Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 3:13, 14
When in a country that was formerly a part of the USSR, several questions can come to the forefront of any conversation. At the center of the debate is what Christians should have done. We know what many did do, but what should have been done? First, I do not want to condemn anyone for what they did do. Liberians in Africa have told me of their own city's bombing. Everyone in the market, upon seeing the bombs coming, began to run. Old people and babies that had been dropped in the melee were trampled to death. How do you suppose the babies' mothers felt the next day? Fear causes many instinctive reactions.However, once the crush of fear is past, it is possible to think more rationally about what a believer should do. I always like to build a foundation before attempting to discuss such questions. 1) God is love. 2) He permits what He could prevent. 3) He does not cause all things, but He causes all things to work together for good. 4) He could send evil to hell as easily today as tomorrow.
There are several ways of looking at things from this foundation. What would happen if every believer followed the command of Christ to love an enemy without reservation? What if tonight every Christian were killed by evil? What would the world be like if evil men helped the rapture of believers by killing them? If every believer were killed, earth would instantly become hell, because God's Holy Spirit would be dwelling in no person, a case of men on their way to hell when hell actually came up to them. Would the killing of every believer hasten or hinder the coming of Christ? If evil is present in the form of a physical force, army, or government, and if Christians are tricked into fighting it in the power of the flesh, would we actually be hindering the coming of Christ?
I talk to so many who came to a personal relationship with Jesus in a concentration camp in Siberia. What do we have to say about those things? Would the people have come to Him without Siberia? Some were persecuted and died immediately, and some lived years in a prison before eventually regaining their freedom. Did those who died miss out on something? I believe that we must see God, believe all things are in His hands, and rest. If we do not see Him, we will try to make sense--in a carnal, intellectual way--of all that happens. I think I can answer all questions with one word—God—because of the knowledge that we rest in Him!
- Mike Wells
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