A Pilgrim's Wanderings

It has been a long time since I last posted an entry to this blog. I have had some life and health issues that occupied my attention. However, it is time to resume posting.

Events of the past years, and especially events of the past few days deserve some comment. I am specifically referring to the murder of nine people by one hate-filled individual. These were not criminals. These were people created in God's image. They were in a Bible study. They were not prepared for someone to come in and start murdering them, not for anything they had done, but simply because they had a different skin color. In this terrorist's mind, this made them less than human.

The Bible teaches that we are all of "one blood" (Acts 17:26). We are all human regardless of skin color, hair color, eye color, eye shape, nose shape, or any of the other various traits by which we divide the human race into "races." There is only one race. The genetic distinctions are minor. The Kingdom of God is not limited to those of pale skin. God does not forbid those of different characteristics from entering His kingdom. God's salvation is for anyone who will repent and believe the gospel. The gathered saints around God's throne will be people who have been redeemed "from every nation and tribe and people and language" (Revelation 7:9).

The hatred that motivated the killer is a poison which not only affects the victims, but those who harbor the hatred in their hearts. It blinds them to the truth. While there may have been individuals who have committed crimes such as rape and murder, these people who were killed were neither rapists nor murderers. He is blind to the fact that his actions are worse, for he shed innocent blood.

It is high time for men and women of honor to repudiate the attitudes and symbols of hatred and oppression.