Amidst the tragedy of the shooting this last Sunday in Sutherland Springs, Texas, there has been much finger pointing. People want to know who is to blame and how to prevent tragedies like this. Although some good may still come out of this, I think most people’s analyses are missing the mark.
This act was pure evil. Plain and simple. It was sin inspired directly by the devil. Jesus is the only antidote for sin, and the power of God is the only thing that will stop the devil.
Psalm 36:1 says, ” The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes .” Those who fear the Lord don’t commit acts of evil like this.
Our society has thrown God out the window. Many of the politicians and movie stars who have decried this act are actually contributing to the culture that brought this to pass. They have opposed God in the values they promote and have created this godless culture that has been crammed down our throats.
Guns are not the problem. Guns don’t kill people any more than forks make people fat. Before prayer was taken out of schools in the U.S., before all types of sin were promoted and even celebrated, before Christians were vilified and marginalized, we still had guns, but we didn’t have all this senseless violence.
Yet, in the past, even among those who didn’t actively worship the Lord, there used to be an acknowledgment of God’s existence. There was even a fear of having to stand before Him someday and give an account of our actions. That fear restrained sin (Prov. 16:6). But now people have committed mass murders and then followed up with suicide, thinking they are escaping judgment, when the truth is, they are ushered into a Christless eternity and now await damnation.
God didn’t “let” this happen. We let this happen. Adam and Eve chose sin, and we, their descendants, have confirmed and amplified their decision billions of times over. The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the changed hearts it produces, and the fear or reverence it creates, even in unbelievers, is the only solution for this crisis.
The fault for this current godless culture lies with the church. We have not been the salt and light that Jesus commanded us to be (Matt. 5:13-14). Those who don’t speak out against the moral issues of our day are like soldiers who have abandoned their posts in battle. They may justify these things in any number of ways, but the bottom line is, Christians have been AWOL: Absolute Wusses On Love. It’s love to tell a person the truth (Lev. 19:17). Paul told us to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), but we must still tell people the truth. It’s only the truth we know that sets us free (John 8:32). Most Christians love themselves too much to take a stand and run the possible rejection that might come their way. That’s self-love, not the love that Jesus modeled for us.
There will be many proposals and adjustments that come as a result of this tragedy, but none of them will actually cure the problem. The only cure is for us who believe to once again become the salt and light God called us to be.
I encourage you to talk to your family, friends, and coworkers about the Lord. That person next to you might be the very person Satan is trying to turn into the next mass murderer. And take a stand on social issues by getting involved in the political process. There are many ways to do that, so pray about what direction you should take. But every one of us needs to renew our efforts.
I join my prayers with you for the wounded and the families of those who lost love ones. I also pray for all who have been traumatized by this and are now living in fear of what might come next. The perfect love we have received in Jesus casts out our fear (1 John 4:18). I pray, too, that the Lord will give us new opportunities to share that love and faith with those who are struggling.
Together we can turn this nation back to God. Certainly, we can’t do it without God, but He can’t do it without us (Eph. 3:20). I know He is willing, and I pray all of us are also willing. Let’s take a stand for truth and against ungodliness. Let’s do this!
