Ok, back to the blog. Given what is going on in the world, it's time for a post. I'm also migrating from Blogger to Wordpress, but sadly, when I copy the posts, I lose the comments.
The killing of the 21 Egyptian Christians has caused a resurgence of discussion among Christians regarding our response to the persecution carried out by ISIS. There are two extreme views that seem to surface. On one extreme there are people who want to kill the persecutors because they deserve it, on the other extreme, there are people who believe we are helpless to do anything so we should just ignore it and get on with our lives.
As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle. How can we balance fighting injustice with turning the other cheek? Aren't we instructed to do both? This post will be the first blog of two. This one will get to the heart of the matter and the following post will talk about what we do about it.
First of all justice. God is a God of justice; it is in his nature. Justice is seen throughout the Old Testament because God was judging his people based on the Law, rules that would reveal their sinfulness in comparison to a holy God. When they disobeyed, they got what they deserved. Then Jesus came and things changed. God didn't change, but his relationship with his people looked different. Jesus was to proclaim justice to the nations (Matt 12:18). He brought justice through victory over death (Matt 12:20). He taught that the most important matters of the law are justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt 23:23). Jesus wants people to repent and has set a day to judge the world (Acts 17:31) and that the sceptre of justice will be the sceptre of his kingdom (Heb 1:8). At the end of days, when the wrath of God is poured out, Jesus, the Rider on the white horse, will judge with justice as he wages war (Rev 19:11).
Justice is still in God's nature because he is unchanging. But there's one Scripture at the end that shows me that we haven't seen the half of it yet.
9 When he (Jesus) opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. REVELATION 6:9-10
So, why doesn't God wipe out the killers and avenge the blood of the 21? Because there are others still to die.
This can either be seen as sick or beautiful. I believe it is beautiful. I look at them and realize the value of what Christ did for me, and how he strengthened them when they were faced with death, and how he's preparing others, maybe even me, to stand strong and face the same fate.
The story of Stephen in Acts 7 is beautiful. He did not call his friends to get bigger stones. Instead he endured a gruesome death, for presenting Christ and challenging religion. As they were killing him, he was asking God to forgive his killers, echoing the words of Jesus.
I am not the judge of someone's immortal soul. What would those who sacrificed their lives think about someone killing their killers? Would they be ok with it, or would they weep for them and for us? I have a suspicion that it would be the latter.
I believe that vengeance is the Lord's, he will repay (Romans 12:19). I am not the Rider and the time of vengeance is not here yet. There is a day set aside for that. I'm not quite sure how we can choose war when Jesus was very clear we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). Can we kill someone and love them at the same time?
I will remember to pray for the persecuted and their persecutors. I am praying for their persecutors to experience a revelation of God, just like Paul had. If someone kills the murderers, their chances of repentance are significantly reduced and God wants all men to come to repentance, that is why he waits. That is why the Rider has not yet come. Who is in control here, us or God?
Persecution strengthens the living. I wonder if the Egyptian martyrs knew that they were strengthening the faith of believers around the world by taking their stand? I want to be one who honours the beautiful deaths of the 21 by valuing what they valued and standing for what they stood for.
Lest you think I'm just going to go to the other extreme, stick my head in the sand and pretend this isn't happening, tune in for tomorrow's post.
