Once again the drumbeat of war is heard as it reverberates across the plains of Europe. People are in shock. “Surely, not again, not in a modern European state. We’ve outgrown all this, haven’t we?” The Bible Christian knows better. We know the peril of the human heart.
Bible believers know that violence has been with us ever since Cain murdered his brother Abel in Genesis 4. We readily recall the Apostle Paul’s vivid description of the human condition in Romans 3:9-20 - a description drawn from assorted Old Testament texts.
Jesus says, in Matthew 24:6, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.”
In these last days, days that began when Jesus was upon this earth (Hebrews 1:2), war and violence are a characteristic of the age. We see this in murders in our own cities and rural communities, as well as in family violence. Conflicts between nations are the same on a broader scale.
We weep at the reality of human sin as we see the destruction of war on a broad scale. We similarly weep when we recall the violence against the unborn in our land. We weep when we see men and women abuse one another and children. All are different manifestations of the Fall in Genesis 3. All are noxious to a holy God and cry out for justice.
Yet, as in Jonah, the proper response is to call out for repentance, a turning from sin and to God. If God would forgive the evils of ancient Nineveh, with a true turning of the heart to Him there can be forgiveness for us in our day, too. You see, justice is satisfied in the cross in the atoning death of Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus receive His righteousness credited to us by faith. Let us mourn our sins and turn to God for forgiveness. Let us call on the Lord to work true repentance and faith amid this violent world.
(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)