ORLANDO

Repent or die? Changer de comportement ou mourir?

A wide variety of opinions concerning the horrible Orlando shooting will be expressed and aired in the coming days. It might range from, “This is God’s judgement upon the abominable gay lifestyle”, to “Here we have a clear confirmation of the intolerance caused by the teachings of Islam.” And others would say that this incident is just a further proof that religion itself is at the root of all calamity and strife on earth.

What is the truth? How should Christians view these all too frequent massacres? Is God in this and if in which sense?

Let’s be clear, the living and holy God who used the evil idol worshipping Babylonians to punish his disobedient people of Israel can use the evil Islamic ISIS to punish the wicked and immoral Western world.

Indeed, the gay lifestyle is part of this immorality and an abomination in God’s eyes, but be careful of what we say and let’s be brutally honest with ourselves. God also hates racism, abuse of foreigners, all kinds of idolatry (like greed!)… And most subtle of all, pride! Keep this in mind and let us humble ourselves before Him.

It’s not a time to judge others, but a time for repentance!

Jesus Himself (in Luke 13) clearly taught us how to interpret disasters and criminal events like these in Orlando or the Bataclan shootings. All these tragic criminal actions are indeed warnings of God’s coming judgement, but it is a warning to all of us. It’s a call to repentance to each and every one of us! We still have time to heed his call! There is still an opportunity to trust Jesus for salvation. God in his mercy has spared us, not to judge others but to bear the fruits of holiness and obedience to his glory! 

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” 

1En ce temps-là, quelques personnes vinrent raconter à Jésus comment Pilate avait fait tuer des Galiléens au moment où ils offraient des sacrifices à Dieu. 2Jésus leur répondit : « Pensez-vous que si ces Galiléens ont été ainsi massacrés, cela signifie qu'ils étaient de plus grands pécheurs que tous les autres Galiléens ? 3Non, vous dis-je ; mais si vous ne changez pas de comportement, vous mourrez tous comme eux. 4Et ces dix-huit personnes que la tour de Siloé a écrasées en s'écroulant, pensez-vous qu'elles étaient plus coupables que tous les autres habitants de Jérusalem ? 5Non, vous dis-je ; mais si vous ne changez pas de comportement, vous mourrez tous comme eux. »

6Puis Jésus leur dit cette parabole : « Un homme avait un figuier planté dans sa vigne. Il vint y chercher des figues, mais n'en trouva pas. 7Il dit alors au vigneron : “Regarde : depuis trois ans je viens chercher des figues sur ce figuier et je n'en trouve pas. Coupe-le donc ! Pourquoi occupe-t-il du terrain inutilement ? ” 8Mais le vigneron lui répondit : “Maître, laisse-le cette année encore ; je vais creuser la terre tout autour et j'y mettrai du fumier. 9Ainsi, il donnera peut-être des figues l'année prochaine ; sinon, tu le feras couper.” »