Saturday, April 21, 2007

The Reality of Evil in the World


I have waited awhile before I commented on the Virginia Tech mass murder. I wanted to think about what I wanted to say, rather than produce a knee-jerk reaction. So, I spent time thinking and praying, looking for answers and lifting up the families. Now, I would like to share some of my conclusions.

Murder has been around since Cain murdered Abel. Mass murderers have permeated societies throughout human history. Sometimes they have been very public, as of late. Sometimes they have lurked in the shadows; serial killers fall into this area. Why do these types of people exist? Where do they come from? What purpose do they serve? In the end, I believe that they exemplify sin and evil. In doing so, they point us to the grace and glory of the Lord.

Many will ask, "How can God allow such horrible things to happen?" This is a valid question, however, it is not the correct question. You see, sin and its ultimate corruption leads man into total depravity. In that state, any evil is possible. The question is, "Why does a perfect God, who cannot know sin, not destroy us all immediately, for all of us know sin at some level?" The answer to that question is because he loved us.

That's right, it sounds like a church answer, but its true. Here's where the rubber meets the road, where the reality of theology is tested. We have no right to an expectation that evil will not touch us, or that tragedy is not awaiting us around the next bend. In fact it is. Why? Because we are a fallen generation. We are a part of the human race, the human generation. We fell with Adam in the garden and are cursed as a result of it. What's the proof? We all die.

So, what is the remedy if God really loved us? He gave it to us in his Son, Jesus Christ. You see, God did really love us. He loved us enough to make a place for us with Him in eternity. That place is called heaven. It is a place of glorified bodies, no sin, no tears. It is a place where we can fellowship with God in perfected way.

God is not going to eliminate sin. He is going to judge it. That is coming. Why doesn't He do it now? He is building His church, the people He has chosen to populate the heaven he has paid such a dear price to provide. This is the age of Grace.

Whether we have more guns or less guns is actually irrelevant to the conversation. Yes, I believe that we should have the right to carry. I wish more law abiding citizens would choose to do so. But in the grand scheme of things, it does not matter. What matters is how we handle Jesus Christ. Do you know Him as savior?

My heart goes out to all who have bee touched by this tragic event, especially to the families of the victims. For those of you who know Him, please, keep looking to the Lord who loves you and cares for you. Seek Him out diligently in this time of need and He will strengthen you. For those of you who don't know Him, now is the time to turn to Him. Seek a relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior. He is still Lord and He is still waiting for you. Recognize your sin and accept the sacrifice He made on your behalf. He will forgive you all of your sin and welcome you into His family. He will become your Heavenly Father and will strengthen you during this terrible trial. God bless you all.

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