Monday, 02 May 2011

• Osama Bin Laden's Death 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. He also tells us to love our enemies and that means we don't rejoice in their death. 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 who 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 knowing love should touch us deeply and not cause us to throw our arms in the air rejoicing. We can rejoice that injustice in the world has been dented but we can not rejoice in a sinner perishing (that's eternity language by the way). 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 (rejoice in that nonstop) 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 in the 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 or guns have brought redemption and justice but instead let us remember that redemption and justice has already been 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.  The only death ever worthy of true glory is that of Christ on the cross (this nugget was provided by my friend Pike).

  This death of Osama Bin Laden is not the true depiction of God's justice. Justice might be found in there somewhere but the cross is that true portrait. Judgement and justice language is used often to describe the death of Jesus. Bin Laden's 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 for such endeavors are contrary to the way of the heavenly kingdom. We must support evangelistic and gospel-oriented endeavors that have goals of converting men into repentance. As Ezekiel tells us, God desires repentence and not perishing for the wicked. As citizens of God's heavenly kingdom, our military belongs to heaven and not a specific nation. In other words, we are united first and foremost (or perhaps only) to the military of heaven and the war it wages. The terrorism we stand against is not made of flesh and blood but of powers and principalities according to the apostle Paul. We must have a gospel based view of reality and no lesser view. An early church father named Athenagoras once stated, "To be just alone is not enough because to be just means to repay like for like, but we have been commanded to far beyond this, to be kind and patient" He also stated, "We cannot bear to see a man or woman put to death, even justly!" 

  Therefore, let us invest in love, mourning this death, not celebrating the ways of violence and wordly 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 we 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"

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