Heinous Acts

What happens in someone’s mind that causes them to kill?  What happens when someone goes on a rampage that causes them to act out in such an unthinkable way as what we’ve seen in Newtown Connecticut?  Something like this is in-comprehensible to most people.  I write this today, not with any special insights into the mind of a killer.  I write today, simply, as a slave of Jesus Christ.  I’m a man that desires to know Him more and to love me less.  I do not want to join the cacophony of voices commenting on what happened in an attempt to provide any solutions.  Gun control won’t solve the problem.  The government can’t stop it.  That is not the point of this post.

As a Believer I must have compassion, empathy and prayer for those that are suffering.  Today I want to discuss some very simple truths of scripture.  Not all men will act out in the way Adam Lanza did but only by God’s grace is man restrained from being as evil as he could (Romans 13:4).  Do we need more evidence than we already have in front of us?  Do we need to be convinced there is no end in sight?

2 Timothy 3:1-4 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents (does murder qualify as disobedience?), unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

What must we do when these things happen?  What is the Christian response?  If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you will undoubtedly have a conversation about this tragedy.  How will you answer the questions?  Where is God?  Why would a “good” God, allow something like this to happen?  How should you respond to the masses that want to blame God?  Are you prepared to answer with mercy and grace but also never compromising the truth?

What is the truth?

Man outside of God’s saving grace is evil

Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

Man does not seek God and therefore seeks himself

Romans 3:10-11 As it is written:  “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.”

By nature man is under God’s wrath

Ephesians 2:3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

God is merciful

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

God requires submission to His will

Isaiah 55:5-6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

What do we say in times like this?

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, why not share the news that Christ died to reconcile sinners.  This is the gospel, this is good news, and couldn’t people use some good news today?

If you are not a follower of Christ I hope you will look into your own heart today and seen the wickedness that is there, I plead with you today to do so.  If God has not taken your heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26), look to Him today and be saved (Isaiah 45:22).

And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stop, and not madly destroying themselves.  If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let no one go there unwarned and un-prayed for. – Charles Spurgeon

Kevin