Osama, Terrorism, Despair, and Hope

By Justin Edwards

The world has been in a whirlwind since the news of the death of Osama bin Laden broke late Sunday evening.  Reactions have varied from celebration to condemnation, with many Christians struggling with how they should respond to the death of the world's most notorious killer of the last 2 decades.  In his article, A Christian Response to the death of Osama bin Laden, Randy White revisits the evil acts of bin Laden in recent years:

Osama bin Laden is a clear enemy.  As the leader of Al Qaeda, he is responsible for the death of over 3,000 men, women, and children on 9/11, as well as those who died on the USS Cole, the deaths of US servicemen shot down in Somalia in Operation Restore Hope, the 301 persons killed and 5,000 injured in bombings of U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, the bombing of a synagogue in Tunisia, the deaths of 180 people in a nightclub in Bali, and the list goes on.  Clearly, Osama bin Laden has been the deadliest terrorist of this young century (HT: Worldview Weekend).

Osama bin Laden was a cold-blooded murderer who deserved death.  Christians can rejoice that this wicked man has received temporal justice for his crimes against humanity, and we can rejoice that he can no longer take another innocent human life.  Yet, while we can rejoice that bin Laden is history and can harm us no more, the reality is he is in hell and has yet to face God's final justice - in that, we cannot rejoice, but more on that later.

Although bin Laden is dead, the threat of terrorism did not die with him.  In fact, his death will likely be a catalyst for near-future attacks.  Coincidentally, about a week before May 2, I saw that Wikileaks had released information regarding repercussions of a bin Laden capture or assassination.  In this report, Al-Qaeda threatens to unleash a nuclear hellstorm if Osama is caught or assassinated.  The terrorist organization has supposedly hidden a nuclear bomb in Europe, ready for detonation should Osama be incarcerated or killed.  It is not unlikely that such a threat is imposed within the United States, given our security risks on the border among other things.

In my opinion, killing OBL is another win for Islam.  The U.S. was absolutely justified in this assassination, but the consequences will be more attacks and restricted freedoms.  Not only might Al-Qaeda accelerate its efforts to attack the United States, but there may be an increase in lone wolf terrorists or bin Laden sympathizers to unleash their frustrations against perceived tyranny of the United States.  In fact, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula publishes a high quality English-language magazine, Inspire, to recruit and instruct Muslims in the West to carry out terrorist attacks in their home countries. They released their 5th edition in April:

With this is mind, the threat of so-called "soft targets" being attacked has significantly increased since the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Security has been heightened in major cities around the country, and agencies are being encouraged to employ security measures that would invade the privacy of American citizens.  The following CBS report explains that routine patdowns may become the norm for entry into these soft targets:



As the next few weeks unfold, we will likely see an increase of Muslims memorializing bin Laden.  In fact, the location of his killing is already becoming a shrine for his admirers, where one Muslims states:

I've come here today to see a piece of our history...Osama was a good Muslim who fought for Islam. He was a hero to us. I expect in time to see all sorts of tourists here, even Japanese and Americans.

This shrine may serve as a rallying point and pilgrimage for bin Laden's followers to pay their respects.  What we are seeing is faithful Muslims supporting one of their heroes - a martyr in their eyes.

Such is the sentiment that may bring about a new wave of terror in the United States. The world is already in turmoil with a failing economy, natural disasters, and Middle East turmoil, and with the perhaps imminent threat of terrorist attacks in the United States and Europe, we can expect more death and restricted freedoms.

So what does this mean for you?  What kind of emotions do you feel knowing that the world has significantly become more volatile, as if it wasn't volatile enough already?  Are you afraid?  Are you fearful of the unexpected?  If all you have is this life now, then there really is no hope for you.  If this world, which ultimately offers you nothing but temporal happiness, despair and death - an evil place where wickedness reigns and immorality destroys, if this world is the only one you have to cling to - then you are utterly hopeless.  At any moment, your life could be taken from you, and the chances of that happening have now increased by the death of one evil man.  

If death knocked on your door today, would you find yourself in the same place as Osama bin Laden?  The truth is, if you are still living for yourself and for this world, if you have need of nothing and are trying to live in a manner that you believe would make you worthy of heaven, then you are just as guilty as bin Laden and will face the same judgment as he will face. While the wrath of God may come down more severely upon bin Laden, God's wrath is still unfathomable upon those who refuse to obey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  You may think such a position is incredulous, and I don't blame you, but that doesn't change the reality that you are a law-breaker and deserve the wages of your sin.

To read more about this and how you can avoid facing the same judgment as Osama bin Laden, please see Eternal Life.

Now, for my brothers and sisters in Christ - we have an incredible opportunity to use the killing of Osama bin Laden to proclaim the Gospel.  First of all, as opposed to those without Christ, we have an enduring hope!  As we are secured by grace, it doesn't matter if we should be the victims of a terrorist attack.  We are not to fear the unexpected on this earth, for our hope is in the One who has conquered death and has established a kingdom for us to rule and reign with Christ for eternity!  This is the Hope that is within us, and we must be constantly ready to share this with others.

Secondly, I expect most people are willing to talk about the death of Osama bin Laden.  I can think of no easier way to transition into a spiritual conversation than using this instance to break the ice.  In the days to come, I may put a list of survey questions together to use in witnessing encounters, but for now, consider asking people this simple question: 

Where do you think Osama bin Laden is now?

This will be a springboard for you to eventually ask the person where they will go when they die. 

Most of us have lost people close to us.  The news of Osama bin Laden just might be a catalyst that sparks a new wave of terrorism, which could ultimately play into God's prophetic timetable.  In any case, the hour is now all the more urgent to proclaim the Gospel.  While we really don't know how any of this will play out, God, on the other hand, is in absolute control.  He is sovereign over all nations, people, angels, and devils, and these events are proceeding just as He has ordained them to proceed.  We do not know every detail of the future, but we do know that Christ is returning, and looking at the condition of the world today, I believe He is at the doorstep. 

If you have doubts as to where you will spend eternity, please do visit the Eternal Life page.  If you are unsure of your salvation, please don't hesitate to contact me.  If you know you are saved by the grace of God, what are you going to do with your life from here on out?  We have only one purpose in this life once we are bought by the blood of Christ - to love and obey Him with all of our hearts and to make His name known. 

Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ... - Philippians 1:27

See also:

The Great White Throne Judgment

20 Reasons NOT to Hope for Christ's Return in 2011

Are You Ready?

Awake from Your Slumber

Don't Play Games with Your Eternity

Heart Inventory

People Who Will Not Go to Heaven

Halloween Innocence?

By Justin Edwards

I think there is one very simple and honest question each of us must ask ourselves as born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ - is there one single thing that is good about Halloween? No doubt there is someone already thinking I am a legalistic party-pooper trying to take "the fun" out of this "silly, harmless" "holiday" - right? I mean, after all, the kids get to dress up in fun costumes with hopes to fill their bags with their favorite candies. What could be the harm in that? Or what about a night on the town going to any number of the adult costume-themed parties, where one night out of the year you can wear that mask and be someone you're not? A night to cut loose and dabble into the "dark side"? It's all innocent fun right?

The traditions and history of Halloween aside, have you ever considered this day to be a time to glorify evil, sorcery, witchcraft, the occult, and the horrors of life? I ask the question again, is there a single thing that is good about Halloween? Speaking from my own experience, as a child, I wasn't allowed to go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, but we attended the fall festivals and the like at church. Of course, dressing up as innocent cowboys and other fictional characters made everything ok at the "harvest festival", but what this did, in my opinion, was desensitize me to the reality of Halloween and everything it truly represents. Once I became an adult, I loved to go to all the parties, bars, clubs, and events that hosted the various ghoulish festivities.

Of course, my wild escapades into the nightlife on Halloween night was not a result of bobbing for apples as a kid, but looking back into those reckless, young adult years I see that there was indeed nothing good about those nights as I drank the night away and celebrated what could be described as nothing less than glorified sin. And I professed to be a Christian.

One only has to pick up a local news magazine like Creative Loafing and browse through the October advertisements to see what I mean. The names of these events truly give weight to the depths of evil in society, and the worst part of it is, I have no doubt many of these people have any idea as to what they are promoting and taking pleasure in - events like "Feathers and Fetishes", "Gravediggers Ball", "Wicked Women of Wax", "Campground Massacre", "Sin City Halloween Party", and most revolting is "Sin Sunday Fangbangers Ball" at a local "men's club". Yet, on the other hand, we only have to go to John 3:18 to see why men and women take pleasure in such blatant wickedness:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

At the Carowinds theme park in Charlotte, NC, an event is held each year titled Scarowinds, and  they boast from the website (emphasis mine):

...for a deathly descriptive run down of our 11 attractions and scarezones, as well as our sinful stage shows and terrifying rides, visit Scarowinds.com People are DYING to get in are you? All you fear is here!

A brief look into the different attractions reveals "scare zones" such as "Camp Killauee", "Dead Inn", "Slaughter House", and the "Silver Scream Sinema". And to think that professing Christians can go to venues making light and fun of sin, the very thing that God hates, and have no sensitivity to such foolery. It's truly mind-boggling and a testament to the state of the professing church.

I can't put into words the advertisements I have seen through various media outlets over the last few years amplifying and glorifying these things God detests. I have come to the conclusion, however, that Halloween is the most evil day of the year and I want nothing to do with it as far as participation is concerned. The answer to the question I posed at the beginning of this post is clear to me - there is nothing good about Halloween. Another even more necessary question must be asked, what in Halloween brings glory to God? Surely you cannot answer in the affirmative there is anything about this day that glorifies the name of Jesus Christ.

As born again believers, each of us must ask these questions of ourselves. What are we doing for our children when we make light of this day and provide them with "less scary" alternatives? Obviously, a child isn't sinning for knocking on doors asking for candy, nor do I believe you as parents are sinning by allowing your children to do so (unless, of course, you are being convicted by the Holy Spirit to not do so). But what I'm asking you to consider is this:

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. - 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

Admittedly, it is not my place to judge anyone should they participate in the apparent innocence of trick-or-treating and the like. But we must ask ourselves what are the benefits? And are we playing a role in desensitizing our children to the weight of sin? As for me and my house, we have chosen to not compromise.

There is so much deception in the world today, and as we near the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the deception will only increase. The less we compromise our Christian values and moral principles and the less we are conformed to the things of this world (Romans 12:2), the less ammunition we give the world to seduce our children into the ways of the world. We must detach ourselves from the crowds. We must make up our minds and be resolved to protect our families no matter the cost. God has a standard of holiness and we are to pursue it with all of our strength out of the abundance of love in our hearts for Him.

This world is passing away (1 John 2:15-17) and we as Christians have been called out. We have been set apart. We are, in fact, aliens in this world whose citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). The line in the sand has been drawn, and within my power and ability I will choose the things of God, love the things He loves, and hate the things he hates, namely sin. Not only do I not want to offend God in this manner, but I no longer want to go along with the crowd or continue to do things because that's just the way we've always done it. And any time we take pleasure in the things God hates, we dishonor Him and relish in the very things for which He was crucified.

And speaking of Christ's death and glorious resurrection, God can and will take something that was intended for evil and turn it into something for good and His glory. What better time than to talk to somebody about the free gift of grace God offers to sinners? While sin and death are being celebrated in a way that distorts truth, we have the opportunity to reveal the reality of sin and the certainty of death. And all who do not recognize their sinful condition and gift of grace through repentance and faith in Christ will realize the wages of sin - eternal death.

If you're planning on handing out candy this weekend, I encourage you to add to your stash the Gospel. There's no time left to purchase Gospel tracts online at excellent sources such as Living Waters or Custom Tract Resource, but your local Christian bookstore should have at least a few options for you. And if you have access to a color printer, you can print my Urgent Message tract for free. Be sensitive to your surroundings and in your conversations this weekend and look for opportunities to talk about death. Styrofoam gravestones, zombies, caskets, death scenes, and the like provide us with great conversation starters - like, "what do you think really happens when you die"? Give the person you're talking to a chance to explain what they believe, and should they not understand the gravity of their sin and Truth found in the Lord Jesus Christ, share Law and Grace with them in truth and love. While many of these people are flippantly celebrating death, eternal death will be their fate should they continue along the wide path of destruction.

I hope this post has given you something to think about. We must examine everything we do to see whether or not it honors God and brings glory to His name. Those things in our lives that clutter and weigh us down or distort or compromise the truth must be cleaned out. At the very least, I hope this post leads you to pray about these things.

Please take a moment to watch the two short videos from Todd Friel of Wretched Radio and Chad Williams and Tony Miano from Living Waters. The first video will echo some of the things I've given you to consider, while the second will give you an example of taking the opportunity to share the Gospel in even the most "deathly" situations. :)

Be safe this weekend. 

The Greatest Mirror of Them All

By Justin Edwards


Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. - James 1:23-25

The most important test one can undertake is to examine themselves in light of Scripture. Consider the Bible a mirror and search to see if your life is a reflection of the Word of God. After seeing Jesus, His love, His teachings, His commandments, His sufferings and further the exhortations by John, Peter, Paul, and James, does your life reflect that love, obedience, servanthood, stewardship, fruit of the Spirit, sufferings for His sake, and proper response in holiness and righteousness to these exhortations? Or does your life reflect disobedience, pride, anger, hatred, lusts of the flesh, and unrighteousness?


Jesus said in John 14:15, 23-24,

If you love Me, you will obey what I command...23If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

And 1 John 3:16 says,

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Have you laid down your life for Jesus? Have you submitted in total surrender to Him? Do you still hold on to your own will, or does He have all the control?

The following is a passage for honest consideration to examine whether you are in the faith. If you find the virtuous things lacking in your life, yet the things of the earth evident instead, get on your knees and take it to the foot of the cross. If you find you have never known Him, He may not know you, so settle that today by committing your life to Christ. If you are unsure, surrender everything to Him so you may receive assurance and turn to diligence in seeking after Him in His sovereign and perfect Word. You cannot know Him if you do not seek Him. You cannot seek Him if do not know where to find Him. You cannot find Him if you don't open your Bible and pray.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

If you want God with all of your heart, mind, and soul, if you are ready to die to yourself and be raised with Christ, if you are tired of the same old life that gives you no genuine hope, peace, joy, or love, and you are ready to receive the Peace that passes all understanding, the Hope that gives life, the Joy that brings true happiness, and the Love that mends all things, then commit your life to Christ today by a prayer similar to below. Jesus Christ loves you, enough to die for you. He paid a debt He did not owe, because you have a debt you cannot pay. If you believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins, that God raised Him from the dead, and that He is Lord, confess these things to Him, and He will give you eternal life as He promised:

"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner in desperate need of You. I have doubts about my salvation, and I'm ready to obtain assurance today. I know that my sin has separated me from You, and the only way to mend this gap is by believing in Your Son, and confessing Him Lord of my life. Right now, Father, I surrender my life to you. These sins that have a hold on me, I hand them over to you. I ask that you take these sins and help me overcome. I know the temptation will remain, but through You I am more than a conqueror. I die to myself, Lord Jesus, and turn away from the life I am living. I am picking up my cross and I am following You. I have been in control of my life for far too long, and now I give You control completely. It is no longer my will for my life, but Your will for my life, and Your will alone. I pray that by Your Spirit, You sanctify me, making me holy, Lord. I commit myself to You, and I know that it is by Your grace alone through faith alone in Jesus alone that I am saved. Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice, thank You for shedding Your blood on the cross to pay for my sins, and thank You for making me a new creation. I receive this gift of eternal life, and I thank You, Jesus! In Your most precious name that is above all names I ask these things, amen."