Self-Seeking Rejection 3-15-09
Michael McLendon, the man who killed ten people in Alabama last Tuesday, seemed to have no real defining “reason” for his murder spree. By descriptions provided of his work and social history, he never seemed to be willing to work hard and hold down a job. He was fired from various positions for undisclosed reasons, and quit his position at a local sausage factory for unknown reasons. His social exploits included an intended lawsuit against members of his family to obtain, ironically, a family Bible. He flunked out of the Police Academy after a week. Although he seemed to be well-liked at the sausage plant, his “hit list” included the names of a coworker who reported him for not wearing required safety equipment and a supervisor who did not think he was performing his job adequately.
It would be easy to write of such an individual as what many of my generation would call a “loser”. It seems that this individual held a grudge against any and every person who wronged him, either in reality or even through perception. In the grand scheme of things, McLendon’s concerns seem petty and minor; for him, they were reason to kill ten people, several of whom were apparently at random. This person, who seemed to find no way to make a difference for good in the world through his life, decided to change for the worse the world around him through his final acts of hate and murder.
This is shocking to most of us, as we view this level of evil as incomprehensible. But we should not be surprised at things like this happening: people who reject godliness are left with no moral compass and no way to lift up out of the mire of a dismally self-seeking existence.
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:16-26 NIV)
Popular culture often displays godliness as a monastic existence stripped of excitement and devoid of enjoyment. But in reality the exact opposite is true. The only way to have a meaningful existence is to seek after those qualities for which we were created: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. If a person does not seek after these qualities in their life, they will find themselves filled with a demeaning sensuality, rebellion against God, a selfish hatred of others, and self-destructive addictions.
Now, not only does our society claim that fulfilling yourself is the way to happiness, but many churches make a similar claim by stripping the Word of God of any hint of God’s displeasure towards our chosen behaviors and “lifestyles”, focusing only on “love” and “joy”; in doing so, they defraud the people of the words of life and put themselves in jeopardy of being enemies of God! Make no mistake: God HATES sin! There is no tolerance for differing opinions when the Day comes and we are called to account for our wickedness; the only path for salvation comes from faith in Christ Jesus and obedience to the Gospel of peace (that is peace with God, not man).
God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Romans 2:6-8 NIV)
Eternal life comes from seeking after God and persistently striving to please him. Destruction comes from a self-seeking rejection of the truth and the embracing of evil. There is no hope for those who do such, for they have chosen hopelessness. Choose to follow God, for hope and true living reside only with him.
-Charles Peterson