The Ol' Binny

Ever heard of this guy they call bin Laden?

Ok good.

Last week, I had my class write an essay in which they were to discuss whether or not it is proper for Christians to rejoice over the death of Osama bin Laden. I wanted them to approach the subject from a global aspect, meaning that Chrisitianity is not solely a western religion. You'd be surprised at how many people don't know that. Rather, Jesus Christ is loved, trusted, and embraced all around the world and therefore American nationalism is not deeply rooted in a Christ-follower from, say, Africa or China or somewhere like that.

With that said, I don't know an American who was old enough to accurately process the events of September 11, 2001 who does not have a vivid memory of that day. I remember being out in the hallway from my sophomore year World History class on a bathroom pass when the announcement came, "Teachers, if you would, please turn on your televisions to the events currently going on in New York City." I couldn't remember another day in which all classes were called to watch a national news event. Curiousity got the better of me and I decided that watching the news with my classmates was more desirable than continuing to meander through the halls.

The images from that day are images I, nor any other American with a TV, will ever forget. We sat in that classroom watching a giant smoking hole in the middle of one of the Twin Towers. At the time I thought someone had just been reckless and crashed a plane accidentally into the Tower. Then, while we all sat and watched, the second plane came flying in to Tower #2. Thoughts of an accident were gone quickly. As the day went on we learned of the plane that hit the Pentagon and the other that crashed in Pennsylvania as the authorities were piecing together what the source was of these terrorist attacks.

Osama bin Laden was the man behind all of it. He was responsible for the deaths of about 3,000 people that day and many more around the world. Think about that. THOUSANDS have perished at the order of bin Laden in the name of a false god. There are men, deservedly so, sitting on Death Row right now for killing one person.

Here's the dilemma, if you want to call it that: Jesus Christ has called all Christians in all places to love our enemies (even vicious and violent ones - Mt. 5:44), pray for those who persecute us (Mt. 5:44, 1 Tim 2:1ff), and ultimately to make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:18-20). Bin Laden is an enemy, he persecutes, and he's not a follower of Jesus Christ. I don't think there is any question that we are called to love people like him. But are we supposed to buy him some Starbucks, forgive him for what he did, hand him a tract and tell him to have a good day?

Romans 9:22-23 says that God has made "vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy." It is no secret that the glorification of God is the highest purpose for which humans have been created (Ecc. 12:13, 1 Cor 10:31). According to the verses in Romans 9, wrath and power are included in the characteristics of God's glory. Love makes God glorious; patience makes God glorious; grace makes God glorious; but we often forget that justice makes God glorious as well. Proverbs 11:21 tells us that we can be assured that "an evil person will not go unpunished." God is just in executing wrath whenever he sees fit. But should we rejoice in it?

In Revelation 6 John writes of a vision in which "the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God" cry out to God desiring him to "judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth." Paul provides encouragement to the Thessalonians in 2 Thes. 1 that Christ will return with a vengeance against the wicked. A similar promise can be found in James 5.

As Christians we should certainly see ourselves as earthen vessels carrying a treasure graciously given to us by God (2 Cor 4) so that we may glorify him primarily through "proclaiming the excellencies of him who brought us out of darkness and into marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9) so that many would be saved. At the same time, however, we do rejoice in the glory of our God who executes judgment on the wicked. Therefore, we do not delight in the eternal damnation of Osama bin Laden. I hope that you, as I do, would have hoped that he come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, however we should most definitely rejoice in the fact that we serve a God who does not allow the wicked to go unpunished. Justice has been served.