There's God, and There Are Mass Shootings?
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· 10 viewsWhat should a Christian think about the terrible violent acts that happen in the world?
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We are left with questions after events like this. We want to make sense of it, but I really don’t think we can. We want to hear something that gives us peace about it, but I don’t think there is anything that will. We want to know the truth about these these things, but because we are all sinners that truth can sometimes hurt our feelings. The best we can do is to understand some things and trust God.
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We are left with questions after events like this. We want to make sense of it, but I really don’t think we can. We want to hear something that gives us peace about it, but I don’t think there is anything that will. We want to know the truth about these these things, but because we are all sinners that truth can sometimes hurt our feelings. The best we can do is to understand some things and trust God.
Why does God allow things like this to happen?
Why does God allow things like this to happen?
What do you think the biggest reason for people not believing in God is?
If He’s there, why do bad things still happen? Or why do bad things happen to good people?
Is He good?
Is He able to stop these things from happening?
These are important and valid questions.
God is good, the Bible says his ways are perfect.
The Rock —His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true.
Deuteronomy 32:4
God is all powerful, the Bible says He does whatever He pleases and that nothing can happen that He doesn’t allow.
So why does He allow people to do terrible things?
God has given us the ability to make choices for ourselves, but so often we choose sin.
Did God allow this because those people were especially sinful or evil and they were being punished?
Did God allow this because those people were especially sinful or evil and they were being punished?
No! Make no mistake, they were sinful people, but so is everyone else!
One of the Roman rulers in Jesus’ day committed an act of terrorism against the Jewish people and killed several people by collapsing a tower. The thought of the day was that the people who were killed were killed because they were especially sinful, but Jesus explains to people as He is teaching...
And He responded to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all Galileans because they suffered these things? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!
Why doesn’t God just destroy all evil and evil people?
Why doesn’t God just destroy all evil and evil people?
He will. That’s what happens in Revelation.
But for now, He restrains it. If He did not, the world would be so much worse. So many more tragedies.
We also must understand something else, if we want God to wipe out evil, He’s going to do it to his standard, not ours. We’re all included.
All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.
So God, in his love and grace and mercy, continues to withhold his final judgement against evil, giving us the opportunity to repent and turn to Jesus for forgiveness.
How are we supposed to respond to tragedies like this then?
How are we supposed to respond to tragedies like this then?
We have to trust God, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. We choose to have faith.
We have to trust God, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. We choose to have faith.
Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.
We minister to those who are hurting.
We minister to those who are hurting.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
We have to be wise in the way we do this.
Have good timing. Remember how I tried to share the Gospel with my ex-girlfriend right after breaking up with her? Bad timing!
We should hurt with them, cry with them, be there with them before trying to give logical explanations and inspirational sayings, even if they are true.
Try to understand what they’re going through, their emotions.
Remember, Jesus does this with all of us.
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm.
But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death.
1 Peter
Don’t make it about you.
We remember that this is revealing our need for a Savior.
We remember that this is revealing our need for a Savior.
FOR HS: These tragedies point to a higher moral authority.
We pray.
We pray.
For those affected, for those who committed the act, and for those responding to the act.
Read the prayer from TGC.