Over the past couple of days there have been reports that a man is near death.\u00a0 That particular line probably wouldn’t catch a lot of people’s attention, because death is natural and normal in our world.\u00a0 However, if I said that the reports are that the Rev. (using that loosely) Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas is near death, that would probably generate a little more interest.\u00a0 I have read several articles by several well known people commenting on his near death.\u00a0 I must say that I agree with many of them, Rev. Phelps certainly doesn’t represent any Baptist belief that I am aware of and to call it a church is very difficult.\u00a0 This man and this church has done some of the most detestable things I can imagine including picketing funerals of soldiers and spreading hate.\u00a0 However, as a Christian, there is no way I can be happy or look forward to his death.\u00a0 I do not know this man’s heart, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about his salvation considering the body of work he has.\u00a0 What this man has done and what this church continues to do goes against the teachings of the Word of God, which is a Christian’s sole authority. Yet despite the hate filled bigotry exhibited by Rev. Phelps and the church, we are presented with a unique opportunity.<\/p>\n
We have before us an opportunity to pray for him, his family, the church that will be left behind.\u00a0 We have an opportunity to show mercy to a man who has refused to show mercy.\u00a0 We have an opportunity to demonstrate love to his family.\u00a0 Because regardless of our feelings toward Rev. Phelps, when he breaths his last here there are two certainties.\u00a0 First, he will stand before his Maker, and it will be too late to repent.\u00a0 Secondly, there will be a family left behind hurting, mourning, and grieving the loss of someone they love.\u00a0 Paul wrote in Romans 12:17-19, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather<\/i> give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is<\/i> mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”\u00a0 It is not our place to judge, to hope that Rev. Phelps gets what is coming to him, or to hate him.\u00a0 Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-48, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others<\/i>? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”\u00a0 At the end of the day, if we do not love Rev. Phelps, then we are no different than he is.<\/p>\n
I understand that I sit here writing this having never been targeted by Rev. Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.\u00a0 I realize that our natural instinct is to smile that someone who has done so much evil is gone, just as much of the nation did the day the news broke that Osama Bin Laden had been killed.\u00a0 But we must pray for tender, compassionate hearts for all people, regardless of who they are and what they have done, because if we believe that hell is a literal place, and those who die without a relationship with Jesus Christ go there and suffer for all eternity, then our hearts should be grieved that hell will have most likely gained another soul.\u00a0 In these the last days of Rev. Phelps life and all of our lives (none of us are guaranteed another day), let us pray for his salvation, make sure that we are saved, pray for comfort and strength for his family.<\/p>\n
By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Over the past couple of days there have been reports that a man is near death.\u00a0 That particular line probably wouldn’t catch a lot of people’s attention, because death is natural and normal in our world.\u00a0 However, if I said … Read More