As the world is now made aware of the tragedy that occurred a few hours ago in Newtown, Connecticut, we cannot help but think, "Not again! What is going on in this nation?"
President Obama addressed the nation earlier today saying:
"As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it is an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago, these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods and these children are our children. And we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."
27 dead. 20 of them school children under the age of 10. A son murders his own mother and then proceeds to kill dozens of other lives with brazen ruthlessness. Kindergarten (a German word for "a garden for children") was anything but that today--today, it was a graveyard. Eden was revisited. Paradise was lost. Innocence was eliminated as evil once again reared its hideous head. And a nation is once again left with shattered lives and lingering questions. The most redundant question being, "How could anyone commit such a crime?" But is there really a true diagnosis of the human heart?
To this, the Christian responds, "Yes!" The Bible incisively diagnoses the human condition with pinpoint accuracy when it says:
"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
(Romans 1:28-32 ESV)
Murder sprees occur because murderers "did not see fit to acknowledge God." God then gives them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done--everything from homosexuality to the murder of parents. Such beings are filled with hatred against God, and that hatred is most vividly dramatized by events such as the one that just occurred in Newtown yesterday. "Heartless and ruthless." This is the biblical explanation for what occurred in Newtown.
Scripture instructs Christians to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep" (Romans 12:15 ESV). And so we weep with the families of the victims tonight. We pray for the God of all comfort to bring the healing balm of the gospel into each bereaved household tonight. May God, through His gospel, heal this nation.
Yet, our thoughts turn to the killer as well. If there is no God, then this killer evaded justice--he got to do things his way. But the powerful objective reality is that there is a righteous God sitting on the throne tonight. Romans 1:32 proclaims that this righteous God's decree is for all such murderers to "to die." Die what? Physical deaths? No, far more than that--such beings face the "Second Death." Outside of faith we don't know about, tonight the killer began his first night in the eternal flames of hell. Divine justice is never thwarted.
Outside of common grace operating through the gracious sovereign hand of God, we would all be murderers and criminals. And just like murderers, every single one of us deserve eternity in hell because of our many sins. The good news is, that though God is holy and just, He loved you so much that He sent His own Son, Jesus (who was fully God and fully man), to die on the cross and pay for your sins. Three days later, Jesus resurrected from the grave and then promised eternal life for all who would turn from their sins and put their faith in Him. This promise is for all murderers and would-be murderers like all of us (the Bible says that if we hate someone in our hearts, we've already committed murder in our hearts).
Tonight, in Newtown, Connecticut; the Gospel is our only hope but it is genuine hope.
1 comment:
Amen. Hopeful to see how the Lord will use this situation to bring about the salvation of many families in Newtown, CT. Perhaps this will be a wake up call of how badly we need to adhere and acknowledge our need for Jesus and Lord and Savior and tell others about the good news too.
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