The Fires That Burn
Today, Wednesday, March 8, 2006, we were comforted by the news that the perpetrators of the recent church fires in Alabama were apprehended and arrested. Knowing that these young men will hopefully be served with justice assures us that their acts will cease while they are incarcerated. While I may sit at my computer and blog about this news, my mind wonders to something related to these young men. My heart grieves for their families. No, that doesn't mean I do not care about the physical campuses of the churches that were burned. My heart is stirred with sympathy for these young men's families.
I am not a parent. Never have been and at this stage in my life, at the middle age of 51, it is very likely, I will never be a parent. Nonetheless, I have my parents who are still alive and functioning as a retired couple. I thought about their reaction if one of their two boys, or one of their two grandchildren, whom they love just as much, had committed crimes like this. I am convinced it would do irreparable harm to them personally! So... what about the families of these youg men? They may be so grieved and embarassed that presently, they can't function at all. Then on top of this is the fact that two of the young men are students at Birmingham Southern College. A fine college with United Methodist Church foundings. This school has a chapel service every week in an elegant, beautiful chapel on campus. I don't believe chapel service attendance is required. On Birmingham Southern's website is this information:
"Service projects, Bible studies, small group discussions and retreats are all a part of the religious life at the college, which encourages the development of a mature faith and an understanding of the varieties of the religious experience."
Ooops... seems that a couple of students have not even started the process of the development of a mature faith. I do not fault the college for this. A college student is of age to do that for themselves. Therefore, I do wonder about the spiritual foundations that these young men had or the lack of.
Shockingly, we are told that this was done as a joke. Even one of the perpetrator's attorney was quick on his feet to declare that... "These were not crimes of hate. There is not a religious motive involved." (Let me interject here and say that I blogged just a few weeks ago about the concept of "hate crimes". The biblical, and rational reason... even if you don't expouse to the authority of the Bible, is that all crimes are crimes of hate!) Then we were told a few days later that alcohol is involved. Now we must believe the demon of liquor is to be entirely blamed for these arsons! I am sick at my stomach for this attorney to even give this so-called excuse for his client. Why, don't be so quick to rush to judgement. This was just a joke.
I have a quick proposal for the young men, especially the two who were students at the United Methodist Church funded Birmingham Southern College. These students should read Jonathan Edwards classis sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God!" and then be sentenced to rebuild all of the churches who were destroyed or damaged by their actions. Then spend the rest of their life in prison lecturing to college students about the dangers of joking and the consequences that can happen from being inebriated.
You see, the fire that burns in the hearts of men these days is from their own totally depraved nature! We can't stand before a just God and one day say to Him... "Well Lord, I meant it as a joke. Besides, the alcohol made me do it! Surely we can receive a reprieve for these reasons?!"
The Word of God says:
"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24
My hearts cry is that men will call upon the Lord and repent! Where are the old time pastors of another generation who would boldly stand in their pulpits and proclaim the whole counsel of God? Men who will stand with their Bibles open and preach the precious Word of God with great courage and passion. May God is His sovereign mercy grant us this day in our land a revival that comes from hearts regenerated by the Holy Spirit! Just as John the Baptist proclaimed in his day...
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 4:11c-12.
I am not a parent. Never have been and at this stage in my life, at the middle age of 51, it is very likely, I will never be a parent. Nonetheless, I have my parents who are still alive and functioning as a retired couple. I thought about their reaction if one of their two boys, or one of their two grandchildren, whom they love just as much, had committed crimes like this. I am convinced it would do irreparable harm to them personally! So... what about the families of these youg men? They may be so grieved and embarassed that presently, they can't function at all. Then on top of this is the fact that two of the young men are students at Birmingham Southern College. A fine college with United Methodist Church foundings. This school has a chapel service every week in an elegant, beautiful chapel on campus. I don't believe chapel service attendance is required. On Birmingham Southern's website is this information:
"Service projects, Bible studies, small group discussions and retreats are all a part of the religious life at the college, which encourages the development of a mature faith and an understanding of the varieties of the religious experience."
Ooops... seems that a couple of students have not even started the process of the development of a mature faith. I do not fault the college for this. A college student is of age to do that for themselves. Therefore, I do wonder about the spiritual foundations that these young men had or the lack of.
Shockingly, we are told that this was done as a joke. Even one of the perpetrator's attorney was quick on his feet to declare that... "These were not crimes of hate. There is not a religious motive involved." (Let me interject here and say that I blogged just a few weeks ago about the concept of "hate crimes". The biblical, and rational reason... even if you don't expouse to the authority of the Bible, is that all crimes are crimes of hate!) Then we were told a few days later that alcohol is involved. Now we must believe the demon of liquor is to be entirely blamed for these arsons! I am sick at my stomach for this attorney to even give this so-called excuse for his client. Why, don't be so quick to rush to judgement. This was just a joke.
I have a quick proposal for the young men, especially the two who were students at the United Methodist Church funded Birmingham Southern College. These students should read Jonathan Edwards classis sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God!" and then be sentenced to rebuild all of the churches who were destroyed or damaged by their actions. Then spend the rest of their life in prison lecturing to college students about the dangers of joking and the consequences that can happen from being inebriated.
You see, the fire that burns in the hearts of men these days is from their own totally depraved nature! We can't stand before a just God and one day say to Him... "Well Lord, I meant it as a joke. Besides, the alcohol made me do it! Surely we can receive a reprieve for these reasons?!"
The Word of God says:
"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24
My hearts cry is that men will call upon the Lord and repent! Where are the old time pastors of another generation who would boldly stand in their pulpits and proclaim the whole counsel of God? Men who will stand with their Bibles open and preach the precious Word of God with great courage and passion. May God is His sovereign mercy grant us this day in our land a revival that comes from hearts regenerated by the Holy Spirit! Just as John the Baptist proclaimed in his day...
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 4:11c-12.
posted by J.D. Rector at 11:08 AM
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