Peter Wehner, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center—he is not a theologian. I say this because Wehner has provided yet another illustration as to why theology matters. Writing in an article for National Review, Wehner posts a stinging rebuttal to Pat Robertson for his comments on the tragedy in Haiti. In his article, Wehner draws several theological conclusions, namely, (1) God does not punish nations for wicked behavior and (2) anyone who says otherwise is guilty of "warped and confused theology".
Wehner opines, "Set aside, too, the arbitrary foolishness of Robertson’s statement (why would God lash out at Haiti but not at Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea, or secular Europe?). And set aside the hardness of heart that would lead a man, at this moment, to see human misery on such a mass scale and blame an impoverished nation for bringing upon itself the judgment of the Almighty…"
I am left scratching my head and seriously wondering: Has this guy ever read the Old Testament? Is he at all aware of the holiness of God and what it means to break the law of the Sovereign of the universe? Is the Almighty not permitted to demonstrate His righteous indignation and absolute detestation for sin against those who break His law? The conclusion that I am forced to draw from Wehner’s statement is no.
Alas, there are far too many pop-theologians and wannabe exegetes who espouse a "gentle Jesus meek and mild" way of thinking, turning God into one who has nothing but compassion for His creation while simultaneously turning a blind eye at those who willfully and disdainfully violate His commands. Many loathe the thought of a God who is just in exercising condemnation towards those who are at enmity with Him, and some would go so far as to limit God by forbidding Him to demonstrate righteous indignation towards sinners.
Imagine for a moment that you return home from a long day of work, only to find that an intruder has breached your home and is attacking your family. What would be your initial reaction? Would you stand there paralyzed with nothing but love and compassion for the very intruder who is violating the sanctity of your house and family? Would you be so overcome with pity for and loves towards the assailant that you could only beg him to stop, incapable of exercising justice when given the chance? No, absolutely not. It is not only reasonable to assert that every one would express outrage at seeing such an act of injustice transpiring, it is almost a universal guarantee that one will inevitably act out of human nature to do what it took to rectify the situation and to bring the guilty to justice. The natural response would be to safeguard those loved ones who are being attacked and to protect the innocent. If ever there were one who failed to act because he had nothing but genuine compassion and love for the assailant, he would rightly be condemned by any that witnessed the act. No one would muster an iota of respect such a person. It is part and parcel of our human makeup to take drastic measures and in order to protect those whom we hold dearest.
Nature also testifies as a witness to altruism in animal behavior. Ethologists, scientists who study behavioral patterns in animals, readily attest to the fact of the innate desire of animals, especially in kin relationships, to protect their offspring from predators or anyone seeking to harm their own.
The normative principle for humans and animals is to protect others from injurious behavior and injustice, yet there are many today who will not allow God to express a righteous anger and deny Him the avenue to pour out his wrath upon those who have violated His law. In so doing, we are essentially making God less than man in that when we insist that God cannot demonstrate anger against those who have dishonored the sanctity of His rule we are placing the Sovereign of the universe in a category below mankind. It is permissible, and natural, for humans to react against great injustices and seek retribution so why should we not permit God to do the same? Why do we think God is less than man is in this capacity? It is a proverbial slap in face and a denigration of His character for someone to attempt to limit His ability to exercise His natural attributes.
While Robertson draws a direct correlation to an event that might or might not have happened in the 18th century to this particular earthquake, which is arguably dubious, there is no doubt from Scripture that God judges nations for abandoning His revealed will. Need proof? Just look to Sodom and Gomorrah, the antediluvians before the flood, the Babylonian captivity, etc. and you will find all the evidence you need to substantiate this axiom.
God will not be mocked, nor does he take sin lightly. A day of reckoning is coming for everyone in which every tongue will give an account. While some peoples might be judged in this world, there is no doubt that every individual will stand before the throne of righteousness where he or she will be judged. Wehner asked, "Why would God lash out at Haiti but not at Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea, or secular Europe?" But I’m afraid he misses the point on this one. There are myriad of ways God can judge a nation—just look around America and one will easily see this. God uses a variety of means to achieve His ends. Instead of condemning others for broaching the topic of the wrath of God, let’s use this horrific incident as a wake up call and realize we could be next—after all, what’s stopping God from doing the same thing or worse in this country or in another? Why has this nation been spared over against others? The answer: Nothing, save the grace of God. The time for repentance and turning to God is now—before He rightly pours out just condemnation on this country. The message for Haiti and the rest of the world is this: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28).
