In 1939 the Nazi invaders tried to hold the Polish people back by limiting their
educational opportunities to just four years. It was an attempt to convert them into a
slave race. An underground effort by Poles to continue to teach children arose but those
who were caught were sent to concentration camps or prisons. Dobrowolski defied the
orders of the brutal occupiers being himself a teacher and was among those arrested by
the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz in 1942. He was liberated in the spring of 1945 at the
war's end.At least 1.1 million people were killed by the Germans at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Most of the victims were Jews, but many non-Jewish Poles, Roma and others were also killed there.
The Holocaust as a whole was but one gruesome and historical representation of the depths capable by unregenerate and sinful men. Despite the centuries of terrible consequences caused by human sin, its dark and dreadful marks on the entire race really began through just one specific act and at one point in time.
In Romans 5, the inspired author spoke of this terrible truth in verse 18. He wrote, “Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation." In verse 19 he added, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners.”
But this painful truth is sandwiched between words that prove to be the glorious undoing of this most wretched of all realities. The same two verses include the opposite side of the spiritual coin. Speaking of the Savior we also find in verse 18, “Even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.” And then verses 19-21 confirm and expand on the theme by declaring, “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.”
Human brutality seen in a place called Auschwitz is overwhelming evidence of the existence of
evil – wickedness that sometimes seems to be nearly limitless. It is simply hard to even
fathom such intentional horror without a foundational belief in the reality of pure good
and ultimate evil. It makes no logical sense apart from the literal existence of a real
and holy Creator God and a real and fully evil Satanic being. But as horrific as life’s
darkest moments may be, even the greatest agony experienced on earth cannot be compared
to what may be experienced in eternity when life comes to a close. It is impossible to
even comprehend what lies in store, according to Scripture, if one’s soul remains captive and is never rescued from the guilt and penalty of sin.All sin, and not just evil on the level of an Auschwitz, must be judged by a just and holy God. For many, that is not very good news. But the great news is that sin has already been judged. This occurred in the long ago on an old rugged cross. It was there that God allowed His precious Son to sacrifice Himself. It was there that justification in God’s eyes became a possibility for every prisoner of sin who would personally trust the Savior.
This freeing of every willing captive is wonderfully laid out in 2 Corinthians 5:21. There the apostle writes, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This is beyond human understanding but does not diminish the blessing of the truth it proclaims!
Tragically, things as heinous as an Auschwitz still exist today. They will continue on in a fallen world until Christ someday crushes all evil forever. But until then, spiritual liberation readily awaits any and all no matter how difficult their lot in life may be when they gain the freedom that counts the most and never ends through faith.
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Bill Breckenridge
