Sadly, mass shootings have become a regular occurrence in our world today. We have people lobbying for gun control and Government leaders promising to offer solutions to prevent such horrific acts of crime. Mass shootings are nothing new, they have been happening in one form or another since the beginning of time; by way of sword, spear, bow and arrow or cannons or bombs.
We can go back into history and remember the massacres at Wounded Knee, Sand Creek, and in Canada there was the Battle of Seven Oaks and more recently, Oka. There were many other tragic affairs when hateful attacks left families and tribes decimated. Beyond these dates of the 1800s we can look into Creator’s Sacred Book, the Holy Bible, and read accurate descriptions of massacres that happened over 3,500 years ago in the Old Testament.
We read about a mass slaughter of young babies in and all around Bethlehem over 2,048 years ago because an evil king was trying to kill the baby Jesus because He was a threat to the reign of this evil ruler (Matthew 2:16).
Why do such horrible things happen? Why did God record them in His sacred Word?
Our governments can enforce a thousand laws on gun control and this problem would never get better. In fact, it would only get worse.
The Bible says that the human heart is desperately evil and until we get to the source of our problem, any treatment center, behavioral management program or new law is only a Band-Aid for a gaping wound.
You may be thinking: “But I am not a killer!” God says we are! If we have committed hate in our hearts, in God’s eyes it’s as if we murdered someone. If we have lusted in our hearts, in God’s eyes, it’s as if we have committed the act of adultery. I could go on and on.
In the Book of James, God’s Word says that if we keep the whole law and yet stumble at just one point, we are guilty as if we broke all God’s laws (James 2:10).
Perhaps the reason why these things happened over and over again in the scriptures and to this day; is because our hearts haven’t changed. Ever since the beginning when the first two people chose to disobey God, and sin began, we are also guilty and have inherited this sin problem from our parents. Our parents inherited their ability to do evil things from our grandparents—this cycle goes all the way back to the beginning of the human race (Romans 5:12).
Our hearts can’t truly change and become new in our own strength. We can reform ourselves to a degree, but there is always evil or potential evil that lurks inside of us. We can never minimize sin in God’s sight. Surely this should make our need for cleansing, and forgiveness extremely apparent.
Do we deserve forgiveness when we purposely choose to disobey God the Creator, and go our own way? Absolutely not! He is a good judge and a perfect judge, and no act of sin can go unpunished nor can sin be in His presence. Isaiah 59:2 says, “Our sins have separated us from our God.” What do we do?
God has provided a way for us to be cleansed and set free! When a person accepts Creator as the “Way maker,” not only are you set free but you can know forgiveness and life with Him the moment you believe (Acts 16:31).
Why is Jesus “The Way maker”? Only a perfect person can cleanse sins’ stain and make guilty people free. Jesus was that Perfect One (Second Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is the only path Creator God has provided (First Timothy 2:5; John 14:6).
What love! God not only loves you (John 3:16) but He likes you too—as an Indigenous person or whatever your background. He wants to make you part of His Tribe (John 14:6) If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36.)
Becky Kew shares Good News at Sandy Bay First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. BeckyKew@outlook.com
