=justice. In the Bible, God often used the unrighteous to punish others who are wicked.
@TheApostleSC@xanga - @seattlepam - When I think about these shouts of justice (mainly the ones that are more grounded in American attitudes) I think about the lives lost during the "War on Terror(ism)" and how the death toll brought about by the U.S. Military surpasses that of the lives lost on 9/11 and I ask why this particular death is called justice and all those other deaths were not. It makes me ask "How do we define justice?" If we're calling justice something similar to the Eye for an eye law that is found in the Old Covenant then this would be injustice. I don't know how to phrase my confusion well but these are some thoughts swirling around my brain right now. Thoughts?
Yes to everything you said. I'm definitely putting a link to this post on my site.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - for clarification, my statement is not grounded in being an American.
I am one of a few Americans who understands that 9/11 was a result of America's misdeeds domestically and globally.
My attitude is grounded in the idea that people who do wrong are punished. God does not lie.
Jesus said, ""He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36).
Paul wrote to the Romans, "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) May it never be!" (Romans 3:5-6).
bin Laden's death is an example of God inflicting His wrath on the unrighteous.
Don't get me wrong, it is sad that Obama died in his sins. God doesn't want people to perish in their sins, nor do I.
There are examples in the Bible of how God will even use the unrighteous to execute judgment.
God is the same yesterday (old testament) and today.
@seattlepam - America = God?
@llamalima@xanga - How did you get that?
No way, thus my statements, " God will even use the unrighteous to execute judgment" and "I am one of a few Americans who understands that 9/11 was a result of America's misdeeds domestically and globally."
I, unlike some Americans, do not believe America is or has ever been a "Christian nation".
@seattlepam - I wasn't trying to say your statements were grounded that way. Sorry. I was referring to other statements I've seen through the night.
@seattlepam - Ah, I understand what you're saying now. I apologize for my tone before, I am not quite awake. Been working on this project much too long.
Amen
I think it is a sad day when someone dies who didn't come to know the true God! It is not us to judge,but God..Even though I support our troops for obeying their Government leaders,I do not believe in war..The bible says thou shall not kill..NOT thou shall not kill until the president orders it.
Thanks for writing this. I wrote a similar post on my blog, thetreeswillclap.com, and people have had a crazy reaction on Facebook. Our God loves justice; but the world's justice isn't always God's justice.
Comforted by your thoughts right now.
Peace & love.
Hate the sin love the sinner. I agree with the following thoughts blogged by Kari Patterson " I rejoice that this perpetrator of evil is no longer on the prowl in our
world. I mourn over a human soul that was so deceived by the devil and
used to carry out his schemes."
The Vatican, the sort of Catholic "capitol of the world", released this statement about it, but you all might find this post a better read: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/the-shocking-truth-that-god-loves-osama-bin-laden-too.
I agree with you... and no I don't believe God is happy he is dead. To him we're all his children no matter what and he loves us. If I as mother ended up having a child of wrong doing, I would never approve but if my son/daughter was murdered because of it, it wouldn't make me happy. It would still break my heart. I believe it's the same way besides I'm sure God has dealt with worse people during our existence.
Nope NOT gonna agree with you one bit, but i'll still read my bible and love Jesus.
@seattlepam I'm glad that Christ shows us Love, not justice. If it is only Justice that we seek, then we all deserve to die. "For the consequence of sin is death, but the gift of God is supra-natural life"
@lufman - I know many Christians are uncomfortable with what I am saying because they do not embrace the fullness of who God is.
I am glad that I have made the CHOICE to reside in the love of God and not in His wrath.
Those who live and die in their sin have chosen to reside in His wrath.
Give me a break. The world's #1 terrorist is dead, and you want me to be unhappy about it? I don't think so. I'm a friggin' Catholic, and I couldn't be happier or more relieved that this despicable excuse for a human being has assumed room temperature and is now sleeping with the fish.
@rusty0505@xanga - I'm Catholic, and I do not agree with this Vatican statement one bit. They weren't the ones who were attacked on 9/11, nor did they lose 3000+ of their fellow citizens. All of this pacifist crap makes me want to puke.
Is it a tragedy? Yes.Did Bin Laden make his own choices? Yes. Did he live as a Christian, protecting life? NO. Do we need to mourn that this evil, satanic human destroyed what God created? YES. It is sorrowful for how he lived and the destruction he created and that he did not follow Jesus. He did make the choice to do evil and kill innocent lives and continued to plot death among the innocent, not repenting? WE all know that answer as well. It's a tragedy that is how he lived his life, no matter what sort of religion he lived. Who says it wasn't God's will that he was killed? He is the sovereign God.
I will not weep for his death. It's sad to think he is in hell, but so be it. There is a hell and that is where this possessed spirit belongs. I will not weep his death.
This morning I was getting ready for work, & I spoke to God about this.I said, "Jesus, You are judging Osama right now." (Romans 12:19) Jesus answered with, "I am." It is quite sad, yes, like you said...that he is going through this. But it was by his choice & we all know that he heard about Jesus before because that is why he was killing Christians. It is more sad I believe for people who knew about Jesus & didn't accept him than for those who didn't know Jesus or hear about Him at all.
do not celebrate for the fact that a man has been killed, but rather because we are at least one small step closer to bringing down al queda.
i think that is why americans relish in the death of bin laden. i don't believe they enjoy the fact that man's head has been blown apart; rather, it's what he symbolized, and the fact that such a powerful figure-head of al queda has been brought down, that we are celebrating.
i don't believe in god. however, as soon as i heard the president (and many others) say "justice" was served, i was curious to hear the christian reaction.