America - Safe Anywhere Anymore?

What is going on in America? It might seem at times that it is safer in an Iraqi war zone than on the streets of the greatest nation on earth. Although the news points to numerous troubling trends, none are more disturbing than the increase of brutal shootings that have become so commonplace that keeping track of them requires a photographic memory.

Beginning in February we have witnessed the following murders: Four shot dead in a mall in Tinley Park, Il, six in a Missouri town council meeting, four in a Los Angeles street battle, three in a Baton Rouge vocational college, six in a Northern Ill, university, two in a West Palm Beach Wendys, five in an East Texas home, and then six more just days later in an apartment in Memphis, TN. Some of the grizzly scenes included the execution of families and even small children. The total dead for these six events alone, and there were others, was 33. According to icasualties.org there were 29 American soldiers killed in battle in the war in Iraq fighting terrorists during that same period of time.

Terrorism can take many forms! So exactly what is going on in America? For some the answer is simple. We own far too many firearms and lack appropriate controls on them. But there is a slight problem with placing the blame there. Guns do not generally get angry, plot violence, hunt down victims, load themselves, take aim and pull their own trigger. That would be a stretch even in an age of so-called 'smart weapons'.

The root of the problem, from God's perspective, does not include guns or any other potentially destructive man-made device. God's view on violence, and any other form of wrongful behavior, is summed up throughout Romans chapter one. Paul reveals there a disturbing summary starting with verse 28. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful".

The question of what is going on in America leads to another question - a far more pertinent one. Simply stated it is this. What is not going on in America? And what is not going on is a nation whose citizens are living for God and hungry for spiritual revival!

This in turn leads to question three. It is equally critical as its answer contains the solitary solution to the overall problem. This time we ask, what should be going on in America? The short answer to that one is laid out in Acts 2:21. "And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul lists several serious sins but then reveals the impact of saving faith upon those in bondage to them. In chapter 6 and verse 11 he states, "And such were some of you, But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." The impact of that justification and the resulting salvation is shared in 2 Corinthians 5:17. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

America is feeling the heavy weight of her own sin. But Romans 5:20-21 reveals how that load can be fully lightened. "But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord".

Being in Christ is the best way to address the flood of wickedness assaulting the culture and is the only way to be properly prepared for terrorism in any form. The basic questions have been answered - with the exception of the one that must be addressed by every man. Have you ever come to Jesus Christ by faith and become that 'new creation' in Him?

Bill Breckenridge