The Riots Continue!

Richard Hollerman

It is now October, 2021 but the Covid 19 epidemic has been active since March of 2020. If you are like me, perhaps you have seen scenes of the rioting that has occurred in a number of metropolitan areas of the country. The program showed that many, many of the rioters steal, rob, plunder, and burn what they don’t like. And some of the rioters simply want to steal and take what they please because of greed. Just seeing the pictures was enlightening and grieving. We are wondering how evil, how wicked, how riotous such people can be.

We are referring to some of the leading metropolitan areas of the States but not only to these well-known places but to many others in the country. Think of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angles, and Chicago. Think also of Minneapolis, Washington DC, and many others.

The Internet showed unbelievable scenes of destruction. And, sadly, most of the journalists or announcers just said that this has been “our history” for centuries. But wasn’t or isn’t America to be different from Third World Countries? We read of rioting that occurs in certain other countries but isn’t America to be different?

Many of the rioters were black—but not all. Some 12 percent of the population of the United States is black but we think that perhaps more than 12 percent of the rioters were of this ethnic background. But let’s not assume that this is so. Even if only one percent is of a particular ethnic background participated, this is far too many.

What does the Bible say? Some many reply that the KJV uses “rioting” and “riot” to describe this particular sin. But there are various terms that make it clear that this behavior and attitude is not to be tolerated. For instance, we read of those who would malign Christians and charge them with not following “the same excesses of dissipation” (1 Peter 4:4). Then in Ephesians 5:18 we read of wine-drinkers who commit “dissipation.” The elder is to have children who are “not accused of dissipation or rebellion” (Titus 1:6). If children are not to be involved in dissipation or rebellion, surely it would also be sinful for adults to have these same evil characteristics. In 2 Peter 2:13, we read of such sins as reveling and carousing—which surely would include what the rioters were doing this past year.

Granted, there is not a lot in Scripture dealing with this sin in its different forms, but there is enough for us to know that people today are guilty of wickedness, evil, and all sorts of sins. We do find that God hates reveling and carousing. Do you keep this mind when you learn that another American city has succumbed to riotous behavior? When you see pictures of riots occurring in Portland, in Seattle, in Chicago, or in Los Angeles, what do you think of? When you learn of riots in Philadelphia, in Minneapolis, or in Denver, what comes to your mind? Are you incensed with this blatant disregard for “law and order” and for peacefulness?

We know that some of these cities are liberal and evil in many respects. For instance, the Democrat governor of Oregon is perverted in many respects. Kate Brown is a man but portrays himself as a woman, earning over $90,000 a year. And it seems that Oregonians love the perversion that God calls wickedness. But let’s continue our account.

When you read of “dissipation” in Scripture, what comes to your mind? When you learn about “rioting” in God’s Word, what do you think about? When you read about “carousing,” what concerns you?  We are not reading of what happens in a Third World country but in America! It is time that we cease comparing ourselves with other nations and begin to take the blame ourselves!

Some may reply that there were times in America in which evil prevailed—and this is so. There were times in which riots were tolerated. But we know that this doesn’t justify the rioting, the burning, the looting, and the evil that we find today. When we learn of evil men (and women) committing crimes today, why would this justify rioting in any way? When we see the flames and fires committed by evil people today, we must forthrightly condemn this mayhem.

When we see on our screens that some people set fires to businesses and then rob these stores (they say “loot” such stores today), why would we condone this wicked behavior? Whether white, black, Latino, Asian, or others, we must let people know that this is not at all acceptable. Those who commit these kinds of sins are “worthy of death,” as Paul tells us (Romans 1:32).

Thankfully, God also extends His mercy to these evil people who commit these wicked deeds (Romans 5:20-21). Let’s remember this as we recall the mayhem that these perpetrators do. We know that surely very few will repent and come to God through Christ, but there may be a few who do find His gracious forgiveness. Just as we have been forgiven it may be that a few of these rioters will also be forgiven.

We may be living in an evil age—with blatant crime, with open stealing and looting, and with perverted thinking. Let’s keep ourselves from being polluted by the world and always choose to do right regardless of what others choose to do or refuse to do.