May 6, 2011

Response to Bin Laden’s Death

May 2, 2011 by Luke Simmons

The recent death of Osama Bin Laden has set off a firestorm of reaction by people all over the world. For Christians, this is a complex issue and is highly influenced by life experiences, political affiliations, religious belief, and nationality.

As American Christians, how should the Bible inform our thinking on this historic event?

Rejoice that, in this instance, the United States government has been God’s servant for good Romans 13:4 says that the government is to be “God’s servant for your good” and to be “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” Bin Laden’s crimes against the United States and the world have been well documented, and it was good and right for the US government to seek him, find him, and kill him. Though the US government makes mistakes and does not always do what most honors God, this is an instance when it fulfilled its God-given purpose.

Rejoice in the fact that the world is now safer Matthew 22:39 says that individuals should love their neighbors as themselves. If we love our global neighbors, we will rejoice that a man responsible for organizing, recruiting, and mobilizing terrorist violence is no longer able to do so.

Empathize with the families of the victims Romans 12:15 instructs us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice” and “weep with those who weep.” Almost 10 years ago, the people of the United States wept with the families and friends of the victims of the September 11 attacks. We saw the injustice and evil of that terrorist attack and were rightly angered. We saw the pain and loss of thousands of families and were grieved. Now many of these same families are rejoicing that justice has been served. This desire for justice is a reflection of being made in the image of God, who is perfectly just. Thus, we should now rejoice with the families of the victims who are feeling a greater sense of closure (though it never fully comes).

Grieve that Osama Bin Laden has entered a Christless eternity John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” By all accounts, Osama Bin Laden did not believe in or obey King Jesus. He now faces judgment (Hebrews 9:27) and will face the wrath of God. This is a terrifying reality. For those of us who love Jesus, would we not much rather that Bin Laden had repented of his grievous sins and turned to Jesus as his only hope to be forgiven?

Hell is a reality. God’s wrath is a reality. We are thankful that God executes justice, but we are grieved that any of our fellow-image bearers are without Jesus on the day they face the Lord.

Remember that you are also guilty before God apart from the gospel of Jesus Romans 3:10-12 says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” There are not good people and bad people. There are bad people and Jesus. Apart from Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection on our behalf, we would have no hope in the day that we face judgment. We should rejoice in God’s grace to us and be thankful for even the gift of faith we’ve received.

Pray and work for peace in the Middle East Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” The Middle East, like much of the world, is plagued by violence and turmoil. When big events like this happen, the sad result is often more violence and turmoil. The followers of Jesus (who gave himself to give us peace with God) should be interceding for and, whenever possible, working for greater peace in the world. We know that ultimate peace will not come until the New Heavens and New Earth, but as people who love God and love our neighbors, we must work for it whenever possible.

A Note on the Two Verses I Keep Seeing Posted:

As I followed Twitter and Facebook last night, two Bible verses kept appearing: Proverbs 24:17 (“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles”) and part of Ezekiel 18:23 (“Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?”). These verses seemed to be used to temper the joyful reaction of #1-3 above with the more somber realities of #4-6 above—and this is a helpful balance. But they seem be quoted as if to say, “Hey, don’t get too excited about the punishment of this evil guy because that would be ungodly—you shouldn’t be so bloodthirsty for justice.”

However, seeing these verses in context actually communicates that we should desire justice against sin and evil in the world.

To better understand Proverbs 24:17, you need only to read the following verse. Here both verses are together: “17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, 18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.” In other words, the reason not to rejoice in your enemy’s falling is that if you get too proud God might not punish your enemy the way you hope. This is not an altruistic verse about never wanting to see justice—the desire for justice is actually a motivation for this kind of humility.

Similarly, we must see Ezekiel 18:23 in light of the verse that follows: “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? 24 But when a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.”

God would prefer that sinners repent and turn to him, but he will absolutely exact justice on those who don’t. God doesn’t thrill with excitement at the death of the wicked, but he does what is right—every time.

This is a good lesson that tough issues are rarely settled with one verse, especially if it is not understood in its full context.