Sin is ever present in the world today and has been since Adam transgressed the law of God in the Garden of Eden. I have read today of a man who was the father of two small boys, and he killed them and then himself. He used a hatchet on the boys and then set fire to the house via a gas explosion. The coroner says they died of smoke inhalation, but what a terrible tragedy that someone could stoop so low as to committ such a hainous crime. He had been deprived of custody of those boys that same day so he took their lives and his. Why did this happen? It was because of sin, and the sinfulness of man is ever ready to raise its ugly head and when it does, people suffer. It has been said, “Everything happens for a reason”, indicating that God is using everything that happens to bring glory to Himself. I do not agree with this statement. However, there is a reason for everything, including this awful taking of life. The reason for this and every other violent act is because of the awfulness of sin. Paul tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28). These all things that work together for God to the lovers of God are not things like this evil act described. It is true God can bring something good out of something bad, but God is not working together with sin and the devil for the good of His children. They are diametrically opposed to one another. The things that work together for good in Romans 8:28 are identified in verses 29 amd 30. It is His foreknowledge, predestination, justification, calling, and glorification. You cannot convince me that this taking of life of these children is working for my good; sin never works for my good. Sin is awful, but Jesus tool away the ultimate penalty of sin (the second death and eternal separation from God) by His shed blood at Calvary for His chosen family. I am not the judge, but it is hard for me to believe that anyone who commits such hainous things (especially the last thing they do in life) as this could be a child of God. There was a reason for this horrible act and it is “the awfulness of sin.” There is comfort in knowing that some sweet day the Lord will return as this type thing will occur no more, and the saints of God inherit the kingdom prepared for them before the world began.–February 7, 2012–Elder Larry Wise
