We disagree, I'm sure, but most of us are pretty sure that we know what should be done about the gun violence in America. That would be to limit guns, right? I mean, if you can limit guns (or even eliminate guns), you can limit (or eliminate) gun violence. Easy. Even a certainty. Drugs are a problem in our country, so we started the "drug war" by targeting dealers and such to stem the flow. That ought to stem the problem, right? Well, on that one we're pretty sure the answer is "no". But ... why? I mean, isn't the same logic? Eliminate guns and eliminate gun violence. Eliminate the drug supply and eliminate the drug problem. But it clearly hasn't worked.
The reason is obvious on the surface. You can't eliminate drugs. You can stop them coming through that door, but they'll come through this other one. You can block this access, and they'll come in the window. They'll always be getting in. Why? Because it's not the source; it's the market. It's not the supply; it's the demand. Guns are the same. The theory that eliminating guns eliminates gun violence is sound, but you can't eliminate guns. In America they are there by constitutional right. But even in countries where they've been "eliminated", gun violence is still there. And, worse, it's just a shell game. They will tell you that gun violence is down or even eliminated, but there are still knives, baseball bats, automobiles, hands (one of the leading murder weapons), poisons ... we are virtual murder-weapon factories.
You see, the problem isn't guns. Or drugs. The problem is people. But, of course, our society can't see that because our society believes that people are basically good. Utter nonsense, of course. You just have to look around you to see that. Drive a freeway sometime and see how that theory works out. The number of people that let you in versus the number of people that cut you off is not a close ratio. No, we are born sinners (Psa 51:5), dead in sin (Eph 2:1-3), hostile to God (Rom 8:7). No less than God said, "The intent of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21). No amount of "People are basically good" will overcome that problem. No sin legislation or vice control will fix it.
I don't say this to point fingers at people. I say this to point out that we have the answer. We -- Christians, believers, God's ambassadors -- have the Gospel. The Good News. The way to be born anew, born of the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit. The old is passed away. So if we have the actual answer to the drug problem and the gun problem and the abortion problem and the ... well, the sin problem, why are we so timid? Why are we so quiet?
That's easy. It's because they don't want it. They don't want the answers we have. They are, after all, hostile to God. The good news to us is that it is God who has the capability of overcoming that. It is God who actually opens hearts (Acts 16:14). That is, the success of your mission of making disciples starting with giving them the Gospel is not premised on you; it is premised on God. So, what are you waiting for? We have problems in this country. Don't waste time with legislation, "drug wars", or gun control. They need Jesus. You have Jesus, don't you? How about sharing?
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