Not even 24 hours has passed since the death of Osama Bin Laden and already many mixed feelings have arisen, especially amongst Christians. How should a Christian respond Biblically to this event? Some say we should be mourning. Others say we should be rejoicing. So who is right?
In my opinion there are a few ways we as Christians should respond to this event:
1. Fear for the Almighty, Just God.
God has sovereignly brought Osama to justice by bringing him to a wretched end after thousands of murders and 10 years of hiding. This is an indication of how seriously God takes sin. Sin is no joke as Osama is most certainly realizing as he burns in hell.
Psalm 52:5-7 – Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at him, saying, “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!
2. A fearful realization that we too are capable of committing the same sins as Osama.
Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?
This is truly a fearful thought. Our sinful hearts are wicked. If it were not for the grace of God we would be in Osama’s position. We would be burning in hell. So:
3. Joy at our salvation in Christ.
What amazing grace that Christ would suffer and die for sinners like us… His love is incomprehensible. This must lead us to worship out of sheer gratitude for Christ’s work.
Hebrews 2:11 - Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.
What an awesome truth…
4. Hatred of our Sin.
Because Christ has saved us from our sin and calls us brothers and sisters surely we should hate our sin. Did we not hate Osama because of his sin? Then we should hate our own sin all the more.
Colossians 3:5 – Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
5. Rejoice because of God’s justice.
The demise of the wicked is something to celebrate. It is cause for joy. Scripture can speak for itself:
Psalm 58:10 – The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
In summary this event is a joyous occasion because God has served justice to a wicked man. However, that must lead us to fear God because just as Osama did not deserve God’s grace neither do we and yet we have it. May this lead us to praise God and put our sin to death.
Hey Caleb,
Nicely summarised and well balanced!
I especially liked the scripture Psalm 52:5-7!
Ciao!
Barry
Thanks Barry. When I first came across that passage I was amazed at how well it spoke to the situation. Nothing is new under the sun!