It's been quite a week for Americans and for our family since we are a military family. With the death of Usama Bin Laden there has been a myriad of emotions here. And there has been a myriad of concerns that have been awakened in military families across the globe. However as Christians how should we rightly respond to this news? I've seen and heard a number of speakers, teachers and others remarking and voicing their opinions about the proper response of Christians to the news of Bin Laden's death. But the opinion that means the most to me is the one of God.
One verse is Ezekiel 18:23, "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?" 2 Peter 3:9 also states, "...not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
I believe that we should not rejoice in Bin Laden's death so much as we should be saddened and our hearts quickened. We should not rejoice that he is now suffering eternal torment beyond anything we can imagine. Yes the world is less one evil man who reeked much havoc in so many lives. But rejoicing in his death knowing he is suffering eternally, I think, should not be our response. We should be reminded rather that we, too deserve such punishment but have been redeemed to share in eternal glory with our Lord.
Yes, there are instances in the Bible where evil was defeated and the people rejoiced. Certainly that is a human response and I'm not saying that we should not be glad that Bin Laden can no longer perpetrate his evil. We should be glad of that. But we need to be tempered in our rejoicing for it could quite easily have been us that would suffer the punishment we all deserve if it were not for the blood of Christ.
If you do not know Jesus and the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life please go here to find out more about the grace and mercy of a loving and merciful God.
For another insight that got me thinking about all this see Francis Chan's response.
One verse is Ezekiel 18:23, "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?" 2 Peter 3:9 also states, "...not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
I believe that we should not rejoice in Bin Laden's death so much as we should be saddened and our hearts quickened. We should not rejoice that he is now suffering eternal torment beyond anything we can imagine. Yes the world is less one evil man who reeked much havoc in so many lives. But rejoicing in his death knowing he is suffering eternally, I think, should not be our response. We should be reminded rather that we, too deserve such punishment but have been redeemed to share in eternal glory with our Lord.
Yes, there are instances in the Bible where evil was defeated and the people rejoiced. Certainly that is a human response and I'm not saying that we should not be glad that Bin Laden can no longer perpetrate his evil. We should be glad of that. But we need to be tempered in our rejoicing for it could quite easily have been us that would suffer the punishment we all deserve if it were not for the blood of Christ.
If you do not know Jesus and the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life please go here to find out more about the grace and mercy of a loving and merciful God.
For another insight that got me thinking about all this see Francis Chan's response.
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