For over thirty years, I lived in Orlando, Florida. This tragedy really strikes home for me. As I’ve mulled over these events, I had some thoughts I had to write down…
The fanatical Muslim thought he was doing Allah’s will by killing all those people. After all, they were infidels and homosexuals, and Allah hates such people. (see Surah 3:32, 58, 140) People from Westboro Baptist, the little fringe group of supposed Christians, stood with their signs saying such things as, “God sent the shooter,” because after all, the victims were homosexual perverts. God hates them and wanted to kill them, so He used a misguided Muslim fanatic to carry out His will, right? Oh, for sure!
We Christians face a real dilemma. We know homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God, but we know God loves sinners, and there is not one among us who has never sinned sexually. We know Islam is a false religion, and it is so easy and “natural” for us to fear and hate Muslims, yet we know God loves them as He loves all who are deceived (as we all once were.) We so need God’s wisdom and grace to navigate today’s confused and confusing world!
I was thinking how the Muslim surely thought he was doing God’s will. I also saw that many of the gays tweeted and sent texts asking for prayer in the midst of the crisis. I guess the Westboro Baptists are confident that they stand upon higher ground and are righteous in what they’re proclaiming. Can these people all be right?
The truth is that the gays and the jihadi, and yes, the Westboro Baptists, they’re all being deceived and are serving the same devil! The Muslim fanatic and the Baptists, they’re sure of their moral superiority, but one took human life and set himself up as a judge and executioner, and the Baptists, they’re self-righteous and judgmental, practically rejoicing in horror and murder. The LGBTQ “community,” they are the enlightened and progressive folks, many are sure God made them as they are. So many offer “thoughts and prayers” for the fallen and their families, which is commendable enough. But I wonder if they prayed about going to that bar? About living the lifestyle? I wonder if they’ve ever read Psalm 66:18? Will God answer the prayers of those in flagrant rebellion against Him?
Meanwhile, as Christians, we wonder how we’re supposed to think about a situation like this. Some wonder if indeed this was some sort of judgment of God upon this club, these people, or just our nation in general.
You know what I think? I think this is a situation like we read about in Luke 13:1-5. Some Galileans had been murdered by Pontius Pilate. Others had been killed when a tower fell on them. Jesus asked His audience if they thought these who had died were worse sinners than any others. Then He answered His own question by saying, “I tell you, no (they weren’t), but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” What was that about?
Death will eventually come to all of us (Heb. 9:27), and after that, we face the judgment of God. The question is, are we ready for it? You can get a concealed carry license. You could have body guards, or wear body armor. We could amass wealth to provide protection for ourselves. We could stay in a bubble and wear latex gloves to keep out germs. All of that could help to some degree. But ultimately, the only defense against death and judgment is the forgiveness, the mercy, and the free gift of righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. If you’re not right with God, any other “defense” is just a temporary and very flimsy illusion.
We can think ourselves superior to the gays, or to the fanatic, or the fanatical Baptists. But whether we wallow in sin and self-indulgence or we pride ourselves in how religious we are, we’re just as wrong before God. God resists the proud and self-righteous. Such will receive nothing but condemnation from Him. He likewise will not allow those who persist in sexual sin to enter His holy presence. (See 1 Cor. 6:9-11) Despite all the supposed zeal the ISIS fanatic showed for his god, zeal for a god who brings death instead of life and blessing is a misplaced zeal, a satanically inspired zeal. None of these things is what we really need.
We all need a Savior. We all need forgiveness. We all need the mercy of God. We all need to humble ourselves before Him and submit to His Lordship. There is no other way to find God, to please Him, and to save this mixed-up world we live in.
The forces of evil are rampaging all over this planet, though in different forms and disguises. Radical Islam, false religion, self-righteousness and pride. Materialism. Sensuality. A host of “isms” and philosophies, all of which have been inspired by the same devil. He laughs at us when we’re self-righteous, when we trust in our own religiosity, or when we rejoice in our “liberty” to sin and think ourselves immune to the judgment of God. Some of these things seem so totally opposite from one another, and yet, they are all just traps set for us by the same malignant one who is the enemy of all mankind.
Only God can save us. As individuals, we cannot really change the world. We cannot stop these evils from raging about. We can only submit ourselves to God and find the peace He gives in the midst of any and every storm. If enough individuals will submit to God, the world can be changed. You know why? Because submitting to God “binds” the devil! It hinders him and blocks his efforts. If lots of people yield to the devil, it unleashes him to wreak more havoc.
As for me, I want to pray, because right now, I don’t know what else to do. Lord, help us to have your perspective on things like this terrible tragedy in Florida. Help us to submit to you and live in line with your will. May even the worst horrors the devil may bring about serve ultimately only to bring about his downfall, as these things serve to wake people up to the reality of good and evil, cause us all to see our need for a Savior and His salvation, and lead us to the point that we choose to obey and follow Him. Help us who are called by your name to be salt and light, and to stand strong in the midst of gathering darkness. I pray this in the only name that can bring us before your holy throne, the name of Jesus, amen.
I had not heard about the deceived Westboro Baptist group who give such a bad name to Christianity but could not miss the worlds various false views through the also deceived news media. I had a discussion about this with my unsaved neighbor yesterday and she reflects the views of many that homosexuality is a disease which to we who believe God and the Bible understand that it is sin and a choice even if some are drown to that particular lust. I tried to help her see that it is a choice and one sin among many and that we are all lost sinners in need of repentance and that God can and will forgive but it needs to be called what it really is and that we are all in need and that Christ is the answer to men and women’s need in life. Anyway please pray for my witness to be effective and for Jerry Lynn to be receptive. She is a nice neighbor who grew up on a ranch near by and like so many in this part of Montana grew up hard working “good” but lost people without seeing their real need in life. It certainly does seem like and I believe the world is getting worse at a ever increasing rate. In much of America today wrong is seen as right and right or righteous living as wrong. I believe as Christians we need to be all the more active in living out our faith than ever before and I am glad that you are involved in the real battle, where it counts.
Hi Jim. thanks again for reading. I did the next program on TV today. As soon as i can find someone to help me, I’m going to make podcasts, because I think they’ll be more convenient to listen to. Will pray for your neighbor. We all must do the work of Him who sent us while it is day!