Why?

Many people are asking…

“Why has yet another school shooting occurred?”

As Christians, we know why…

Romans 5:12a (HCSB)
“…sin entered the world through one man…”

That “one man” was Adam. His legacy of death was even demonstrated by his own sons…

Genesis 4:8 (HCSB)
“Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

All shootings are rooted in sin.

What is sin?

James gives us the simple answer…

James 4:17 (HCSB)
“So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.”

Every murderer since Cain knew that it was wrong to do what they did. This is what the shooter is now dealing with.

What?

A possibly better question to ask than “Why?” might be “What?” …because we already know the “Why?”

In other words, maybe we should be instead asking…

“What should we do with the shooter?”

Paul wrote the following to the Romans about the government…

Romans 13:3-4 (HCSB)
“For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.”

The shooter ought to be in the hands of state. It is their job to deal with him corporally. It is the church’s job to pray to God to have mercy on his soul; to send someone to share the Gospel with him. And, if the Lord wills to send someone, we must also pray that He might then cause the shooter to repent and trust in Christ.

Whether the state handles this matter correctly or not on their end, we must remember that God will handle this correctly in the final analysis. These are serious matters, which must be entrusted to the Lord’s will.

Vengeance

Just a few verses prior to the verses cited above in Romans 13, it says the following…

Romans 12:17-21 (HCSB)
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. But

If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For in so doing
you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.”

It is tempting for us to want vengeance for things such as school shootings. I can only imagine what the victims’ families and friends are now dealing with. For them, we must also pray, and with whatever opportunities we have, to serve and minister to them in whatever capacity we can… so that His name is glorified.

Some encouraging words from Peter…

1 Peter 2:11-17 (HCSB)
“Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you. Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation. Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. As God’s slaves, live as free people, but don’t use your freedom as a way to conceal evil. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the Emperor.”

Godspeed, to the brethren!

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