It’s Volatile Out Here
[Image from Gage Skidmore]
It feels volatile out here. It’s understandable why. Iryna Zarutska’s look of horror before her death is haunting and her murder is revealing some significant rot in our justice system. And now yesterday a 31 year-old husband and father was assassinated because of his Christian faith and political views. The murder of Charlie Kirk is clear evidence of the rot of ungodliness in our culture.
What does God’s Word tell us about how God’s people are to process and respond to the rot of sin? At least three principles to remember:
Remember to be angry and do not sin.
It’s right to be angry with sin. By all accounts Charlie Kirk was a genuine and devoted follower of Christ. He was a husband. He was a father. He was a young man. He devoted his life to engaging people with ideas that would lead to human flourishing. He regularly shared the good news about salvation in Jesus Christ. He took the moral stances of Scripture seriously and tried to convince others to do the same. He was murdered. Be angry.
But do not sin. (Eph. 4:26) We should pray for the authorities to catch the assassin and to punish him to the fullest extent of the law (Rom. 13:3-4) but we should not seek vengeance (Rom. 12:19). We should feel and express the pain of injustice but we should not return evil for evil (Rom. 12:17). We should be clear-headed and straight-forward in our condemnation of evil but continue to walk in the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Remember it’s worse than we know.
Isolated evil events are symptoms of the greater disease. When viewed through the lens of Scripture we should remember that this is not merely about political discourse, radicalization, mental health, or any other of the presenting symptoms. This is about sin. This is about the radical corruption of human nature. This is about creatures rebelling against their Creator.
Isolated evil events are also flashpoints in a great cosmic war. The apostle Paul writes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Satan is at work to diminish the glory of God. He wants to stop the spread of the gospel. He wants to silence God’s Word. He wants to make sure the salt doesn’t reach the rot and the light doesn’t reach the darkness. He wants God’s image-bearers to suffer and dishonor their Creator.
This is bigger than we often imagine. These are flashpoints in a war between heaven and hell. In light of this the Christian’s most powerful and productive course of action is to share the gospel. To Attack the gates of hell with good news that Jesus Christ can restore rebels to a right relationship with their Creator. The preaching of the gospel will deplete the ranks of Satan and bring glory to God.
Remember to pray.
Pray for the Kirk family. Pray for Charlie Kirk’s church. Pray for Turning Point USA. Pray for justice. Pray for righteous leadership. Pray for the fear of God for our country. Pray for peace. Pray for the return of Jesus.
Just pray? That’s all. If you are a follower of Christ, there may be much that you are called to in response to the rot. We are, after all, to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16). Our responses will vary depending on our vocations, spheres of influence, personalities, and spiritual gifts. But we are all called to pray and then respond in obedience to God.
If we are dismissive of prayer in situations like these, it may be that we truly don’t realize just how bad it is out here. It may be that we don’t see the evil of sin. We should work toward righteousness, just laws, a moral society, but we should pray and pray fervently for Jesus to return and bring the peace and justice that only he can (1 Cor. 16:22). Pray his promises and live with the assurance that he who promised is faithful.
It feels volatile out here. But “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
What does God’s Word tell us about how God’s people are to process and respond to the rot of sin? At least three principles to remember:
Remember to be angry and do not sin.
It’s right to be angry with sin. By all accounts Charlie Kirk was a genuine and devoted follower of Christ. He was a husband. He was a father. He was a young man. He devoted his life to engaging people with ideas that would lead to human flourishing. He regularly shared the good news about salvation in Jesus Christ. He took the moral stances of Scripture seriously and tried to convince others to do the same. He was murdered. Be angry.
But do not sin. (Eph. 4:26) We should pray for the authorities to catch the assassin and to punish him to the fullest extent of the law (Rom. 13:3-4) but we should not seek vengeance (Rom. 12:19). We should feel and express the pain of injustice but we should not return evil for evil (Rom. 12:17). We should be clear-headed and straight-forward in our condemnation of evil but continue to walk in the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Remember it’s worse than we know.
Isolated evil events are symptoms of the greater disease. When viewed through the lens of Scripture we should remember that this is not merely about political discourse, radicalization, mental health, or any other of the presenting symptoms. This is about sin. This is about the radical corruption of human nature. This is about creatures rebelling against their Creator.
Isolated evil events are also flashpoints in a great cosmic war. The apostle Paul writes, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Satan is at work to diminish the glory of God. He wants to stop the spread of the gospel. He wants to silence God’s Word. He wants to make sure the salt doesn’t reach the rot and the light doesn’t reach the darkness. He wants God’s image-bearers to suffer and dishonor their Creator.
This is bigger than we often imagine. These are flashpoints in a war between heaven and hell. In light of this the Christian’s most powerful and productive course of action is to share the gospel. To Attack the gates of hell with good news that Jesus Christ can restore rebels to a right relationship with their Creator. The preaching of the gospel will deplete the ranks of Satan and bring glory to God.
Remember to pray.
Pray for the Kirk family. Pray for Charlie Kirk’s church. Pray for Turning Point USA. Pray for justice. Pray for righteous leadership. Pray for the fear of God for our country. Pray for peace. Pray for the return of Jesus.
Just pray? That’s all. If you are a follower of Christ, there may be much that you are called to in response to the rot. We are, after all, to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16). Our responses will vary depending on our vocations, spheres of influence, personalities, and spiritual gifts. But we are all called to pray and then respond in obedience to God.
If we are dismissive of prayer in situations like these, it may be that we truly don’t realize just how bad it is out here. It may be that we don’t see the evil of sin. We should work toward righteousness, just laws, a moral society, but we should pray and pray fervently for Jesus to return and bring the peace and justice that only he can (1 Cor. 16:22). Pray his promises and live with the assurance that he who promised is faithful.
It feels volatile out here. But “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).