Remembering 9/11

It’s been 25 years since the terror attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001–when Arab pilots under the impression that God rewarded Jihadist action against the West hijacked passenger planes and pointed them at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and presumably the White House.

Today, we spend a moment in Silence to remember the nearly 3,000 victims who lost their lives and many more affected by the horrific actions. We are reminded about the dangers of bad religion and the necessity of leading our families and nation in real Biblical truth.

God needs nothing from us because He is God and already rules over everything. Therefore, God does not need people to give their lives for the cause of His glory. This is the truth of the faith we share—God provides all things for us and needs nothing from us. False religion with cult mentality tells people God needs them and will reward them for doing the right things, submitting to the right people, and staying in line. In contrast, God told us that we are all sinners, we can’t earn salvation or rewards, and we can only have life and anything if God chooses to give it.

This truth is the most basic biblical concept we can grasp. God is the source of all things. Understanding this simple truth leads us not to war or works-based religion. Instead, it leads us into an understanding of grace such that we learn to love our enemies even while we are concerned about justice in the world. We love God because He first loved us. Because we love God, we love all people. This brings to mind one mantra of Christian living—love justice, do mercy.

On this day, we are reminded about the importance of raising our families in a healthy local church. There are many things we invest our time in, and sometimes church just doesn’t seem necessary. Or, we give our time to other things because we know our church family will forgive us for missing. It is true that salvation does not depend on our going to church. Only God supplies all things, and we can’t earn them. But our investment matters, and a healthy church facilitates the most important thing we can learn for this life and the next—more important than athletics, worldly education, or the arts. A healthy local church teaches us how to love, and I am convinced that we don’t learn how to love well outside the context of a healthy local church.

On this solemn day, we invite you to consider what you are investing in. Fathers, are you taking the responsibility to lead your families in Christ and take them to church? Mothers, are you setting the example of unconditional love as you care for your children and teach them the most important life lessons? Are we teaching our children that life is more than merely advancing or succeeding in worldly things as much as possible? Are we active in their discipleship? Are we teaching our children that following Christ is more than having our ears tickled by church musicians and preachers? It greatly matters in the world today. There is plenty of bad religion, which seeks to terrorize and take over. The only answer is good religion—to sincerely follow after Christ rather than all the other things we set our hearts desires on. Church is like any other investment, though much more important. You get out of it what you put into it.

Today, consider your priorities. It may be time for revival in your life and family. May we never see so publicly what bad religion leads people to do again in this country.