In light of current events ...

(This is a response I just wrote to a facebook note my "brother" (baylor brother) wrote asking for how we as Christians should respond to the report of Osama Bin Laden's death ...)

I wonder if the way Osama's death has been celebrated here in the states, if the early members of "The Way" would have celebrated in a similar way at the death of a dude named saul.

i'll never know what it's like to have lost a loved one to...... the actions due to this particular person. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that our God could save people like osama. Like if there was an "unsaveable" guy, the guy that you know wouldn't give a second ear, would never ever ever receive the gospel, it'd be this guy. It'd be guys like hitler, guys who in the face of such cruel injustice, smile and continue to do so GLADLY. But then in these scriptures we've been given, there's a dude whose life screamed:

"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.Amen."
-1 Timothy 1:12-17

It's as if Paul's saying "If he could save a sinner like ME, then He can save anyone." This gives me hope. I love that Paul, the guy who would later write 3/4 of the second half of our Bible is so enthralled, so "I can't believe Jesus saved me!", that he shares his testimony over and over and over again. It's like each time he tells it he's like "ya I still can't believe He saved me."

The justice and wrath of God we shall leave to God. I'm grateful that they don't touch me and hopeful for those who may by grace repent so that the cup wont pour out on them either. The gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful and I hope I believe it enough to open up this unbelieving mouth. Osama was a guy as lost and hopeless as we once were (we don't celebrate real souls that are dead and hopeless). May God be glorious and mighty to bring to repentance and save many more sinners and may we believe He can today, tomorrow.

If there's anything that can be indisputably obvious about this turn of events, it's that sin is real, the world is fractured and broken, we as people are lost and confused, and passionately want JUSTICE. and in end, we are a people most desperately in need of hope. Christianity says there was hope and there is hope. His name's Jesus and he went to the cross so that we wouldn't get the justice due us because it was poured out on a man who was everything we weren't. Everyone wants justice when they're not the one on trial. But when we're the one making our defense, we better have a perfect plea. Thank God, He made a way through Jesus. Justice upheld, wrath satisfied, life given to a guilty people who were once dead in their sin.