Agony and Victory

As we are all aware, this last Sunday a crazed gunman walked into the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and killed 26 churchgoers. The youngest victim was 18 months old; the eldest was 77. The pastor and his wife were not there that day, but their youngest daughter was among those killed. One family, the Holcombes, lost eight family members across three generations. Joann Ward attempted to shield her children with her own body. She and two of her daughters died, but two of her children survived. One couple, the Marshalls, had just retired to the area and were attending the church for the first time to try it out. Both were killed. Robert and Shani Corrigan were dedicated to God and ministry. Recently they suffered the suicide death of their oldest son. Last Sunday they went home to be with the Lord. The pastor's wife said that a quarter of their congregation was dead and the church building itself was likely beyond repair.

It is tragic. It is horrific. It is agonizing. It is only made worse by the perpetrator. Court-martialed for assaulting his wife and step child in 2012 and dishonorably discharged from the Air Force in 2014, he was a known problem. He escaped a mental health facility in 2012 after being sent in there for attempting to carry out death threats against his military superiors. He shouldn't have even been able to buy a gun. He had attended the church but was asked not to come because the pastor considered him dangerous. And then there was his rage at his ex-mother-in-law who attended the church but was not there that day. It's all disturbing because it's so crazy. President Trump said it was a mental problem; I would argue that it is a sin problem.

And yet ...

It is only in Christ that we find any sense of hope in tragedy like this. Christ was perfected in suffering (Heb 2:10). He was despised and rejected (Isa 53:3). The author of Hebrews said, "For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." (Heb 2:18) That is, in our trials, we know we have one who suffered as much as we do. Peter wrote,

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Elsewhere he wrote,

This finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. (1 Peter 2:19-25)

In Christ we find true comfort and even purpose in the things we suffer, finding both first in His own suffering.

Really high on the list of things to consider as believers is the justice of God. For a moral system to make any real sense, there must be justice. If there is no expectation of justice, there can be no meaningful moral system. And we know that in this life justice is not a given. But God is a just God, and we can be absolutely certain that justice will be served. There is no chance that justice in this and every other situation will not be served.

Another consideration is the claim from Paul that God "works all things after the counsel of His will." (Eph 1:11) This means that nothing happens by chance, that nothing happens without a reason, more so that nothing happens without a good reason. Alongside the promise that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God" (Rom 8:28), His Sovereignty provides the greatest of comfort when we struggle with why it looks like bad things happen to good people. That is, they don't. Only good. Despite what it might look like. And always to His glory. As Spurgeon said, "When we cannot trace God’s hand, we are simply to trust his heart."

Death is the ultimate horror to most people. Paul wrote,

"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:55-57)

Death, for believers, is not the end. Christ was victorious over death and He gives us the victory.

Ultimately, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, 'For Your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 8:35-39) Ultimately, even in death, we are more than conquerors, Christ is victorious, and good will come of it all. We have the promises of God on that.