The Truth Hurts (Response to the Newtown, CT Massacre)

~~ Romans 3:12 (NASB) ~~  All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.




Photo Credit
Like the rest of the world, I am in shock because of this latest tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.  But I can’t help but wonder, are we any different?  When I first heard the details of this story, I couldn’t help but go back and remember the Columbine massacre.  My reaction to that one wasn’t quite like most  other reactions either.
 
Oh, the Pain they Must Have Felt
That was my first thought when I saw the horror of the Columbine bloodbath.  However, those first thoughts and reactions weren’t about the victims.  My thoughts went to the killers.  “What did they do to those two guys to make them feel so much pain that they wanted to kill other people?”  “They” meaning the other kids at school; the ones who were now victims.  Of course,  now I understand no one can “make” us feel anything.  It’s our choice to react a certain way or not.  But, my first sympathies were for the “bad guys”  I know what it’s like to be teased and tormented to the point that I longed to escape that pain.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not excusing the killings.  It’s wrong to kill.  Period.  And, our hearts ache more when the victims are innocent children.  My first thoughts for Sandy Hook Elementary was simply a heavy heart for everyone involved, though I did have to wonder what kind of pain the killer must have been feeling to feel the need to do this.  Some want to blame mental illness, but those thoughts come from the stigma surrounding mental health issues.  Truth is mental health patients are four times more likely to be a victim than others, but that’s a whole other blog by itself.
 
The Truth Hurts
It’s taken me these several days since the tragedy to write this because I simply couldn’t get my thoughts together.  Then, a friend on Facebook posted this message.  It sums up my own feelings very well. 
The Truth is, we ALL have within us the same evil capability that was acted upon today. NONE of us are exempt from this nature... it affects us all.  A quick glimpse at God's Word confirms this... Romans 3:23 "All have sinned and fall short of the glory (Holy standard) of God." and Psalm 53:3 and Romans 3:12..."There is no one who does good."  Apart from Christ, we are NOTHING.  Apart from Christ, we are lost, degenerate, evil, self serving creatures who are capable of any and all degrees of evil.
But, Don’t Fear, there is Good News
My friend goes on to say: 
There is a fine line that separates the perpetrator of the horror that played out in CT and China from you and me... It is called the Grace of God.  There but for the Grace of God go I.... It is easy to say, "How could anyone do this?"  Rather we should ask "What keeps me from acting the same way?"  If your answer to that question is anything but JESUS... I implore you to pull that Bible off the shelf, dust it off, and begin to read about the degenerate state of all men... and how you can be saved from evil... both inside and out.  God have mercy on us all.
You see, according to scriptures, hatred is equivalent to murder (1 John 3:15) and lust is equivalent to adultery (Matthew 5:28).  Have you ever hated?  Felt lust?  Who hasn’t?  That means, in God’s court we are on equal footing with killers and adulterers.  The whole idea that one sin is worse than another is a man-made concept.  However, we have been saved from our sins and the pending sentence due to us.  Jesus paid our fines and completed our sentence for us when he died on the cross.  The one catch is that you have to be willing to reach out and accept this gift by believing in Him and what He’s done for us.  If you haven’t accept this gift, do it now.  Tell Him that you want Him to be Your Lord and Savior and that you are willing to completely repent.  We have no way of knowing if the killers in these massacres knew Jesus, or if they had asked Him for forgiveness.  But I assure you that if they asked, they were granted forgiveness.  None of us has escaped doing evil, but God loves us.  He’s waiting for each of us to come to him.  All you have to do is ask.

Let’s Pray 
~~ Dear God ~~  Merciful, gracious, loving Father we know that we have all sinned and that not one of us has escaped the clutches of evil.  Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus to take my place on the cross.  I want to know you personally.  I know that I have done wrong and I am truly sorry.  I am willing, with Your help, to turn away from my old life of sin and turn to you.  I believe that Jesus took my place on the cross and died to pay my sentence.  Please come into my heart and my life.  I want Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of my life.  I receive Him right now.   In Jesus name, AMEN. 

If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, please contact a bible-based church for more direction in your new life.  Congratulations.  It’s the most important decision you will ever make.   

Now It’s Your Turn
Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer?  Please consider sharing in the comments section; even if the link you clicked to get here was on another site(If you’re on the homepage, click on the post headline, and scroll down to find the comments section.)
 
Check out these other great options and join in the conversations...
Worship Melodies RSS Feed
RSS Feed
Worship Melodies on Facebook
Facebook
Worship Melodies on Twitter
Twitter
Worship Melodies on YouTube
YouTube


 

17 comments :

  1. Well said Carley Cooper! I like your blog site title and description too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I felt a lot of emotions reading your blog. I have been in the pits of despair thinking of the screams of sufferring of the children while this person shot them dead. The sounds of the children dieing were heard all thru the building. The other kids will never forget. I mentally saw parents and loved ones laying on the floor in fetal positions in the worst of anguish. I felt the anguiish of the murderers loved ones and he does have them. I even saw in my mind a sick young man who was probably a victim himself of his own mind. I forgive him. God did. Yes I am a sinner. A sin is a sin in Gods eyes so my being judgemental is as unacceptable to God as this mans murder of all those innocent babies were but still, I know I could not do what he did. I was abused a lot but still my mind stops me from being an animal. This person was a mad human. Like a mad dog only a human being. He planned this. He knew his every move and shot some children up to 11 times.. He did the right thing to take his life. God forgive him. I do not even want him to go to hell.........

    ReplyDelete
  3. If I had one wish it would be to go back in time to the days or years before this man did this horrible deed and get the Holy Spirit to get inside his heart and change him with His grace and Love.. I pray God will stop just one person like this man who lacked conscious or empathy for his fellow hu-man beings.. Dear God help this world!! It is sick and needs you! Jesus come quickly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for reading, and for sharing so much in your response. I am praying for the families, and for the family of the killer as well. I forgive him as well. Many blessings to you. HUG.

      Delete
  4. I am unable to agree with your assumption that the kind of evil that pushed that young man to commit that horrible act of violence is something that is in all of us. Yes, we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God - and yes, there is none good among us . .
    . BUT . . . if we are born again we are new creatures in Christ. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We have the mind of Christ and that type of evil spirit has no place in us. Water and oil do not mix. Only an unsound mind could be possessed by something so evil.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for reading, and thank you so much for sharing your views. I appreciate the feedback very much. Many blessings to you.

      Delete
  5. Sounds a lot like what I have been thinking and saying the past few days. Only I haven't attempted to write a blog post on this yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You should write one. It helps to get views out there more.

      Delete
  6. Yes, each one of us does have the seeds of hate and sin which could lead us to do such a thing. And it is GOD who makes the difference!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for reading, and thank you so much for sharing your views. I appreciate the feedback very much. Many blessings to you.

      Delete
  7. We are all born with a sinful nature. Thankfully God's grace is there for us. May his grace and mercy touch these families in healing and comforting ways.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for reading, and thank you so much for sharing your views. I appreciate the feedback very much. Many blessings to you.

      Delete
  8. FRANCESHD-AGAPEDecember 22, 2012

    Well done
    Thank you for sharing
    Have a Wonderful Weekend

    LOVE and BLESSINGS!
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Many blessings to you and yours. HUGS

      Delete
  9. I just read this now. Well done and thank you.



    GOD BLESS!
    Louise

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Louise. I hope you had an awesome Christmas. Many blessings to you. HUGS.

      Delete