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Why
the Violence?
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America
is a violent nation. Why does it seem that violence
is on the increase? I have no doubt that with each
act of violence in our nation the so-called “experts”
and “authorities” will come forth with
answers . . . their opinions I might add. But
why is violence so prevalent?
America
does not have a monopoly on violence. Go nearly
anywhere in our world and you will find violence
to varying degrees. One of the major points of the
Reformer John Calvin’s
theology was: “the
total depravity of man!”
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Was
John Calvin on target in setting forth this belief
or was he simply exacerbating the matter of sin?
Many
would agree with Calvin in believing that men such
as Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin,
the Roman Emperor Nero, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer,
etc. were evil to the core. But what about
the rest of us? Certainly we are not all evil, or
are we?
I am convinced that the root of the violent actions
that we see taking place in our world, in our nation,
and in our individual communities stems from the inner
recesses of each human being. That inner recess is
referred to in the Bible “the
heart.” Note what the prophet wrote,
“The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) KJV. |
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learn from Scripture that the heart, mind and soul of every
individual who has ever lived, other than our Lord himself,
has been sinful. In fact the Bible declares, “There
is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
(Romans 3:22b-23) TNIV.
Later
in the same letter the apostle Paul declared, "Therefore,
just as sin entered the world through
one man [Adam], and death [physical and spiritual]
through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because
all sinned.”
(Romans 5:12) TNIV. |
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above biblical passages are just two of the many
places in Scripture where it is taught that sin
is universal. All human beings have a nature
that is sinful, hence all human beings are prone
to sin. A small infant is not taught how to have
a temper tantrum. Neither is a young child taught
how to lie and deceive. Sin
is part and parcel of each one of us. Sin
entered the world when our
first parents, Adam and Eve, heeded the Deceiver’s
voice. They believed his lie. Thus they sinned.
As each of us ultimately has descended from these
two, we too, have inherited what theologians often
refer to as “the sin nature.” It is
very natural for us to sin. We do not have to learn
how to sin. Each one of us is a sinner by nature. |
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My main
concern at this point is the acts
of violence that have become common in
our nation especially on the campuses of our schools.
Why?
Isn’t it somewhat ironic that we as a nation
have outlawed the posting of the simple biblical
guidelines for living life from our schools and
other public places?
Though no one
could or can keep these guidelines, that we refer
to as “the Ten Commandments,” to the
letter of the law, yet they
do provide common sense for living on this
planet. The second part of these commandments
instructs human beings to
get along with one another thusly:
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Honoring
and respecting parents and elders. |
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Doing no murder. |
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Not committing adultery
but being faithful to one’s spouse only. |
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Not stealing what
belongs to others. |
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Refraining from giving
false testimony against others. |
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Not wanting what belongs
to others with such intensity that it destroys. |
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The violence
around us is not limited to the schools. What about the
gang activity in nearly every major city of the nation?
the drive-by shootings? the home invasions? the mothers
and fathers who kill their children? the children who
kill their parents? the terrorists both domestic and from
abroad? And I could go on-and-on with a listing of acts
that boggles one’s mind. Sin
is indeed with us and “in”
each of us.
Violence
has been with us from the dawn of civilization as we know
it. Early in the Book of Genesis we are told that Cain,
one of the sons of Adam and Eve, killed his brother Abel.
Then in the 6th chapter of Genesis
we read, “Now the
earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of
violence.” (6:11)
The biblical
account records God’s judgment upon the planet as
a result of the sin condition in the days of Noah.
When Jesus
was on earth he was asked, “What
will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the
age?” (Matthew 24:3b). In this chapter He
told of numerous signs and events that would increasingly
take place as his return drew nearer. We are two thousand
years nearer to his return than when he made this declaration.
Does this mean that he will be returning in our lifetime?
No one knows. All that we
do know is that Jesus will one day return. In the 24th
chapter of Matthew’s Gospel one of those
signs is, “Because
of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow
cold.” (Matthew
24:12)
Are not
we living in a day when it appears
that there is an increase
in wickedness as never before? Wickedness, which is sin,
abounds all about. Sin has been with us since the Fall
in the Garden, however it seems to be steamrolling. Note
the passage quoted above declares that “the love
of most will grow cold.” This too, it seems to me,
is happening in our lifetime. In our own nation there
was a day when nearly every child attended a Sunday School
or catechism class each week. This is no longer true.
Many churches no longer have a Sunday School program.
The vast majority of our
children and youth have had little or no exposure to any
kind of “religion” or “church”
let alone exposure to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Europe already is in the clutches of raw paganism and
godless secularism. Our own nation is rapidly becoming
“cold” to the things of God. Cults and false
religious teachings abound. Unbelief fills many of our
Protestant seminaries and churches. Many evangelical and
charismatic churches put on extensive entertainment and
smooth palatable preaching and programs to draw people
rather than proclaiming the simplicity
of the Gospel. It appears to me that what the apostle
Paul declared in his letter to the company of believers
in Corinth is especially true today. Note what he wrote:
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the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being
saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent
I will frustrate.’ Where are the wise? Where
is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher
of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom
of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the
world through its wisdom did not know him, God was
pleased through the foolishness of what was preached
to save those who believe.
Jews demand signs and Greeks [Gentiles] look for
wisdom, but we preach Christ
crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and
foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has
called, both Jews and Greeks [believers], Christ
the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the
foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and
the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
(1
Corinthians 1:18-25) TNIV.
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I am of
the belief that the only real solution
to the problems that we as a nation are experiencing will
be a return to the preaching, teaching and living out
of the Gospel by believers. We have had too much “easy”
believism and too little teaching on living
as disciples with Christ alone as Lord. The Gospel
is that best news of all that Christ came to seek and
to save those who would believe, by faith, in him as Savior
and Lord. The apostle Paul wrote of the power of the Gospel
thusly, “I
am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power
of God that brings salvation to
everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to
the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) TNIV.
A quote from a sermon
by Penny Harris aptly describes the condition of the human
heart,
“All of
us are capable of cruelty, hatred, brutality . . . all
of us . . . all of us have that in us.”
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of some of the violence that our country has experienced: |
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the 9/11
attack on the Twin Towers when nearly 3,000 died; |
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the Virginia Tech
shootings when 33 were gunned down; |
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the Collumbine High
School where 12 students and a teacher were killed; |
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the Amish school in
Lancaster Country, PA; |
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the senseless killings
happening every day in our cities and in our world; |
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the ethnic, racial,
religious and sexual hatred that consumes many people
creating tension and numerous acts of violence. |
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Does all of this
seem to be doom and gloom?
Yes, in
some respects, yet as a disciple of Jesus Christ
I have good news. This news is found spelled out
in the written Word of God. The news is that the God of
heaven and earth still rules. God
is still on his throne in heaven. Coupled with
the love of God is the fact that this God whom we Christians
praise and worship is the Author and Bestower of Grace.
I am one of those followers of the Prince of Peace who
believes that it is through the grace of God that the
sinful condition of the human heart can be healed.
At this
point you may be wondering, “Just what is grace?”
Probably
the very simplest definition of grace is that, “Grace
is God’s favor, love and acceptance extended without
any strings attached to it to any and to all who will
personally accept it.”
Though
our hearts are sinful and often we cannot understand some
of our actions, yet God’s love, mercy, forgiveness
and grace is ours by receiving it. In and through accepting
God’s grace we are reconciled
unto God,[1] adopted into
God’s spiritual family,[2] and given
the gift of eternal life.[3]
“For
it is by grace you have been saved, through faith –
and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
– not by works, so that no one can boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8-9) TNIV.
In writing
to the church at Rome the apostle declared, “If
you declare with your mouth,
‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe
in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you
will be saved. For it is with your heart that you
believe and are
justified, and it is with
your mouth that you profess
your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone
who believes in him will never be put to shame.’
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile –
the same Lord is LORD of all and richly blesses all who
call on him, for, ‘Everyone
who calls on the name of the LORD will
be saved.’” (Rom. 10:9-13) TNIV.
God’s
grace is yours for the receiving! As you repent
of your sin, open your heart and life to Christ and receive
him as your Savior and Lord you,
too, will become a child of God. When we receive
Jesus Christ into our lives we are literally adopted
into the family of God. Salvation
is God’s free gift to one who will simply receive
it. No amount of our working or religious effort can obtain
it. Remember, God’s grace is extended to each person
freely. Not one of us merits or deserves it but it’s
ours for the believing and receiving
of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Once we are “in”
Christ we are given a new nature. We become one of his
disciples.
How
about you? Have you personally believed in and
received Jesus Christ into your heart and life? If you
have not done so as yet, why not
let Christ come and live in you.
If you
would like more info about salvation and living the life
as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we would like to hear from
you.
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