Reverend Wrong

Q: In light of the event where Rev. Wright said God will not bless America; but will `damn` America---I want to know: `What is the brief history of God in the Bible damning or chastising wayward (failure to obey God) nations?`

A: The comments of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, and I use the term Reverend loosely, are symptomatic of people who tend to blame many, if not all, the ills of the world on the United States. The quote of Reverend Wright's that you reference is just one of many inflammatory and false statements he has made in order to advance his political agenda. Wright blamed the destruction of the Twin Towers, on September 11, 2001, on America's "chickens coming home to roost." In other words, the United States suffered that attack as a sort of payback for supposed ills it has committed against the rest of the world over the 232 years of its existence. Debating and debunking all he has said is a topic for another day. However, as someone who claims to be a representative of Jesus Christ and a preacher of His Gospel, Reverend Wright leaves much to be desired. The Bible warns of a time when "men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4)."

In my opinion, Reverend Wright fits the description of a teacher who says what people want to hear by lying to them through the advancement of myths. Wright preached in a church that was predominantly attended by members of the African-American community. There is no doubting the terrible history of slavery and racism that has affected members of that community, myself being one of them. Reverend Wright has played on the emotions created by that shared experience in order to advance a theology that does a disservice to both the African-American community and to our God. There are examples in the Bible of a wrathful God inflicting total and devastating destruction on nations for their disobedience, embracing of sin and worship of false gods. You have the global flood that destroyed all but eight people during the time of Noah (Genesis 7). There was the annihilation of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). The entire army of Pharaoh, that followed the Israelites after they left Egypt, was destroyed in the Red Sea (Exodus 14). The use of Samson by God to kill countless Philistines (Judges 13-16). And there are many other illustrations of God's wrath. These types of examples serve as anecdotal evidence to be used by people like Reverend Wright to say that any perceived mass suffering endured by the United States is the wrath of God against our nation.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the destruction of the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and similar disasters are said to be the result of God's anger against America for our "sins." Yet, these types of attacks and natural disasters happen all over the world and to a greater extent than they do here in the United States. Israelis, God's "chosen people," face daily terrorists attacks, missile attacks and threats from their enemies. The Tsunami of 2004 killed an estimated 250,000 people in and around the Indian Ocean. The "Great Sichuan Earthquake of 2008", killed 69,000 people in China. These unfortunate events happen all the time to all sorts of people all over the world. Is it God's wrath against them? Perhaps. But, it is most likely the effects of a sin cursed world where "the whole creation has been groaning (Romans 8:22)" and where men "are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know (Romans 3:15-17)." If God is "damning" America for some sort of evil it has perpetrated in the past, than Reverend Wright needs to answer for what "sins" did God "damn" African-Americans for when they were brutally enslaved for 400 years?

The fact is that there is not enough evidence to flatly say that God is damning America, or any other nation, for its perceived transgressions. Furthermore, God is not dealing with nations and countries, but rather with individuals. Jesus came into the world to "seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10)." When God judged nations and people in the Old Testament, the common denominator for doing so was their sins and unbelief. Rather than wiping out the world again, or large segments of its inhabitants, God sent Jesus Christ "who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)." God has already judged mankind. The verdict was guilty. The penalty was death. Jesus Christ took that penalty. There is none left for us to take. God has not destined us for wrath, but has rescued us from the wrath to come. This is a message of love and reconciliation that Christians are to proclaim to the entire world.

There is no love in the message of Reverend Wright, but there is definitely hatred, anger and a concerted effort to "promote controversies rather than God's work (1 Timothy 1:4)." That does not come from a person that has experienced the love of God through an encounter with Jesus Christ. We can't make the mistake of assuming that Reverend Wright's comments have any truth behind them or biblical merit. Just because someone claims to be a Christian does not mean that what they say is to be believed. There is, however, some benefit from listening to comments like his or those like him. Scripture warns us to be on guard against men who distort the truth in order to gather followers after them. When you listen to men like Reverend Wright speak be on guard. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient (Ephesians 5:6)." The wrath of God is reserved for those who are disobedient to the message of love, unity and salvation found in Christ Jesus.