Why are Shootings Happening?

Aside from casino robberies, we don’t expect to hear about much crime in southeast South Dakota. Yet, a school shooting took place in Harrisburg. Praise God there were no serious injuries. Less than a year earlier Lennox was the scene of a workplace shooting with tragic results.
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The citizens of our communities are right to be concerned. Some think the solution is fewer guns. Others recognize that it is impossible to get rid of all guns and are suggesting that more guns is the solution so that victims can protect themselves.
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The problem is that when we start talking about guns, we end up being distracted from the real issue: SIN. Neither the event in Harrisburg, nor the incident in Lenox would have occurred had it not been for sin the hearts of the shooters.
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The sin problem is actually more widespread than just these shootings. Without sin, there would be no murder or stealing. Further there would no longer be broken marriages caused by adultery. In fact, there would not even be arguments between husbands and wives caused by selfishness. There would be no lying, no cheating, no greed, no parents being dishonored by children. Without sin, people would put God first and not worship anyone or anything else. They would honor His name and not use it as a swear word. They would love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They would also love their neighbor as themselves.
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We obviously do not live in such a world. Since Adam disobeyed God, all people have continued to sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23 NASB). “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--” (Romans 5:12 NASB). Eve disobeyed God before Adam did, but once Adam disobeyed as well, then all humans on the earth at that time were sinners and sin thus passed to all their offspring.
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God knew this would happen. It was serious, because God is holy and sin separates man from God. But God still loved the people He created and He provided a way to deal with sin. Before Jesus died on the cross, people offered animals for their sins, but that offering was only a temporary covering until something final could be done.
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Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Romans 5:12 told us that death is the consequence of sin. Because we have all sinned, we all deserve death- not just physical death which is separation of body and spirit, but eternal death which is separation from God for eternity in the lake of fire (see Matthew 25:41 & 46; Revelation 20:15).
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In order to deal with the sin problem, God sent His son to pay for our sins on the cross. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
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Jesus was able to pay for our sins, because He never sinned Himself. Sin did not pass on to Him from His father, because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, not by man. “For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:17-19 NKJV).
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Sin is the problem with our world. Jesus is the solution. Once we believe on Him as our savior, our sins are forgiven. We do not stop all sin at that point, but He does give us power to say no to sin. (see I Corinthians 10:13). Getting rid of guns is not the way to stop sin. Jesus is.