The wide-ranging reaction on the part of believers to the death of Osama bin Laden illustrates how prone we are to proof text. Proof texting is using quotes from the Bible to support a pre-established belief or conclusion. But maybe you remember the old saying, "A text out of context is a proof text."
Some believers are, quite frankly, "hawk-ish" about the demise of bin Laden. And they look to passages like Proverbs 11:10 for justification of their response. "When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness" (Proverbs 11:10).
Other believers are more "dove-ish" about the death of bin Laden. And they use passages like Proverbs 24:17-18 to guide their thinking and acting. "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him" (Proverbs 24:17-18).
So which of these passages are we to obey? Are we to be "right-wing-give-'em-justice" people or "left-wing-peace-at-any-price" people?
I remember once hearing Tim Keller, a pastor in Manhattan at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, say, "Truth doesn't come for the right. Truth doesn't come from the left. Truth comes from above." This means that believers who think biblically will often live out truths that may appear very left-leaning to those on the right and may appear very right-leaning to those on the left.
Followers of Jesus can't pick and choose texts in the Bible to justify our thinking and acting. We are to meditate on the Word of God so that we are careful to do according to all that is written in it (Joshua 1:8). "All" means "all"; that's all "all" means. I take this to mean that we have to find a way to obey both Proverbs 11:17 and Proverbs 24:17-18 - to be glad when the wicked perish and to not rejoice when our enemy falls.
We can have mixed emotions at bin Laden's death. We rejoice that justice prevailed and that evil was arrested. At the same time, we grieve over the needless deaths on 9/11 that precipitated these events and we grieve over the fact that bin Laden and his followers evidently never came to know and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior, as their Prince of peace.
Let's allow all this to remind us to pray. Let's pray for the families and friends of those who lost loved ones on 9/11 and in the war against terrorism over the last ten years. This news has undoubtedly reopned deep wounds and hurts. Let's pray for our political leaders and soldiers who are seeking for justice and peace to prevail in the world. The courage and the competence of our leaders and soldiers are amazing. And let's pray for and work toward the conversion and dsicipleship of the peoples of the world, especially the Muslims peoples. The kingdom of of Lord and Christ is our only way to real and lasting peace.
I remember that back in 2006 during the series "Seven" you delivered a message on anger. To the best of my recollection, you stated that anger is not a sin if it is a righteous anger, i.e. - being angry at the things that anger God.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that evil and sin fit that bill. While I don't fall wholly into the anger or the peaceful solution camps I do struggle with those that celebrate the loss of any life rather than praising a just and mighty God for what He does.
Thank you for providing perspective and some Biblical objectivity to this emotional topic.
Our daughter felt grieved over bin Laden's death and was having difficulty understand why most people were so happy about it. We explained these very concepts to her last night. That we can be grieved that he never came to know God and also that he caused the pain, suffering and death of so many others. At the same time it is our job to pray for our leaders to do their jobs correctly. We need to also remember that God is Sovereign and causes all men and things to work together for His good...in His timing and for His purposes.
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