The news of Osama Bin Laden's death is an opportunity to view justice from a biblical perspective. Most of the headlines of Osama's death include the word, "justice." Certainly, justice is served whenever a mass killer on the run or in hiding has been apprehended.
Biblical words like "justice" and "righteousness" are used frequently throughout the scriptures. These words are to always be seen in the larger context of a good creator God who created the world and called it good. God created humankind to be good stewards of creation but because of human rebellion, sin and death entered the world.
When the bible refers to Adam and Eve disobeying God in the creation story, it also has a more generalized meaning of all humanity. In Romans 3:23, the Apostle Paul writes, "Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This includes us! We are part of the problem to varying degrees.
The good news of the Christian faith is that God cares about rescuing the world from sin, death, and injustice. Ever since the book of Genesis when we first sinned, God has been on a rescue mission to ultimately restore God's good creation the way it was always meant to be. Through the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and future second coming of Jesus Christ, this time of reckoning will be accomplished.
The bible is also clear that even though we know the end of the story (that a day is coming when God will make all things new), we are called to participate in the renewing of God's creation through the strength of the Holy Spirit in the here and now. We are to live in such a way that anticipates that future time of justice and peace. This includes systems of justice and holding people accountable for their actions.
While we may cheer at the news of the capture of Osama Bin Laden, Christians need to remember that the presence of evil in the world still exists. Yes, justice has been served, but if we use this news story to fill some type of appetite for revenge, we will miss the whole point of those biblical words, justice and righteousness.
In my previous church, a member of the congregation lost her brother in the 9/11 attacks. This member loves the Lord, her church, her country, is very patriotic, and believes in justice. But, she also is a woman of tremendous faith.
She did not allow this terrible terrorist act to turn her into bitter person. Instead, a year after her brother died, she and her family traveled to a poor community in Mexico to build a home for a needy family in loving memory of her brother. This is how she responded to 9/11.
Knowing this church member, instead of putting her energy into cheering the news of Osama Bin Laden, she is probably thanking God that justice has been served and quietly making plans for her next mission project.
She understands the true meaning of the biblical words, justice and righteousness.
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Thanks for expressing these thoughts. I was struck by the fact that, although we rejoice, God may in fact be mourning--as he mourns for all his children (those deserving and undeserving).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these insights. It struck in me in thinking about these events that, even as we rejoice, God may be mourning--as he mourns for all his children (deserving or undeserving).
ReplyDeleteVery good insight, Ryan.
ReplyDeleteGood food for thought. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI really like what Ryan had to say. And I am also happy that the US honored Bin Laden's religious beliefs by burying him within 24 hours of his death.
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