I believe that one of the reasons 9-11 has been a philosophical challenge to our government is that historically America has not had to posture itself up against other religious paradigms. It has taken our political leaders a long time to grasp the significance of this and I think that in many ways our leadership still has not grasped it. After all this was not an attack of one sovereign nation against another as it was at Pearl Harbor. This was an attack of a religious ideology against what was perceived as symbols of an opposing ideology. The battle is as much a ideological battle as it is a military battle. In this sense we are not fighting flesh and blood as much as we re principalities and powers of this dark age. So how are we as Christians to look at the events of 9-11 and what should be our response?
1, First and foremost we are to see events in the world from the perspective of His kingdom work. Christ has called us to the nations to spread the gospel and to bring fame to His name and so events like 9-11 should give us a sense of urgency to be about His work. When we see evil and darkness in the world it should invigorate us as believers to the purpose Christ called us to. As His church we are to push back darkness in a way that is so effective the gates of hell cannot prevail against us.
Last February Teri and I were visiting with some missionaries in a Middle Eastern Muslim dominated country when one of them said to me, "When I see our military guys over here I walk right up to them and apologize to them. I say, 'if we were more effective at doing our job you wouldn't have to be over here risking your life.'" I looked at him smiling waiting for him to smile back but he said to me, "I'm dead serious. What every Muslim terrorist needs is Jesus man. If these people just had Jesus they wouldn't want to strap bombs to themselves. So we've got to do a better job of spreading the gospel!" I like that attitude.
2. Second, as we reflect on the events of 9-11 we are to see the terrible danger of religious idolatry. Few things in this life are as destructive as religion. Religion is the tool of Satan to disguise the dynamic work of the Spirit that comes about as a result of a transformational relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion feeds the horrible beast of self centered idolatry. It is evil, destructive and life taking. Islam is a religion that puts people and cultures into bondage and wherever it flourishes the human spirit is crushed. But all religion is this way to a certain degree.
New York City pastor Tim Keller was once asked to be a part of a panel that was to discuss the subject, "Religion is the biggest problem facing the world today." The organizers obviously meant it to be a cynical slant against American Christianity as it lumped it in with all world religions and wanted Keller along for a compelling thoughtful counter argument. Keller said at first he was offended by the thesis, but the more he thought about it, the more he agreed with it. Imagine how dumbfounded the organizers were when Keller announced, "I completely agree, religion is biggest problem in the world today. That is why as a Christian I despise religion."
3. Finally, we are to take on the attitude of Jesus. Jesus taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who despitefully use us. Jesus taught us that we are not to carry anger in our heart but that we are to forgive as God in Christ Jesus has forgiven us. Phillp Yancey put it well in a recent article in "Christianity Today":
"As Christians, we believe in a counterforce of grace. Lewis Smedes and others have identified three stages of forgiveness: first, recognize the worth of the person you are forgiving; second, surrender the right to get even; third, put yourself on the same side as the one who wronged you. Increasingly, I'm convinced that we need more of this attitude toward those who seek to harm us.
In 1999, Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines was burned to death by a Hindu mob in Orissa, India. In 2007, German missionary Tilman Geske was tortured and murdered by five Turkish fanatics. The widows of both men made sensational headlines in those countries by repeating the words of Jesus: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This is why I say it is providential that we are beginning the series "Who is Jesus" on the Sunday we commemorate 9-11. As Christians we recognize that the real problem in the universe can only be resolved by the redemptive work of the One who completed the demise of ultimate evil by His sacrificial work on the cross.
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