On Thursday morning October 1st, students at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon went to class. They were “protected” by a gun free zone and by academic freedom that is designed to keep religion and mention of the Christian God from education. It was a bright, beautiful fall day. But one man determined that there would be nothing beautiful about this day.
The actual story of the shooting and murder of the college students is slowly emerging. The killer asked students if they were Christians. If they said yes they were shot in the head. If any other group had been selected for murder in this way the outcries of civil rights violations and hate crimes would have been deafening. The news coverage would have been nonstop about the cruelty done to the targeted group. Instead, because Christians were the target, it is necessary to spend a major among of energy to find out the truth. Those murdered have been referred to as Americans, as college students, as victims of gun violence. But almost no one is referring to them as Christians who died for their faith.
Do Christian lives matter? Does Jesus Christ matter? The answer, not really.
The indifference towards Christians flows from our culture’s hatred of Jesus Christ. If Christians maintain that Christmas and Easter are about Jesus Christ they called out as politically incorrect intolerant people who are out of step with 21st century life. If you believe that God created the heavens and the earth, that faith in Christ alone is necessary for the forgiveness of sins, that the Bible is the word of God you are an extreme, troubled person. Your views are unconstitutional and filled with hatred.
Do Christian lives matter? To politically correct, media driven America: apparently not.
As Christians we can affirm that all lives matter for man was made in the image of God. And, praise God, Christian lives matter to him. Throughout the history of the church those who have followed Christ have been persecuted for their faith. As Christians we must speak and live out the gospel to a dark culture precisely because our lives do matter. We must be salt and light. Encourage your children with this truth. There is much work to be done.
Do Christian lives matter? Yes!
