SPECIAL
FOCUS
The Tragedy in America:
How Should Christians Respond?
Life is different today. After
the staggering events of September 11, we live in a world that
has different assumptions, different expectations, and different
fears than before. The United States has been affected most
dramatically, but the ramifications of terrorist acts have
touched all people.
Because the tragedy was of such
vast proportions, it has forced us all to face some ugly
realities and reexamine what we believe and why. Christians are
as much confused as everyone else. Are sane people really
capable of such inhumanity? What's the proper Christian response
to war and to terrorism? What about all these feelings we have?
I'd like to take this time to examine these problems and
hopefully craft a thoughtful and consistent Christian response.
Because we're human beings, it's
important to look at our response from not only an intellectual
level. We need to think through our position, that's
true. However, we also feel these events very deeply on
an emotional level. Lastly, we want to be able to act in
a way that is in accordance with God's will. Since all three
facets combine to produce our reaction, we'll break our
discussion into those categories.
1. - Feel
The first things that struck me
on that Tuesday morning were my feelings. As I saw the
devastation and began to comprehend the huge loss of life, I was
grieved to my very soul. This is a normal reaction when being
confronted with the consequences of evil. It's one that
demonstrates our being made in the image of God (for more see
"How
is Man Created in God's Image"). Jesus shows us this in
John chapter 11.
Reacting to the death of His
friend Lazarus, John 11:35 says "Jesus wept." He
didn't weep because he had just found out Lazarus died, nor did
He cry because of the loss of His friend. He knew Lazarus would
be resurrected that very day. So why did Jesus cry? He cried
because He understood the pain and anguish sin causes; the wages
of sin being death.
Jesus was grieved because those
He loved had to suffer the ramifications of sin. He reacted in a
similar manner when He looked over Jerusalem in Luke 19:41. As
Christians, we feel that same grievousness.
While we grieve, we should also
feel angry. This may sound at odds with Christian charity, but
it is really a component of understanding what sin is. Paul
commended the Corinthian church for displaying indignation
against sin (2 Cor. 7:11). Indignation against sin shows that
you understand its deceptions as well as its dangers. We should
reach out to people with the love of Christ to try and help them
escape sin, but we should be angry at those beliefs and ideas
that promote actions which defy God's holy laws.
2. - Think
A strong Christian response to
the tragedy should also be one of careful thought. Jumping to
conclusions will not allow us to be light in this time of
darkness and will do more to damage the cause of Christ.
Some common reactions to the
attacks I've seen by people are to lump all Muslims together as
terrorists or to assume that God was punishing America. Each of
these viewpoints is guilty of gross generalization, either about
beliefs or about God and how he works. We may wish to speak
against Islam as an ideology, but to assume all of its adherents
rally behind the terrorists makes us no better than the
unbelievers who would classify Christians as a bunch of
uneducated bumpkins clinging to fairytales.
Are there good reasons to oppose
Islam? Are there good reasons to go to war? I
believe so. Does the Bible speak to these issues? Certainly,
but holding well-reasoned positions prevents us from
over-reacting and falling into sin ourselves. It also keeps us
from damaging our witness to the world.
3. - Act
The final thing Christians should
do is take action. The evil we see is really a result of
clashing ideologies, of different worldviews. We must equip
ourselves to articulately defend the Christian worldview against
its detractors and engage people in the public square. We should
be able to stand up for godliness in all its forms and answer
anyone for the hope that lies within us (1 Peter 3:15).
But we should also show true
Christian love. Peter also instructs us to "keep your
behavior excellent among the Gentiles" so God will be
glorified (1 Pet. 2:12). This means we need to weigh our words.
We need to make sure that every reaction in the days ahead would
be how Jesus would react. Only then will we be able to offer the
hope of Christ to friends and co-workers who are looking for
answers. And only then will we have the true power to change the
hearts and minds of America and the world.
My prayers are with America. My
prayers are with the victims and their families. My prayers are
also with the Church, that we may use the opportunity before us
to affect the world in a great way. Until next month, God bless.
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