Rightly Acknowledging our Fathers

Rightly Acknowledging our Fathers_S436
By Ildefonso ”Nene” J. Rubrico
23 June 2011

Last Sunday, 19 June 2011, the nation observed the 150th birth anniversary of Dr Jose Rizal, our national hero. This is usually done, as in the past, with our high government officials laying a wreath at the Rizal Monument in the Luneta and at his birthplace in Calamba, Laguna. We also celebrated Father’s Day with the rest of the world, where fathers, grandfathers, and fathers-to-be, were duly-recognized in magazine articles and shopping malls. Some of us were asked to stand up to be acknowledged in our respective churches, and a few were even given token gifts by the children. Pastor John Piper, whose father died in 2006, wrote about his late father in his column “Desiring God,” in July 18, 2007 which Christianity Today reprinted last week.

I now quote from that article entitled 15 Things I Have Learned from My Father, by John Piper. Since my father died on March 6 of last year, I have been looking through his papers. I found a small sheet with the following fifteen counsels, titled “Things I Have Learned.” He didn’t make most of these up. Some of them go back to his college days when he was absorbing the pithy wisdom of Bob Jones Senior. They have again confirmed the obvious: I owe my father more than I can ever remember. The comment after each one is mine.

Things I Have Learned:

1. The right road always leads to the right place; therefore, get on the right road and go as far as you can on it. My father was totally persuaded that wrong means do not lead to right ends. Or, more positively, he was persuaded that living in the right way — that is, doing the right things — are means that inevitably lead to where God wants us to be. This is why he told me, when I asked about God’s leading in my life, “Son, keep the room clean where you are, and in God’s time, the door to the next room will open.”

2. There is only one thing to do about anything; that is the right thing. Do right. This is what one might say to a person perplexed by a difficult situation whose outcome is unknown. The person might say, “I just don’t know what to do about this.” It is not useless to be told: Do the right thing. That may not tell you exactly which good thing to do, but it does clear the air and rule out a few dozen bad ideas.

3. Happiness is not found by looking for it. You stumble over happiness on the road to duty. My, my, my. How was John Piper born from this? I would never say this. The main reason is that the Bible commands us to pursue our joy repeatedly. “Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice.” “Delight yourself in the Lord.” I think what he meant was: first, joy is always in something. Joy itself is not the something. So we seek joy in Christ. Not just joy in general. And, second, when duty is hard and we do not feel joy in doing it, we should still do it, and pray that in the doing it the joy would be given. But what we need to make plain is that duty cannot be contrasted with joy, because joy is a biblical duty.
4. The door to success swings on the hinges of opposition. Remarkably, this saying implies that opposition is not just a natural accompaniment or antecedent of success, but that it is a means by which the door opens. One can think of many biblical examples. The opposition of Joseph’s brothers opened the door to his leadership in Egypt. The taxing of the empire opened the door to getting the Messiah born in Bethlehem, not Nazareth, and thus fulfilling prophecy. The betrayal of Judas opened the door to the salvation of the world.
5. God in the right place in my life fixes every other relationship of life (Matthew 6:33). I wonder if this was tucked away in my mind so that unknown to me it controlled my analogy of the solar system to our many-faceted lives. If God is the blazing center of the solar system of our lives, then all the planets will be held in their proper orbit. But if not, everything goes awry.
6. It is never right to get the right thing in the wrong way — like good grades, wealth, power, position. Don’t sacrifice your principles. Again, he hammers away at don’t use bad means for good ends. Be a principled, not a pragmatic, person. O how we need to hear this today. Churches need to be principled, not endlessly adapting to culture. Persons need to make a promise and keep it no matter how much it hurts.
7. It is a sin to do less than your best. It is wrong to do [merely] well. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). But be careful. Sometimes the “best” is a B+ sermon and spending time with your child. In other words, “best” always involves more decisions than the one you are making at the moment. That one means many other things are being left undone. So “best” is always the whole thing, not just the detail of the moment.
8. It is wrong to be yoked to one who refuses the yoke of Christ. Don’t marry an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:39). Not all relationships with unbelievers are ruled out. Otherwise we could not obey Jesus’ command to love them and bless them. But “yoke” implies a connectedness that either governs where we go or constrains where they go. And you cannot constrain faith in Jesus. It is free.
9. The part of your character that is deficient is the part that needs attention. This is the counterpoint to the advice: Go with your strengths. There is truth in both. Yes, be encouraged by every evidence of God’s grace in your life, and use your gifts and graces for his glory. But you will become smug and vain if you do not keep your deficiencies before you and work on them.
10. Don’t quit. Finish the job. God can’t use a quitter. Warning: “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13). Promise: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
11. Anything you do that hinders your progress for God is wrong. O how thankful I am that this was the dominant way my father pressed me to pursue my sanctification. He did not mainly impose lists of don’ts on me, though we had them. And they were clear. Mainly he said: Maximize your progress in knowing and serving God. That ruled out a hundred foolish behaviors, some bad and some uselessly innocent.
12. Beware of any society in which you feel compelled to put a bushel over your testimony. This implies that you can go into a group of people who are evil if you are willing to open your mouth and take a stand for Jesus and righteousness. Nevertheless, 1 Corinthians 15:33 stands: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”
13. It isn’t enough to be good. Be good for something. The essence of Christianity is not a passionless purity. This is what I have meant in talking about a merely avoidance ethic. Don’t just think of righteousness or holiness in terms of what you avoid, but what you do. As my father said in another place: Don’t be a don’ter; be a doer.
14. Positive living produces negative effect[s]. This is wise counsel that affirmation of the good always implies negation of the bad. If you think you can live your life without negating anything, you have lost touch with reality. “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9). You cannot love without hating what hurts the beloved.
15. Learn to be sweetly firm. This was what he said to my mother over the phone when she was exasperated with her one disobedient son: Be sweet and firm. I think she succeeded.
With abiding and deep thankfulness for my father’s wisdom, Pastor John.
We now go to Dr Ray Pritchard, with his A Dad who Did It Right article in CT. Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, in Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 27 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain, Credo, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, An Anchor for the Soul and Why Did This Happen to Me? (http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/dr-ray-pritchard/a-dad-who-did-it- right.html). The assignment seemed simple. Find a biblical father who did it right. Sounds simple but it isn’t because the Bible doesn’t tell us everything we’d like to know. For most of the men of the Bible we’d have to say, “We don’t know whether they were good fathers or not.” But if one criteria of good fatherhood is whether or not your son follows in your footsteps, then I would nominate Asa, King of Judah, as one father who did it right. To begin with, Asa did not grow up in a godly home. His father was a man named Abijah, about whom the Bible says, “he committed all the sins his father had done before him” (1 Kings 15:3). That takes us back to Rehoboam who introduced idolatry into Judah. His father was Solomon, a wise man with a divided heart. So when Asa came onto the scene, he entered as the third generation after his great-grandfather. His father and grandfather had brought evil into the land. Here’s the line so far: Solomon–Divided; Rehoboam–Bad; Abijah–Bad. What will Asa do? Will he follow his father and grandfather or will he be a man with a divide heart like his gread-grandfather Solomon? The answer is neither. The Bible says that he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done” (1 Kings 15:11). That takes us back four generations to his great-great-grandfather. So here’s the line: David–Good; Solomon–Divided; Rehoboam–Bad; Abijah-Bad; Asa–Good. 1 Kings 15 tells us that Asa cleared out idolatry from Judah because he was fully committed to God. His great legacy to the world was a son named Jehoshaphat. Which way would he go? According to 2 Chronicles 20:32, “He walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them.” I cannot imagine a better compliment. No wonder the last part of the verse says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” So here’s the line, which now covers six generations: David–Good; Solomon–Divided; Rehoboam–Bad; Abijah-Bad; Asa–Good; Jehoshaphat–Good. The Bible tells us that Jehoshaphat picked up where his father left off. He set up a system of religious instruction throughout the towns and villages of Judah. He commanded the judges to serve “faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord.” And when attacked by three different armies, he prayed a magnificent prayer and then sent his army into battle with the male singers at the front. As the men began to sing, the Lord “set ambushes” among the enemy armies causing them to attack each other, leading to a dramatic victory for the men of Judah (2 Chronicles 20). No wonder even the pagan nations began to fear God. And no wonder that Jehoshaphat is remembered as one of the best kings Judah ever had. Perhaps you are the first Christian in your family or the first one in several generations. Are you worried about whether your children will follow you? The best thing a godly father can do for his sons or daughters is to give them an example worth following. By God’s grace, the pattern of sin can be broken and a godly heritage established. Asa did, and so can you.
God bless you. – nr.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish!”Prov 29:18

Part 2: Is There a Historical Adam?

From: Fundamentalist. June 11, 2011 9:23pm.
To: nene rubrico, the Adam issue is irrelevant if you don’t mind your faith being totally irrational. The incarnation, death and resurrection of Christ make no sense unless God created man good. That requires mankind to be without sin. Death is a result of sin. If god evolved man from animals using massive death, then mankind was not without sin. God created man as a sinner; God becomes the author of sin, not man. And as Paul makes clear, one man can atone for the whole race only if the whole race descended from one man. Many Christians prefer their theology to be irrational; somehow they think greater irrationality equates to greater spirituality. But some of us like our theology to be rational because God is rational. Rational theology requires that Adam be a single person and the first human and that he be created without sin and death. Otherwise, Christ’s coming is irrational.

Reply to Fundamentalist June 13, 2011:
Pls don’t jump to the conclusion that I’m one of those “irrational Christians” you labelled , just because I explored the four “evolutionary” theories to their logical (but, yes, irrational) conclusion. Remember, I offered a “Fifth theory,” the Genesis account of man’s creation? Did you miss that?

There is no “theological irrationality” here, not even an attempt to be of “greater spirituality” than others – except as one is able “to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1Pet 3:15a) of course, with gentleness, respect and with a clear conscience (v. 15b) – which we are trying to do. If it is your unshakeable belief that Adam was a single person, you and others (like myself) are biblically correct. But, precisely, the CT article has sounded the alarum that science is forcing a reinterpretation of Scriptures, using – mind you – secular findings. How do we meet that challenge, and any other in the near future? Now, use your logic!

Is There A Historical Adam?

Is there a Historical Adam?

by nene rubrico, 10 June 2011

Note: There is now an ongoing debate in scientific and religious circles about the existence of Adam, the biblical first man whom the Lord God created on the 6th Day of Creation. Adam’s presumed historicity is being questioned in the light of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Others,while believing in Adam per se, nevertheless ask why there is so much genetic diversity among people today (eg. between Asians, Africans and Caucasians, etc) IF – as the Bible teaches – we all descended originally from just two people, viz, Adam and Eve. In the heat of the debate, some have forgotten that the origins of mankind (history-wise) actually started – not with Adam, but with Noah and his family who survived the Flood: 8 people in all. This is my position in the debate (sponsored by christianitytoday.com). The following are my posts thereat which I have reproduced for Navigators, and some relevant replies from other readers, to wit:

1. Nenerubrico, June 10, 2011: As I see it, mankind’s genetic clock should necessarily begin with Noah’s post-deluge time, not Adam’s. The closest narrative of the Flood is still the Bible, and science – lacking any hard evidence to the contrary – must hew along scriptural lines. Noah had 3 sons whom he begat when he was 500 yrs old, and afterwards after the Flood he lived 450 more yrs and had more children. It was his sons, in fact – long-lived like Noah – who founded the table of nations that we know today (see Gen 10), especially as they were forcibly dispersed after building the Babel Tower when their tongues were confused (Gen 11). So, regardless of which theory is adopted – young earth, old earth, intelligent design and theistic evolution – Noah (not Adam) becomes the paramount historical figure to deal with.

2. From Clarke Coleman: nene rubrico: At the time of Noah, his sons’ wives were not descended from him and had genetic diversity from who knows what lineage over the generations. So, tracing human diversity backwards would not stop at the time of Noah. Noah is not like Adam in this respect.

3. Nenerubrico (reply in 5 parts): Clark coleman: Speculating on the genetic makeup of Noah’s three daughters-in-law would appear to be a lost cause, since (again, hewing on scriptural lines) their lineage would have been wiped clean by the Flood, right? I can agree with you on the question: “Where did they come from?”The only clear lineage we have to start with is Noah himself and his three sons, since they are only ten and eleven generations directly removed respectively from the “historical” Adam – however one defines ‘Adam,’ a single individual or corporate persona. And, carrying the argument further, we should not even include Adam himself in this secular (scientific?) debate because he is an “indeterminate” person. Of course, to those who believe in the literal, biblical Adam in the first instance, this poses no problem. But the whole idea of a ‘lost, historical Adam’ was started by Venema and Company in the first place, so let’s start from there.

4. Nenerubrico, reply#1: (1) the “Young Earth” theory of 6000 years will definitely favour a single Adam or a single Noah, so there’s no debate there. Kindly work out the mathematical permutations and see if you can arrive at 6 billion people today. Throw in weather, diet, human adaptability for genetic diversity.
5. NR#2: Let’s move on to, (2) “Intelligent Design” theory. Now, a super-intelligent Being (God) will not even attempt to complicate his work: why make several ‘Adams’ if one ‘Adam’ will do? Why create several Noahs when one will do? That’s a no-brainer for Intelligent Designer.

6. NR#3:Okay, theory number 3 is (3) “Old Earth.” Aha! The traditional, long evolutionary path of the earth and mankind’s late appearance some 200,000 years ago will certainly give rise to several, contradicting scenarios. Was man originally a hominid and gradually evolved into a human being? How does the genetic makeup of man differ from that of a chimpanzee, its closest genome relative? Is man still evolving? At what rate? In which direction? Now, in this theory, since we are dealing with large numbers and Darwinian evolution speaks of almost unlimited eons to time, we can very well say the chances that Adam was a single person has the same probability as if there were several of him/them, right? If there were several Adams, there would be several Noahs, right? But which one?

7. NR#4:We now go to Theory No. 4, (4) “Theistic Evolution.” When I was in high school a long time ago, my Jesuit biology teacher declared that God was in control of the evolutionary process, so not to worry. How was Adam created? Simple. Just endow him with a soul but let him work through the evolutionary, natural process. Thus a Cro-Magnum hominid could very well become a human being by God’s power. What nature can’t do, God may do!

8. NR#5: (5) Finally, there’s Theory No. 5, the “Genesis Account of Adam.” But then that’s too obvious and well-known, isn’t it?

At this point, can you agree with me that the issue of a single Adam or multiple Adams is irrelevant? Can you agree with me that we should let Vemena and Co. work on their pet theories first before challenging the Bible account of Adam and Eve?

Peace!!

Bin Laden Death and Christian Response: Part 1

Last Sunday, May 1, 2011, an event of long-lasting significance took place: Osama bin Laden, long-wanted by the United States for masterminding the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in Manhattan which killed more than 3,000 people, was in turn killed by an elite team of US special forces that raided Osama’s heavily-guarded compound in Pakistan. The following day, May 2, 2011, the president of the United States, Barack Obama, went on nationwide TV to announce the success of the US military operation in the death of Osama bin Laden during a firefight with the security forces of bin Laden and bin Laden himself. The raiding team then took custody of bin Laden’s body and after identifying it thru DNA records, the US buried the body at sea, in accordance with Muslim custom of burying the dead within 24 hours.

Remarks by the US President on Osama Bin Laden. East Room, 02 May 2011, 11:35 P.M. EDT. THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory — hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction. And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts. On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family. We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda — an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies. Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot. Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan.

Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world. And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network. Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice. Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda. Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will — remain vigilant at home and abroad. As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity. Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people. Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates. The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded. So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done. Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice. We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day. Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores. And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place. Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. END 11:44 P.M. EDT.”

Christian Response. There are, of course, different reactions to the untimely demise of bin Laden, positive and negative. Many (perhaps the majority) say that he was the world’s number one terrorist and deserved his fate. Others (who are in the minority) consider him a hero. In Rom 12:19 it says, “vengeance is mine, says the Lord; I will repay!” Has divine retribution finally caught up with Osama bin Laden? Declares a bible commentary on this very passage (http://bible.cc/romans/12-19.htm): Avenge not yourselves – To “avenge” is to take satisfaction for an injury by inflicting punishment on the offender. To take such satisfaction for injuries done to society, is lawful and proper for a magistrate; Romans 13:4. And to take satisfaction for injuries done by sin to the universe, is the province of God. But the apostle here is addressing private individual Christians. And the command is, to avoid a spirit and purpose of revenge. But this command is not to be so understood that we may not seek for “justice” in a regular and proper way before civil tribunals. If our character is assaulted, if we are robbed and plundered, if we are oppressed contrary to the law of the land, religion does not require us to submit to such oppression and injury without seeking our rights in an orderly and regular manner. If it did, it would be to give a premium to iniquity, to countenance wickedness, and require a man, by becoming a Christian, to abandon his rights. Besides, the magistrate is appointed for the praise of those who do well, and to punish evil-doers; 1 Peter 2:14.

Further, our Lord Jesus did not surrender his rights John 18:23; and Paul demanded that he himself should be treated according to the rights and privileges of a Roman citizen; Acts 16:37. The command here “not to avenge ourselves” means, that we are not to take it out of the hands of God, or the hands of the law, and to inflict it ourselves. It is well known that where there are no laws, the business of vengeance is pursued by individuals in a barbarous and unrelenting manner. In a state of savage society, vengeance is “immediately taken,” if possible, or it is pursued for years, and the offended man is never satisfied until he has imbrued his hands in the blood of the offender. But Christianity seeks the ascendancy of the laws; and in cases which do not admit or require the interference of the laws, in private assaults and quarrels, it demands that we bear injury with patience, and commit our cause unto God; see Leviticus 19:18.

Bin Laden Death and Christian Response: Part 2

Today we continue with the circumstances behind Osama bin Laden’s death at the hands of the U.S. military, and what should be the proper Christian response to it. But we try answering that, please allow me to go back several years before 2011, to September 11, 2001 – the infamous day known throughout the world (and especially to the US) as “9/11.” For it was on that bright sunny day, at around 8:58 in the morning, just as thousands of American office workers were streaming into the skyscrapers of Manhattan, New York, in the financial capital of the country and of the world – that the world watched in horror as two commercial jets slammed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center one after another turning the 110-storey buildings into a blazing inferno. It was around one A.M., Manila time, and I had awakened too early for my early-morning meditation and so I opened my laptop computer to Yahoo! News. Immediately, the image of a burning tall skyscraper jumped at me from the computer screen and the CNN commentator himself could offer no explanation for what was happening. Then, in less than five minutes, the answer came: a TWA commercial plane was fast approaching from the other side, straight to the twin of the burning building and aimed at the mid-section of the building. Then, amid the shouts from the TV crew that was filming the event, the second plane slammed into the other building like a large missile in a tremendous display of red-white flash and black smoke with chunks of the building and the plane shooting from the other side. Both buildings were now burning. In about 15 minutes, the first building collapsed like a giant accordion beginning from the top and slowly flattened itself floor-by-floor in less than 30 seconds. Five minutes later, the second building also collapsed and the cloud of debris and dust covered the area for several kilometers.

Later, we learn from the news that another plane had hit the Pentagon, the heart of the US military complex. Still another plane, the fourth, had crashed some 100 kms from the White House, the official residence of then-Pres George W Bush and his family. What happened was that the passengers and crew of that 4th plane decided to fight the hijackers when it became clear that it was a suicide mission to target the President. Conversations and radio messages preserved by the plane’s “black box” recorded the life-and-death struggles of the passengers and crew against the hijackers, resulting in the crash. Meanwhile, thousands of people who were trapped in the Twin Towers, plus hundreds of firemen who bravely went up to rescue them, perished when the buildings collapsed. But what particularly sickened me was a video taken from an adjacent skyscraper, showing dozens of people jumping to their deaths from windows and rooftops of the burning edifices. You could hear the “thump-thump-thump” of the bodies as they hit the concrete pavement below. Such was the carnage of that fateful day known as “9/11.” But what have these got to with Osama bin Laden? Only hours after the carnage, the then-secretive group Al-Qaeda announced, thru its founder, Osama bin Laden, that the suicide attacks on sept 11th was theirs. A few weeks later, bin Laden released a video of him and his companions in a secret hideout discussing about the attack and laughing about it.

The U.S. of course vowed revenge and declared what it called “the war on terror.” It declared the Al-Qaeda a terrorist organization and launched a manhunt for the world’s number one terrorist, Osama bin Laden. Several nations have since joined the ‘war on terror’ including the Philippines, after the United Nations acknowledged terrorism as the Number One threat to world peace. The question therefore is, “Is the manhunt and killing of Osama bin Laden justifiable?” From my commentary yesterday, I mentioned that Christians, when wronged, are not to seek revenge on their own – that is, privately – citing several bible passages. However, the bible also says that governments are to take up “the sword” in behalf of the governed (the people). In other words, it is the state that will punish the wrongdoer. We will continue on this thread now.

Is God Glad bin Laden is Dead? Adapted from The Pleasures of God, pp. 66-74. By John Piper. © Desiring God. (Website: www.desiringGod.org.). God’s emotions are complex—like yours, only a million times more. Right now, your emotions about bin Laden are not simple, i.e. not single. There are several, and they intermingle. That is a good thing. You are God-like. In response to Osama bin Laden’s death, quite a few tweets and blogs have cited the biblical truth that “God does not delight in the death of the wicked.” That is true. It is also true that God does delight in the death of the wicked. There are things about every death that God approves in themselves and things about every death that God disapproves in themselves.

Is God Double-Minded? This is not double talk. All thoughtful people make such distinctions. For example, if my daughter asks me if I like a movie, I might say yes or no to the same movie. Why? Because a movie can be assessed for its 1) acting, 2) plot, 3) cinematography, 4) nudity, 5) profanity, 6) suspense, 7) complexity, faithfulness to the source, 9) reverence for God, 10) accurate picture of human nature, etc., etc., etc. So my answer is almost always “yes, in some ways, and no in other ways.” But sometimes I will simply say yes, and sometimes no, because of extenuating circumstances. Here is why I say God approves and disapproves the death of Osama bin Laden: In one sense, human death is not God’s pleasure:

• Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord God, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? . . . For I do not pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live. (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). In another sense, the death and judgment of the unrepentant is God’s pleasure: • Thus shall my anger spend itself, and I will vent my fury upon them and satisfy myself. (Ezekiel 5:13). • [Wisdom calls out:] Because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you. (Proverbs 1:25–26). • Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her! (Revelation 18:20). • As the Lord took delight in doing you good . . . so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. (Deuteronomy 28:63).

We should not cancel out any of these passages but think our way through to how they can all be true.

God is Not Malicious or Bloodthirsty. My suggestion is that the death and misery of the unrepentant is in and of itself not a pleasure to God. God is not a sadist. He is not malicious or bloodthirsty. The death and suffering considered for itself alone is not his delight. Rather, when a rebellious, wicked, unbelieving person is judged, what God has pleasure in is the exaltation of truth and righteousness, and the vindication of his own honor and glory. (For further discussion of God’s heart in judgment see the section in The Pleasures of God called “How Is God Like George Washington?”, pp. 147–149.). When Moses warns Israel that the Lord will take pleasure in bringing ruin upon them and destroying them if they do not repent (Deuteronomy 28:63), he means that those who have rebelled against the Lord and moved beyond repentance will not be able to gloat that they have made the Almighty miserable. God is not defeated in the triumphs of his righteous judgment. Quite the contrary. Moses says that when they are judged they will unwittingly provide an occasion for God to rejoice in the demonstration of his justice and his power and the infinite worth of his glory (see also Romans 9:22–23).

A Warning. Let this be a warning to us: God is not mocked. He is not trapped or cornered or coerced. Even on the way to Calvary he had legions of angels at his disposal: “No one takes my life from me; I lay it down of my own accord”—of his own good pleasure, for the joy that was set before him. At the one point in the history of the universe where God looked trapped, he was in charge, doing precisely what he pleased—dying to justify the ungodly like you and me.

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