How should Christians react to bin Laden's death? Worth sharing...

FIRST-PERSON: How should Christians react to bin Laden's death?
By Denny Burk
May 2, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)--On Sunday, we all learned that U.S. special forces killed Osama bin Laden as he was hiding out in a mansion in Pakistan. The reaction to the news across the U.S. has been remarkable. I cannot remember another instance in my lifetime when throngs of people gathered spontaneously in the streets of our major cities to celebrate, but that is indeed what happened.
How should we as Christians react to the news? Here are a few thoughts:
1. Romans 13:4, " does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil." If ever there were a just use of force, this was it. The U.S. government carried out its God-ordained task and has acted as God's minister, bringing His wrath upon one who practiced evil. The U.S. government isn't God's only minister of the sword. But Sunday night was our night, and I am grateful that justice was served.
2. Hebrews 10:31, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Isaiah 33:14, "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?" I shudder to think of what bin Laden is facing right now. I do not question the justice of it, but I can hardly bear to contemplate the horror of it. If my thinking is defective now, it won't always be. The day will come when God will command me to rejoice in His justice in the damnation of the wicked (Revelation 18:20). Until then, the horror should serve as a motivation to warn people to flee the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
3. I think Christians are right to contemplate how jubilation (like we saw on TV) is consistent with Ezekiel 33:11, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live." It is no surprise that many Christians are asking, "If God is not delighting in the death of the wicked, then how can we?" But does this verse really teach that God never delights in the death of the wicked? If so, what are we to do with the myriad of biblical texts that say things like:
-- "So the LORD will delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be torn from the land where you are entering to possess it" (Deuteronomy 28:63).
-- "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes;  You hate all who do iniquity. You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit" (Psalm 5:4-6).
So is there a contradiction between these texts and Ezekiel 33:11? No, there is not. There is confusion on this point because Ezekiel 33:11 is easily misunderstood. The second part of the verse is key to understanding its meaning. The text is not trying to say that God never delights in the death of the wicked. Rather, the verse means that God prefers for sinners to repent rather than to perish. If they refuse to repent, however, God delights in His own justice enough to punish them appropriately (e.g., Psalm 1:5-6; 5:4-6; 68:2; Isaiah 13:1-22; Jeremiah 18:11). Sometimes that justice begins with the imperfect ministers that He has appointed to bear the sword (Romans 13:4). For this reason, we have to be willing to praise God for His justice one way or the other (Psalm 139:19-22; Proverbs 11:10; 28:28; Revelation 19:1-3).
So what do we make of the celebrations in the streets? Perhaps we could all learn a lesson or two about celebrating God's justice from Lincoln's second inaugural address. Lincoln at once recognized the justice of his cause but at the same time was humbled by his own side's shortcomings. And after contemplating all the misery of the war, he offered a kind of grim affirmation of Scripture saying, "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether" (Psalm 19:9).
Perhaps a recognition of this kind of justice would be less likely to result in patriotic celebrations in the streets and more likely to produce a kind of somber, humble gratitude for the common grace of God. I am not righteous, but God is. Even though I shudder to think of the Lord's righteous judgment, I am nevertheless grateful to Him for whatever measure of common grace justice He grants us on this side of glory. With last night's announcement, I think what He has given is a generous portion.
--30--
Denny Burk is associate professor of biblical studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. This column first appeared at his blog, DennyBurk.com.

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I too am asking myself the same questions here. I just felt it was worth sharing with you.

the Cross

On a Saturday morning, I was driving down the road and I passed a local church that had 3 crosses in their field. The center cross had a purple scarf draped around it to represent Jesus Christ, Lord of Lords and King of Kings’ life.

I drove passed it the first time and as I went passed it, I was drawn to it. It was that of a pulling; a force if you will that was calling my name to come back. I turned around, pulled into the church’s drive way and stared at this scene. The song from Casting Crowns, Glorious Day, was playing in the back ground.

I thought about not only the center Cross, but the two on each side. Each representing the principalities and powerful forces that fight where and we cannot see.  The sinner on Jesus’ right side did not recognize him. The teachings of the bible say that those who do not accept the Father are bound to an eternal damnation. The sinner on Jesus’ left side did in fact recognize him as Lord and Savior of the world and was told he would be with Jesus in Paradise.

The center cross, I was truly drawn too. As I write this, tears swell up in my eyes and joy fills my heart. For me, I was transformed back to an evening where I can see the sun descending in the background. Jesus’ body is still on the cross; his blood covering his body, the bruises and wounds visible in sight, the crown of thorns on his head with blood at the tips where it pierced his skin, his hair mangled and ratted from the sweat and blood from the pressure of the day.  This man had no self reason to put himself under such a torment. He died because of my own sin. He loved me, AND YOU, enough to say, I am a sheep without any wrong behaviors will die for you so that you may live and live freely from death. 

I walked over to the cross, knelt in front of it and prayed. I prayed for many things. I spoke to Jesus about many things. I could hear the traffic passing by and I didn’t care if they watched. It wasn’t about them. At that moment, it was about me and Jesus Christ. I accepted him and his truth from the words I read off the pages of the Bible. I believe in his word. So why if I believe his word, when I hear it, won’t I follow it? I do I fall short day after day and do what my heart desires instead of what Jesus’ heart desires?  He desires us to be Christ like. He desires us to stop living in the grave and live as He lives. He desires us to be strong in him and to love each other as he loves us. Why do we fight with our brothers and sisters?

Recently, the news is that Osama Bin Laden is dead. People on the news are expressing their delight. I wonder, what it would be like if Jesus was to come and walk among us today. Would people be as delighted? Would they accept him with joy as the people accept Bin Laden’s death with joy?  Or would they question his existence? What proof would they need? Would any proof be needed?

 I heard on the news that it is officially announced, he, Bin Laden is dead. I wonder what the news media would say if Jesus’ death on a cross was to happen today? I can see the news caster in front of Calvary Hill and he has the microphone up to his mouth. His mouth is moving, but I can’t hear the words he’s saying. Again, it is the dusk of day and the crowds have gone home.  I wonder what the news caster would say. What would be the response of the people? Perhaps they would be disappointed. They were expecting a Savior to physically save the Israelites, instead their Savior was dead. Was their hearts filled with anger? The Savior who was prophesied to come and save the world was now dead. He didn’t do what we expected him to do. No, he died just as it was written. We now have to wait three days and see that the scriptures are true that he will rise again. “We are still in bondage, oppressed, and nothing has really changed.” I wonder what the news caster would say.

What is your response to the calling of the cross? What have you done with Jesus today? Spending time in his word and allowing him to teach you and love on you is all he wants to do.

I hope you find something new at the old rugged cross today.

God Bless,

~Marjorie