Dear Christian brothers and sisters,

Last night I was watching The Shining for the first time when I found out that Osama bin Laden had been killed. When I was done with the movie, I logged onto my Facebook and was accosted by nearly two full screens of status updates celebrating or joking about the recent developments concerning bin Laden. Other than the recent presidential election (and maybe when the Rangers went to the World Series) I've never seen my small corner of Facebook blow up so fast. 


And so vehemently. 


I know that the rest of the world sees this as a major accomplishment for our country. Perhaps it is. Our leadership is to be commended for their intelligence and bravery in the execution of their mission. Those who mourn for the loss of their loved ones during the 2001 attacks should be comforted. We should never forget those dark days nor the heroes who died to protect our country - and we should support those men and women who continue to serve our country overseas to keep us safe. May God continue to keep our nation safe through the means He has given us. 


BUT 


What I want to talk about is the Christian response I have seen to the death of Osama Bin Laden. There is so much hatred and rejoicing. I watched the news last night as the details unfolded and there were hordes outside waving flags, setting off fireworks, and celebrating like it was the Fourth of July. People looked happy, but when the newscasters talked to specific people, I saw not joy but bitter hatred. I know some of you think you're being patriotic by celebrating the death of Bin Laden, but you need to consider who you have aligned yourself with when you claimed Christ. 


Your devotion to Jesus Christ is greater than your devotion to your family, to your friends, and your country. If you truly have a relationship with Jesus and have accepted Him as your Savior and recognize God as sovereign, then you need to consider this: 

Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? 

Ezekiel 18:23

We have no business rejoicing in the death of another human. God is holy and just and He punishes those who do evil in His sight. But God does not revel in the demise of the evil, He wants all to come to the saving knowledge of His son Jesus. Some people seem to be happy about the fact that bin Laden is 'rotting in hell.' As Christians, how can we say or think that? Did bin Laden do great evil against us? Most definitely. But "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Moreover, "The wages of sin is death." All humankind has a sin nature and sins every day of his/her life. We are all damned to death in the sight of God and it is only by the blood of Jesus that any are saved and spared God's wrath. Dear Christian brothers and sisters, what sets you apart from a sinner like bin Laden? The only thing that makes you different is the righteousness of Christ applied to you because of your faith in Him. I would beg us all not to be so prideful in our condemnations of bin Laden or anyone else. Rather than revel in his death, it is my prayer that we would take this time as an opportunity to realize how merciful our God is. That He would save any person from their sin is an act of supernatural love and power. 

As Christians, we are not called to judge sin haughtily or hatefully. We are called to preach the Gospel and make disciples of Christ and while that does involve telling those whom we talk to that they are sinful, we are to do it in love. We are in the world, but we are not to be of it. (John 15:19). We are set apart because we have Christ in us. We are supposed to look different from the world. I urge you to not disregard the suffering of those still hurting from the 9/11 attacks nor to de indifferent to your allegiance to your country, but to walk and talk and live in a way that pleases the Lord. Taking part in the bitter rejoicing in the death of a human (regardless of his sin and crime) is wrong and what good does it do? Will slandering the name of one man be beneficial to our calling of winning hearts for Jesus Christ?

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

1 Peter 2:9