The Justice of God, Rejoicing over bin Laden, and the Common Ground between Pacifists and Tea Partiers

In the reaction to the news of Osama bin Laden's death at the hands of American forces, most responses have tended toward one of two extremes, neither of which do justice to the just judgment of God, in my opinion. This discussion applies particularly to Christians, but I suppose may be meaningful to others as well.

The first reaction that troubled me was the jubilant celebration highlighted by television coverage after the President's announcement Sunday night. I wasn't particularly remorseful about his death, but didn't see inspiration to take to the streets dancing either. I think of several reasons for this.

First, on a personal level, I'm not directly threatened by al qaeda terrorists as I go about my day-to-day life. I might have been a little more excited if it were announced that motorists who harass cyclists would have their licenses permanently revoked, and funds from the sale of their cars would be used to purchase bicycles from local shops, but I suppose that's a bit of a pipe dream :-) But in seriousness, I'm sure those who lost loved ones on 9/11 felt a great deal of vindication and relief at this news. The scenes of young people partying in the streets like their team had won the world title were another matter.

Second, even if bin Laden and his band of thuggish cowards were a direct threat, they are not our ultimate enemy: "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against . . . spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12.

Third, God does not take pleasure in the death of even the worst of men created in His image. (Ezekiel 33:11; Genesis 1:27) If God doesn't take pleasure in it, and we're growing in godliness, neither will we.

Fourth, Jesus teaches us "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you." (Luke 6:27-36) Dancing for joy over the death of an enemy doesn't seem to be keeping in the spirit of love.

Fifth, but perhaps first in my consciousness, is the fact that God does not define sin nor execute His judgment in relative terms, but on the basis of His perfect law, before which none of us may open our mouths in self-defense (Romans 3:19). If we tend to think of sin and righteousness and judgment in terms of comparison to others or to how bad we could be, then we're blind to the true standard of judgment in the world, which is God's brilliant righteousness, in view of which there is none "righteous, no, not one . . ." (Romans 3:10, see also 11-18). With that in mind, I can't gloat over the just death of anyone, as wicked as they may be, because I know that by my own misdeeds I've forfeited my right to live (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23; James 1:15).

It's this last point that I want to highlight as the main problem I see with exuberant celebration (I'll call it "pure joy") over bin Laden's death: it does not acknowledge the righteous judgment of God toward us. It seems incompatible with the truths that God alone is righteous, we are all guilty before Him and deserving of judgment, and that any execution of judgment we carry out is ultimately a service to His justice, not to our desire for revenge. It acts as if bin Laden's highest crimes were against the United States, vengeance is ours, and we have repaid bin Laden for his evil, but in truth, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35), for the ultimate authority offended by murder (and indeed every sin) is no human institution, but God, whose image all of us bear (Genesis 1:27), who owns the world and everything in it (Psalm 24:1), and who "gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" (Acts 17:25).

If vengeance and judgment are God's alone, is there any biblical warrant for our government to do what they did in taking out bin Laden? I believe there is, and this forms the connection to my criticism of the other unbalanced response, that which I'll call "pure grief", that sees no cause for rejoicing in the execution of justice against bin Laden. This one will be more complex and difficult, and is probably not something all Christians will agree on, so I think I'll leave it for another post, but until then I'll give what I think is an important connection between the stream of biblical teaching that leads to this emphasis (that we should be kind to our enemies), and the biblical teaching that provides the corrective between "pure joy" and "pure grief."

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it (Grk. "give place") to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 12:19-13:4)

Do you hear what I hear in this passage? "Righteousness and peace kiss each other" (Psalm 85:10), or to put it in contemporary idiom, "Pat Robertson and Jim Wallis say 'Amen!' together." As it turns out, maybe hippie pacifists and flag-waving tea partiers have some common ground.