So we have yet another mass shooting. Turns out it was an angry young man who hated Christians this time. One student told her parents that the gunman, while reloading his handgun, ordered the students to stand up and asked if they were Christians. “And they would stand up and he said, ‘Good, because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second,'” He told a professor teaching a class: “I’ve been waiting to do this for years,” and then he shot him point blank. Turns out the students weren’t the only one that saw God, he was killed by police shortly afterwards.
So why would a young man with his entire life ahead of him do such a thing? He wrote one blog about another murderer who recently got national publicity that speaks volumes to the condition of his heart. He said: “And I have to say, anyone who knew him could have seen this coming. People like him have nothing left to live for, and the only thing left to do is lash out at a society that has abandoned them.”
Obama was quick to blame guns and gun laws, but the problem cannot be blamed on guns. His home town of Chicago has the most restrictive gun laws in the United States and there were fifty shootings a night the two nights prior to this massacre and Chicago leads the nation in murder and gun violence. (By the way he doesn’t open his mouth to that issue.)
One huge problem lies in the households, whereby the family unit is non-existent. In fact 67% of African American children are raised in a single parent home; 25% of white families. Schools have abandoned the Ten Commandments, prayer, and are teaching evolution and scoffing at creationism and the Bible.
The result is a nation that is increasingly losing hope. People look to drugs, alcohol, sex, money, material things, power, fame, and even violence but they cannot find what they are looking for, the peace, joy and love that only can be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Bible predicts that people will turn away from God and their hearts will grow cold. 2 Timothy 3 goes into greater detail: “In the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
It is interesting to read that verse that refers to the love of many will grow cold. We automatically interpret love to mean something entirely different from what I believe that God meant by this. The word for love that is used in this passage is the Greek word agape, (the love that people have only because God has given it to them). Agape love refers to those whom God has called into a relationship with Him. It is agape love that will grow cold because of lawlessness. We demonstrate agape love to God through obedience, (the opposite of lawlessness) so when disobedience increases, agape grows cold.
So are those who don’t know God at all to blame for the disintegration of morality and decency in this country, or do those who are in the church bear more responsibility. OMG – Dare I say the church bears responsibility? What did the young man who slaughtered all of those people post on social media? “And I have to say, anyone who knew him could have seen this coming. People like him have nothing left to live for, and the only thing left to do is lash out at a society that has abandoned them.”
My contention is that those who stand behind pulpits and refuse to preach the truth of the Gospel week after week to those congregations that only want to hear what they want to hear are the ones who bear the most blame for not being obedient to preaching the Gospel. All life is sacred; murder is wrong – abortion is wrong, homosexuality is a sin and marriage should be between a man and a woman; lying is wrong; greed & corruption are wrong; having sex outside of marriage is wrong. These things are sin and there are consequences for sin. There is a hell and God will send people there. It is a horrible place and no one talked about its horrors more than Jesus Christ.
You don’t want to hear it? Then leave your Bible shut and cover your eyes and ears it and ignore it, but you cannot change the laws of God. It is the same today as it was a thousand years ago or will be a thousand years from now.
Our love should increase and not grow cold. We should be obedient and not lawless. We must boldly preach the truth and courageously stand upon God’s word. Mr. Obama when we understand this concept, the evil that has become the norm in our society will disappear; not when another gun law is added.
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church, (or somewhere) this Sunday.
Matthew 24:12
Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, will be saved . . . ”
October 2, 2015 – Click here to listen