The Connecticut Shooting and Christian Response

Following the horrific events in Connecticut I've been disturbed by the response of many Christians on Facebook. Not only did the shooter lack love for others but the love of many Christians seems to have grown cold. Rather than mourning with those who mourn, many have chosen to use the opportunity to advance a particular political agenda whether it be pro or anti gun. Some have said the incident is the result of the removal of "God" from public schools. This is all idolatry whether it's the idol of guns or the idol of a Utopian society without guns. It is idolatrous to think that the government could solve the problem by placing Bibles in classrooms and/or get public schools to engage in god-talk.

Our old Adam is obsessed with coming up with rational explanations that are somewhere outside of ourselves to explain both the cause and the subjects of evil acts. We make a gods of ourselves and think that if everyone followed our instructions the world would be a safe place. But the truth is that the cause of these evils is the sin within ourselves.

Our calling as Christians is to mourn with those who suffer great evil, not to provide theoretical explanations. Our calling is to bring them the love of Christ whether the victim is a believer or unbeliever. Christ did not come to die for those who could invent magical, sinless utopias. Christ died for the sinners and the ungodly. Christ did not bring explanations for suffering. Christ suffered for the suffering even the most evil who suffer.