The Wages of Sin ...

Today's posting is a reflection on Tuesday's attack on the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. The basic facts of the matter will surprise few: a white-supremicist felon illegally obtained a rifle, and took it to the Holocaust Museum to kill. And kill he did. His victim was an African-American security guard, Stephen T. Johns, who died protecting others. Mr. Johns was described as a “warm man with a wonderful smile who acted courageously.”

Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NRSV)

I'll let the English Professor explain why it's “wages … is,” and not “wages … are.” But possible subject-verb disagreement in the translation notwithstanding, who among us doubts that our life of sin ends in death? Or that death is a consequence of sin?

Yet Tuesday's tragic events show that there is no simple correspondence between sin and death. Mr. Johns died, not as a consequence of his sin, but as a consequence of the sin of his murderer. And the murder's underlying sin was hatred—a vile, long-standing and long-nurtured hatred of Jews and African-Americans. Those who nurtured the murderer in his hatred bear an awful responsibility, for just as the murder loaded, aimed, and fired his rifle, they loaded, aimed, and fired the man.

The following poem, “Prologue, intended for a Dramatic Piece of King Edward the Fourth,” by William Blake seems sadly apropos.

O for a voice like thunder, and a tongue To drown the throat of war! When the senses Are shaken, and the soul is driven to madness, Who can stand? When the souls of the oppressed Fight in the troubled air that rages, who can stand? When the whirlwind of fury comes from the Throne of God, when the frowns of his countenance Drive the nations together, who can stand? When Sin claps his broad wings over the battle, And sails rejoicing in the flood of Death; When souls are torn to everlasting fire, And fiends of Hell rejoice upon the slain, O who can stand? O who hath caused this? O who can answer at the throne of God? The Kings and Nobles of the Land have done it! Hear it not, Heaven, thy Ministers have done it!

In the face of hatred, who can stand?

We can stand. We must stand.

Peace