On December 29th, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas a shooter entered the West Freeway Church of Christ during their Sunday morning assembly. Two people were killed before the gunman was stopped by an armed member of the congregation. It was a tragic and disgusting act that could easily have resulted in more deaths.
On January 3rd, 2020 the United States military launched a strike in Iraq that resulted in the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of Iran responsible for multiple terrorist attacks and the deaths of hundreds of Americans and thousands of others. Truly he was someone who did wrong and deserved justice.
On January 14th, 2020 the candidates for the nomination of the Democratic Party held a debate. They talked about their policy differences, bashed their political rivals, and overall tried to distinguish themselves from the rest of the field. It was an ordinary political affair for an election year.
The question is this; what do these three events all have in common? The way Christians have responded.
When news of the shooting in Fort Worth broke there was the expected and proper outpouring of condolences to the congregation, sorrow for those who lost their lives, and praise for the man who stopped the shooter. There was also, however, a massive outburst of vindictive rage at the shooter. "So glad he's dead!" "Now he's in hell, where he belongs!" "I hope God takes his sweet time roasting that one!" These, among others, were common reactions I saw from Christians concerning the shooter.
When Soleimani was killed there was the usual political maelstrom that ensued about whether or not Trump could/should have done that. There was also a certain glee among Christians that this enemy of the Christian faith (which he was) was now dead. There was a certain satisfaction that he was now dead and almost certainly in hell.
The Democratic debate is much the same tale, interestingly enough. While most ignored it there were those who came out guns blazing either to attack the candidates or to attack President Trump. The debate, like all other political events in this polarized climate of ours, set off many Christians on both side of the political aisle to wage a war of words against one another. The Republicans see the Democrats as their enemy set to wage war on their very way of life and vice versa.
In all three cases, and there are countless others I could point to, there has been a consistent Christian response of vengeance. Some of these are genuine enemies of the Christian faith and of Christians. Others are more like perceived enemies, or people we have fashioned into enemies. Many are glad to see their enemies dead and hope they rot in hell, while others actively wish that fate upon their enemies both real and perceived.
Think about this for a moment; Christians, the people of Jesus, are celebrating the fact that certain people are being removed from this life without the chance of coming to know Christ and repent. There are Jesus people, whose primary mission is to seek and save the lost, that are wishing eternal damnation upon the very people they have been called to reach.
This is not about whether or not the gunman should have been stopped or whether or not Soleimani should have been taken out or whether or not the Democrats or Republicans are right; this is about the way Christians respond to such events and people. Do we respond with vengeance and hellfire or do we respond with love and mercy?
In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us to "Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us." We have a hard time with this command. It isn't easy to love your enemy. Often I think we merely pretend that we're following this command. We'll complain about someone endlessly only to tack on a customary, "I love them though!" We'll talk about how much we "love" those who actively seek to destroy our faith, but do we mean it?
At best we have a middling compassion for our enemies, both real and perceived. At worst we are lying. Love, real love, is active. It isn't just some warm, fuzzy feeling but commitment to willing and seeking the good of another. We see what love looks like in the person of Jesus, especially what it means to love your enemy.
Loving your enemy looks like getting flogged and not fighting back for their sake. Loving your enemy looks like carrying a cross through the streets for their sake. Loving your enemy is wearing a crown of thorns and being exposed to the elements for all the world to see for their sake. Loving your enemy is being nailed to the cross for their sake. Loving your enemy is, after all this torture and pain inflicted upon you, quietly asking God to forgive them. Loving your enemy is dying for their sake.
Jesus loved his enemies. He loved you and me. The result is that we are no longer his enemies in open rebellion against God, but children of God. To love your enemy is to place their deepest need, the need to know Jesus, ahead of all else. It means praying fervently that God forgives, because we genuinely are seeking their benefit. We want them to spend eternity with Christ.
To love your enemy is to recognize what Paul says in Ephesians 6, that our true enemy isn't the people of this world no matter how much they attack us. The true enemy is the dark, spiritual forces that are marshaled against God and his people. It is to recognize that what we are fighting is a spiritual war and that the way we win is by imitating Christ.
Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Pray for their salvation, not their punishment. Never ever wish hell upon anyone. That is for God alone to decide and it is something we should all sincerely not want for anyone.
On January 3rd, 2020 the United States military launched a strike in Iraq that resulted in the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general of Iran responsible for multiple terrorist attacks and the deaths of hundreds of Americans and thousands of others. Truly he was someone who did wrong and deserved justice.
On January 14th, 2020 the candidates for the nomination of the Democratic Party held a debate. They talked about their policy differences, bashed their political rivals, and overall tried to distinguish themselves from the rest of the field. It was an ordinary political affair for an election year.
The question is this; what do these three events all have in common? The way Christians have responded.
When news of the shooting in Fort Worth broke there was the expected and proper outpouring of condolences to the congregation, sorrow for those who lost their lives, and praise for the man who stopped the shooter. There was also, however, a massive outburst of vindictive rage at the shooter. "So glad he's dead!" "Now he's in hell, where he belongs!" "I hope God takes his sweet time roasting that one!" These, among others, were common reactions I saw from Christians concerning the shooter.
When Soleimani was killed there was the usual political maelstrom that ensued about whether or not Trump could/should have done that. There was also a certain glee among Christians that this enemy of the Christian faith (which he was) was now dead. There was a certain satisfaction that he was now dead and almost certainly in hell.
The Democratic debate is much the same tale, interestingly enough. While most ignored it there were those who came out guns blazing either to attack the candidates or to attack President Trump. The debate, like all other political events in this polarized climate of ours, set off many Christians on both side of the political aisle to wage a war of words against one another. The Republicans see the Democrats as their enemy set to wage war on their very way of life and vice versa.
In all three cases, and there are countless others I could point to, there has been a consistent Christian response of vengeance. Some of these are genuine enemies of the Christian faith and of Christians. Others are more like perceived enemies, or people we have fashioned into enemies. Many are glad to see their enemies dead and hope they rot in hell, while others actively wish that fate upon their enemies both real and perceived.
Think about this for a moment; Christians, the people of Jesus, are celebrating the fact that certain people are being removed from this life without the chance of coming to know Christ and repent. There are Jesus people, whose primary mission is to seek and save the lost, that are wishing eternal damnation upon the very people they have been called to reach.
This is not about whether or not the gunman should have been stopped or whether or not Soleimani should have been taken out or whether or not the Democrats or Republicans are right; this is about the way Christians respond to such events and people. Do we respond with vengeance and hellfire or do we respond with love and mercy?
In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us to "Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us." We have a hard time with this command. It isn't easy to love your enemy. Often I think we merely pretend that we're following this command. We'll complain about someone endlessly only to tack on a customary, "I love them though!" We'll talk about how much we "love" those who actively seek to destroy our faith, but do we mean it?
At best we have a middling compassion for our enemies, both real and perceived. At worst we are lying. Love, real love, is active. It isn't just some warm, fuzzy feeling but commitment to willing and seeking the good of another. We see what love looks like in the person of Jesus, especially what it means to love your enemy.
Loving your enemy looks like getting flogged and not fighting back for their sake. Loving your enemy looks like carrying a cross through the streets for their sake. Loving your enemy is wearing a crown of thorns and being exposed to the elements for all the world to see for their sake. Loving your enemy is being nailed to the cross for their sake. Loving your enemy is, after all this torture and pain inflicted upon you, quietly asking God to forgive them. Loving your enemy is dying for their sake.
Jesus loved his enemies. He loved you and me. The result is that we are no longer his enemies in open rebellion against God, but children of God. To love your enemy is to place their deepest need, the need to know Jesus, ahead of all else. It means praying fervently that God forgives, because we genuinely are seeking their benefit. We want them to spend eternity with Christ.
To love your enemy is to recognize what Paul says in Ephesians 6, that our true enemy isn't the people of this world no matter how much they attack us. The true enemy is the dark, spiritual forces that are marshaled against God and his people. It is to recognize that what we are fighting is a spiritual war and that the way we win is by imitating Christ.
Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Pray for their salvation, not their punishment. Never ever wish hell upon anyone. That is for God alone to decide and it is something we should all sincerely not want for anyone.
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