God's Glory Church

Very often, especially to believers, the same question is asked: “why do innocent people suffer and die?”

In the Ukrainian media, especially recently, they report and show terrible information about the deaths of innocent civilians and military personnel in the east of our country – children, women, old people, young guys. People ask the question: “If there is a God, why does He allow this? Why are civilians dying, why are soldiers dying in a country that has never fought with anyone?”

Recent events have shaken up not only Ukraine, but the whole world. A passenger plane was shot down, almost 300 people died, all in one moment and only because of the whim of one person who imagined himself to be the arbiter of the destinies of neighboring countries and peoples. But times go by, but such monsters, unfortunately, arise again and again.

We see exactly the same picture in Scripture, when a monster in the form of a man named Pilate once again committed a vile crime:

“At this time some came and told Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.” (Luke 13:1)

There is news that at any time cannot leave those who hear it indifferent. It was exactly the same during the time of Christ, some of the new arrivals informed Him about important news, which had recently been shown on all television channels and published in all newspapers. Some Galileans (the listeners knew for sure about them) were killed by order of Pilate while they were making a sacrifice, and the blood of those killed even sprinkled the sacrificial animals, which was a special sacrilege for the Jews. It is difficult to say why Pilate allowed such a cruel “pacification” of the subjects of King Herod, but in that rather troubled time, the Roman procurator could indeed resort to the most drastic measures without serious investigations, especially in relation to the inhabitants of Galilee. After all, they were known for their obstinate character and tendency to rebel against the Romans.

Ordinary people told Christ about this, waiting for what He would say on his part to this sad news that stunned everyone. Jesus answered, but not at all in the way His listeners expected. He did not blame Pilate, even though he was the direct source of this order, Jesus did not talk about the rude and cynical interference of the Romans in the affairs of the Jews, and he did not support the version about the guilt of the Galileans themselves. After all, those who brought Him the news of the death of the Galileans were inclined to see in this terrible death God’s punishment for any special sins committed by the lost. The only thing He said in response was that there are no pure innocent people. Here are the literal words of Christ:

“Jesus said to them: Do you think that these Galileans were more sinners than all the Galileans, that they suffered so much? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.” (Luke 13:2-3)

Someone may see in these words the indifference of Christ to the fate of the dead, but this is not at all the case. Christ not only worried about the Galileans who had already died, He worried much more about the fate of those still living, but deluding themselves with thoughts: “they were more sinful, so they died, but this will not affect me…”

“Or do you think that those eighteen people on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them were more guilty than all those living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.” (Luke 13:4-5)

More than just the incident with the Galileans can strike the mind and heart. Jesus points to another, apparently very recent event – the fall of the Tower of Siloam, which crushed eighteen people under its ruins. And again he asks the same question: “were these people more sinners before God than all the other inhabitants of Jerusalem?”
In other words, Christ said that any death, whatever it may be – due to old age or illness, as a result of a catastrophe or accident, or perhaps due to violence – death is inevitable in any case. Why? Because it is so determined by God and no one can cancel this fact.

But Christ did not stop there, because His goal was not simply to answer a question with a question. He goes on to say that if His listeners do not repent, they will perish in the same way. The Lord is not intimidating anyone, he is simply reminding us of something that we would all really like to forget. After all, the one who does not repent will die in any case, no matter who he is Pilate or Putin – he will be judged by God, and the one who repents of his sins before God will not die at all. No, he will die physically, but will have eternal life with the Creator.
After all, Christ himself, the only sinless and absolutely holy man, found himself slandered, and then crucified on the cross between two thieves. Where is the justice here? The only justice here is that God now has the right to forgive the sins of all who believe in Jesus Christ and accept His atoning sacrifice. One of the thieves on the cross took advantage of this opportunity.

Did you take advantage?