“Will not rejoice at the death of an unrepentant sinner.”
This was posted by a Christian Friend on Facebook today. I think it’s something every Christian should think about.
If you believe in a real and permanent Hell as a place of eternal punishment, there is nothing to rejoice. The dead are facing torment forever and a living human who has been killed will have no more chances at repenting. I can’t imagine someone rejoicing another person being tormented forever. Our response should be more like Jesus in Luke 19:41-42.
If you believe in Annihilation, the belief that after death our soul is judged and then just ceases to exist. I guess you could rejoice that “the bad man is gone”, but still there should be sadness that this person never got to enjoy the eternal relationship with Jesus that Jesus desired for him.
If you believe in universalism, the belief that all people go to heaven, then you have nothing to rejoice in either – Osama made it there before you and he’ll be waiting for you when you die. (Unless you believe that God can’t judge people (and therefore universalism) but you can if people are really bad! In otherwords, universalism unless you really don’t like the person).
A day will come when God will judge the world (see Matthew 25:31-46 for just one example). On that day those who know and are known by Jesus will rejoice. Until then let’s pray like Paul told us to in 1 Timothy 2:1-6.
Some other verses to consider:
Ezekiel 18:21-23
Proverbs 24:17
