Another Terrorist Attack; My Response As A Christian

Another terrorist attack has killed multiple people.  As a Christian, I must decide what I should do.

Of course, I should pray for the victims who are still alive, and pray for their loved ones.  I should pray for the loved ones of those victims who have died.  And yes, I should pray for the terrorists that are still living who aided and abetted this catastrophe.

Some Christians want to simply say, "Yes, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you."  I actually do believe that.  Those are the words of Jesus, as found in the Bible.  I believe them.  As a follower of Jesus, I want to do as He instructs.

If only it was that simple.

I want to follow my Lord's example.  Yet some things aren't cut and dried as to just how I should act and/or respond as a Christian.

I heard a sermon recently--before this most recent terrorist attack--in which the preacher said basically that if we are Christians, we should not wish harm or death to a group of people because of who they are.  While technically I agree, in reality, it's more complicated than that.  Ideally, I want everyone to come to Christ.  I want everyone to know His love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy. 

I also want the terrorists to stop the killing.  And experience tells me that in this world infected and affected by sin, the terrorists won't stop the killing unless their hearts are changed.  Until that time, they will be bent on killing anyone who disagrees with them and their philosophies. 

I pray that I am never in the position of being a victim of violent terrorism.  I pray that my loved ones and other people whom I know aren't victims of violent terrorism.  I pray that people whom I don't know aren't victims of violent terrorism. So I have two end goals.  First and foremost, I should desire that those who espouse the radical Islamist views would turn instead to Jesus Christ.  At the same time, I must love other people--including those who might become potential victims of radical Islamist terrorism.

I remember hearing another sermon by the now late Rev. Ralph Brown not long after the radical Islamist attacks of September 11, 2001.  Rev. Brown said that while it is true that we are to love our enemies and not seek to kill, we can be equally as guilty of killing if we have a way to prevent people from being killed but do nothing to stop it.

The problem in this world that is (I will say it again) infected and affected by sin is that sometimes we are left with no perfect choices.  In fact we can be left with two choices, both of which are less than desirable.  In this case, do I "love my enemies" by "turning the other cheek" and letting them continue to commit terrorist acts against anyone who disagrees with their radical Islamist philosophy--including children?  Or do I stand for protecting the potential victims of radical Islamist terrorism (hopefully even before the terrorists have the opportunity to commit their acts of terrorism) by doing all I can to stop them, even if it means supporting actions that might (or even likely will) result in their deaths, in order to prevent the deaths of even larger numbers of people whom the terrorists are trying to kill?

To my brothers and sisters in Christ who stand for the idealism of turning the other cheek, I honor your decision and your commitment to the ideal.  If that is how the indwelling Holy Spirit is leading you to react to this situation, by all means, please follow as He leads.  The apostle Paul clearly pointed out in the Book of Romans that you will not answer to me or to any other human being, but to God.  Please, follow as He leads you.

However, please understand that I, too, have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in me.  And since I heard Rev. Brown's sermon over a decade and a half ago, I have sensed the Holy Spirit leading me to see the Islamist terrorist situation as one of the many ways in which this world does not function as God originally designed it to function, and that therefore I must support the efforts of those who will do whatever is necessary to stop the terrorists from carrying out their attacks that will kill and injure many people--even if doing whatever is necessary to stop the terrorists results in their deaths.

It's not a perfect solution, but we don't live in a perfect world.  I do not long for the deaths of the terrorists; I long for their terrorist attacks against those with whom they disagree to stop.  I am standing up for the lives and safety of those who would or could be victims of terrorism, hopefully preventing those people from being victims at all.

In my heart, this is my response as a Christian, even if other brothers and sisters in Christ may not have the same response.  My heart is heavy for the Islamic terrorists.  I sincerely hope they will turn to Christ Jesus.  But unless and until they do, I believe that it is a legitimate Christian response to do everything possible to stop them from inuring and killing others.

May God have mercy on us.