Should Jesus-followers celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden?

By now, most have heard and even moved on from the news that US Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden, the master mind behind the 9-11 terror strikes. It's possible that you missed this news, but I doubt anyone has not heard of the event nearly ten years ago that led to this news.

Probably everyone reading this remembers exactly where they were when they saw the news on TV or got the phone call. We all stood in one united deafening silent moment of shock and horror at our devastating loss and exposed vulnerability. We mourned like never before at the irrational and unjustifiable loss of innocent life.


Regarding yesterday's news of bin Laden's death, I've heard a wide range of responses both by US politicians, mainstream media, and Christians alike. By some media and Christians, I'm disgusted. So, I've tried to lay out a biblical and Christian response to both bin Laden's death and those like him (think Hitler and Stalin). Allow me to answer a few questions that I've heard regarding this news.

1. Was it right for the US to attack and kill him?

A better question might be to ask if it is right for the government of any nation to have a law against murder and that the consequence of murder and worse state-terror is death. Biblically, yes.

For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Romans 13:4.

Osama bin Laden is a mass murderer and a terrorist. Both him and those like him, and the nations that sponsor terror are justly attacked and either annihilated or at least uttered powerless to attack again.

2. But doesn't politics and US agenda cloud the "righteous" mandate of such attacks? What if it is only about oil?

Like you, I've grown both skeptical, even jaded to any political allegiance or quick support for every US "cause". I've seen the US manipulate situations, politicians use Christians for their own agenda, and allowed the media to abuse their responsibility by reporting only what they want us to hear.

However, in this incident, it is apparent to all law abiding people that bin Laden was evil. How can I make such a statement. The Bible makes it clear that killing innocent people is evil (Exodus 23:7; Psalm 10:8; 64:4-9; 94:21; Proverbs 1:11). It's a one of the things God hates (Proverbs 6:17).

War is necessary to protect human life and the cause of freedom. It seems paradoxical to take life in the name of life. But so long as evil exists on earth (until Christ's triumphant victory at the end of time), there will be a need for righteous leaders to gain national safety and peace through military strength. We do NOT glamorize or celebrate war, but mourn it's necessity. We don't celebrate the mass death of enemies. We grieve the need to defend freedom from tyranny and long for a day when God rights all wrong. Until then, we are comforted in the profound words of Abraham Lincoln nearly 150 years ago,

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

3. Is it right to celebrate when people are killed?

Probably more than the other questions, this one seems to stir the most debate. It's born from our own horror at the jubilation and dancing in the streets by masses of Muslims around the world on 9-11. They celebrated at the death of thousands of innocent lives, non-combatants, women and children. Bin Laden plotted and armed Islamic terrorists, and evil people celebrated our destruction.

And now, the US has killed bin Laden and we celebrate. Aren't we doing the same thing?

First, let's go back to previous point and restate the question: is it right for Christians to celebrate the death of wicked people?

The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. 7 When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. 10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Proverbs 11:6–10. (italics added)

Whether Solomon was mandating the celebration or stating the obvious, there is something right about evil being punished. We should celebrate justice and rejoice in the victory of good over evil. While bin Laden was a human, he was clearly unrepentant, purely motivated by evil, and desirous of destroying innocent lives. Bin Laden wasn't an innocent person murderously attacked by big-bad-mean Navy Seals. He was an evil militant.

Also, other Christians have warped passages of the Bible to suggest that bin Laden deserves the same treat as David gave his father-in-law Saul. Most remarks like this are given by individuals with a very poor understanding of the Bible and proof-text Scripture to justify their own views rather than God's. David didn't kill Saul, not because he wasn't evil and evil deserved destruction, but because he had been "God's anointed" and David did not want to be responsible for taking the life of someone God had anointed. This clearly does NOT apply to bin Laden.

Final, but sobering thought:

We understand that wickedness, evil, and terror should and MUST be judged and punished. We celebrate the destruction of evil and evil people. And it is right!

The only place for pause on a day of celebration in the death of the wicked is to recognize that while we too are wicked. No, certainly not evil in the vein of Osama bin Laden. No, we are not terrorists, mass murderers, or busy plotting the destruction of innocent people. But we are living under judgment, rightly deserving of righteous punishment, because our desires are evil and selfish. God is right to pour wrath against sin, and through our celebration at bin Laden's death, we all agree.

However, we recognize that every person, both mass murderers and little-white-liars will be judged by God, and everyone will be found sinful and deserving of judgment (Romans 3:23; 6:23), and not just death on earth but forever death (Revelation 20:11-15) for all who did not place their faith in the salvation offered through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We are all sinners deserving of godly judgment. We will all stand before God and be judged for our life and actions (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who throw themselves at the mercy of God through the grace offered in Jesus find a "covering" for their sins and are made righteous in God's sight.

So, let's celebrate at the good news that justice prevailed over evil. Let's celebrate that, through Jesus, mercy prevails over justice on our behalf through the cross of Jesus.

Demystifying Leadership of The Church- Lesson 7 from 2010

Lots of people rightly complain that too many churches identify leaders based on an American political model. So, they'll say, "the church is full of and run by politics!" Agreed! And most of us hate politics in the church. Politics means that leaders are identified for these type  of reasons:

• influence: a person has influence in business, government, or finances SO we give them influence IN the church,
• popularity: a person is popular and everyone likes them SO they should be in leadership,
• the vast majority of people in the church like the person or vote for that person So they should, by virtue of democratic vote, be in some type of leadership,
• secular leadership: a person is a leader elsewhere SO they must be able to lead in the church,
• money: they give lots of money SO let's give them a voice for how that money should be used.

Okay, you read that list and could probably add lots more to it. But the point is, that we hate politics and hidden/ false agendas within the Kingdom of God.

So, how does the Bible state the leaders are identified? Let's Demystify the Leadership Code in The Church:

• Spiritual Maturity: Paul tells Timothy that leaders in the Church should not be novices, young and immature in their relationship with Christ (1 Tim 3:6). Maturity is not measured by years but spiritual growth, in essence, is a Jesus-follower a reading the Word, in prayer, and multiplying by sharing and showing God's love with others.
• Character: people who are growing in the Character of Christ can be entrusted with influence and leadership. The Church can only give influence to those who exhibit growing Christ-like character, and must remove from leadership those who consistently demonstrate a lack of character and are unteachable or unwilling to repent (1 Tim 3).
• Competence: obviously a person must be capable of either leading now or learning to lead, in order to be a leader in a particular area of the Church. This means they have the capacity, giftedness, desire, and willingness to lead well (Romans 12),
• Calling: along with giftedness, a person must have the heart or passion from God to lead. People don't ask to lead, they are asked by God to lead. Ephesians 4 makes it clear that God gives to the Church the gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers for the equipping of the saints...
• Faithful: leaders prove themselves by being faithful in lesser areas of responsibility and influence. If a person is unwilling to do the unnoticeable tasks, they won't be faithful in areas of greater influence. Jesus taught that within His Kingdom, those who are faithful with little will be entrusted with much and vice versa. Luke 16:10-12.
• Fruitful: a person could be all of the above and still not be a leader, if they are not fruitful. Seed that lands of good soil, in Matthew 13, produces a fruitful harvest of 100, 60, or at least 30 times what was sown. We can recognize leaders within the Church by those who take the "little" that has been invested and given to them, and they produce "much" with it. They share and show God's love. They make disciples and lead people to Jesus. They develop others into servants of Christ, leaders in the Church, and help others grow.

There it is! Those ware the demystified keys of how we identify leadership within The Church according to the Bible?!

I'm Voting For...

I'm not apolitical or non-political. I believe that my calling and responsibilities are bigger than politics. Matter of fact, I believe that the Church is the Hope for Change in the world. The only Hope for true change. God has entrusted to us the responsibility to bring the message of Jesus Christ to ALL. We are bigger and more powerful than the US government, UN, the World Banks, and nuclear proliferation (combined). We've been entrusted with the duty of eternity. I will not be detoured or deterred from my sacred call.

We've also been entrusted with a vote. Here's a great video to help guide how you make a decision on who you will be voting for in this election, not only for President, but for state and local government. We must be careful not to vote for "my" best interests, but the best interest of our nation, freedom, and life.