Our nation is in mourning over the tragedy that occurred in Colorado this past week, with James Holmes perpetrating one of the deadliest shooting sprees in our history. Holmes killed 12 individuals and injured 58 others at the premier of a movie in a crowded theater. Not only this, but he had booby-trapped his apartment, which took a bomb squad to clear so his home could be examined. For four months, Holmes had been receiving a large number of commercial packages, which the police chief said enabled him to assemble the material in his apartment and the small arsenal of weapons and ammunition used in the massacre. “What we’re seeing here is evidence, I think, of some calculation and deliberation,” the police chief said.
While this tragedy is being analyzed from every perspective conceivable, the question of what more could have been done to stop this from happening arises. Should more laws have been written to prohibit it? Even though there seemed to be nothing in this young man that indicated a violent streak, was something missed? Was there something that could have given any clue this could have happened? The desire to keep this from happening again motivates many “what if” questions.
I do not pretend to know what happened to this person to cause him to perpetrate such a horrible act against so many innocent lives. I do know, however, that the influence of sin is a corrupting force in life, distorting one’s values and perception of reality. I also understanding, no matter how evil society as a whole becomes, it’s a person’s individual responsibility as to how one responds. We each are responsible for the choices we make, and we each will be held accountable before God in judgment for those choices. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Cor. 5:10).
It is popular to make choices but look to assign blame for consequences elsewhere, perhaps with parents, friends, co-workers, or even life in general. Certainly everyone has to deal with problems that come with living. Everyone has negative experiences as well as positive. It is up to each person to choose how to respond. What about the choices one has with the gospel, in whether to believe it and obey it, or not? Does one choose to live the Christian life, or live for self? While many believe they can choose poorly in how to live, and that God will ignore it and offer them eternal life, such is the reasoning of a mind governed by sin, not by the truth of God. Paul definitively reminds us, “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit” (Gal. 6:7-8). On the other hand, what blessings come from surrendering our lives to Christ, and allowing Him to mold us in His image! The free gift of God for such is eternal life (Rom. 6:23).
May we pray for the families of those grieving over the loss of their loved ones at this time, as well as for the recovery of those who were injured. Let us pray for the gospel to have an opportunity in the lives of those who need its saving message. May we all stop to examine the motives of our hearts and the actions which flow from them, to make sure our choices are godly, and the result will lead to eternal life. “Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall’ (1 Cor. 12:11-12).
Robert Johnson
