50 people are dead in Orlando and what do we see on the internet? We see trolls posing as Christians who think they have any idea about God’s judgment as it relates to the ultimate cause of this past weekend’s massacre at a popular nightclub in Orlando. It’s times like these that make me revisit the doctrine of total depravity.
You know the only reason why the trolls are saying this is an act of God’s judgment? Because this happened at a nightclub that is known as a gay nightclub. Yes. That is the only reason. The depth of their conviction is based on homophobia and their obsession rings loud and clear. These aren’t grace-filled Christ followers who are trying to discern God’s will in the midst of tragedy. No, they are self-righteous trolls with a voice box and a keyboard.
Orlando, ISIS, and Wrath
Yes, people have actually come out to praise the shooter and declare that the entire thing is God’s handiwork on the gay population in Orlando (see this and this). Welcome to America, folks.
Welcome to the place on earth that is more concerned about carefully crafted pieces of metal than human life. Welcome to the place on earth that loves to talk about homosexual sin, but never speaks a word against greed, gluttony, drunkenness, hatred, or idolatry.
Oh, sorry. You wanted to talk about God’s judgment… Well, shall we?
God’s Wrath for Omar Mateen
For Christ followers living in much worse times than us, they were instructed with this: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'” (Romans 12:19).
Vengeance is God’s. He repays people for the evil that they do. Omar Mateen is most certainly experiencing that vengeance.[shareable]Vengeance is God’s. He repays people for the evil that they do.[/shareable]
God’s Wrath for ISIS
Once again the cowardice group known as ISIS has taken credit for the cowardly act of Mateen. This group kills, rapes, beheads, and trolls on the internet.
They are motivated by a radical call like this: “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them” (Qur’an 8:12).
Off with their heads! That’s the call of the “god” of ISIS.
Their payment is being stored up. They will be dealt with.
At the Same Time…
Paul goes on to say, “To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20-21).
We see in this passage, including the verse quoted prior, a call to trust God in the midst of difficulty. He has the final say and He is a just God. He will handle evil with wrath – this is consistent in both the Old and New Testaments…
“Behold the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked” (Jeremiah 30:23).
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18).
God will handle evil with wrath.
And He will handle evil with love.
How He handles your evil is up to you. How He handles my evil is up to me.
Jesus came to put evil on His sinless shoulders so that we could rid ourselves of the evil in our own hearts. Because of His broad shoulders on the cross, we have opportunity to be dealt with differently.
All of us.
ISIS fighters, too.
This is the dance we do. The dance of grace and truth, the dance of righteous judgment and unrelenting love, the dance of sinful people and a sinless Savior, the dance of the kindness of God and the severity of God. Heck, this is the dance God does, too. [shareable]This is the dance we do. The dance of sinful people and a sinless Savior.[/shareable]
Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:22)
Are you dancing or just blindly walking?
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