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There are some people who believe that it is morally righteous,
in respect of God, to kill an abortion doctor. Their reasoning is
that the murder of unborn babies has been prevented; therefore,
the "end justifies the means."
Unfortunately, this reasoning is frequently used concerning religion
and morality. But the fact is that the "end" never justifies or
authorizes anything!
This lesson is readily evident in the life of King Saul. In 1 Samuel
13, Saul became nervous because the Philistines had gathered a large
army against Israel; and Samuel had not shown up to offer the sacrifice.
So, Saul ordered a sacrifice to be brought to him and he offered
it before the Lord. Immediately afterwards, Samuel appeared and
inquire of Saul as to what he had done. Saul said: "When I saw that
the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within
the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at
Michmash, then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me
at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore
I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering" (1 Sam. 13:11-12).
Notice Saul's justification:
- the people were scattered because of fear - Saul did it for
the people.
- it looked like Samuel was not coming at the appointed time
- it was Samuel's fault.
- the Philistines had gather together for battle - it was the
Philistines' fault.
- Samuel felt compelled - it was his "feelings" fault.
- the "end justified the means" - the situation demanded my action.
Samuel, in response to Saul's justification says: "You have done
foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God,
which He commanded you" (1 Sam. 13:13).
The second lesson we learn from Samuel is that "two wrongs do not
make a right." It was wrong for the Philistines to attack God's
people; and it was wrong for Saul to offer the sacrifice; but the
Philistines' wrong did not make Saul's sin righteous - two negatives
do not make a positive. We cannot moralize something by the sin
of another person. We must obey the Lord apart from the actions
of other people.
And so this principle is applicable concerning the murder of abortion
doctors. It is a sin for a doctor to murder the unborn. But the
doctor's sin does not authorize or justify anyone else to murder
the murderer. Nor can we justify murdering a doctor simply because
our opinion is that the "end justifies the means." We must obey
God!
Now it may be easy to apply these principles to a wild-crazed-fanatic
that goes out and kills an abortion doctor. But let us examine our
life and "religion" to be sure that we are not rationalizing lawlessness
by opinions and feelings. Saul was punished for dismissing the commandments
of the Lord. And for us, "we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the
body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor.
5:10).
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