Welcome back to the podcast on this Monday.

Pastor John, you've admitted to us in the past that you carry a lot of sympathy for pacifism,

citing texts like Matthew 538 to 41, Matthew 1016, Romans 12, 17, 1st,

1st, 1st, 1, Peter Peter 3.9, saying that such text, that collage of text taken together should, quote, probably have a greater effect on our attitudes than they do, because even Christians are quick to seek vengeance instead of mercy.

But you said, quote, I can't go all the way with the Christian pacifist when he tells us that

retributive justice should have no place in the Christian life, end quote.

A great snapshot of your personal convictions here from the APJ book on page 235 in the context of

those episodes that we did on gun ownership in the home.

A lot of you listening will remember that episode and the follow-ups that came as a result of it.

But today we return to really what was at the heart of those controversial gun episodes over a decade ago through a question over whether we should rejoice when God destroys our enemies.

That's the question from a listener today, a listener named Liz.

My question, are we to celebrate the death of our enemies?

In Exodus 15, the Israelites sing a song of adoration to God after he brings them through

the Red Sea and allows them to escape the Egyptians.

That song begins by praising God's character and magnifying his power and strength in Exodus

15.

Yet it ends by celebrating that the Egyptians have been, quote, hurled into the sea.

That's verses 4 to 10.

At the same time, we are called to have compassion for the loss who are

far from God in Matthew 9, 36 to 38, and to desire that no one perish, but that all come to the

knowledge of him in 2. Peter 3.9. Please help me understand God's justice in God's compassion,

and what posture and attitude we should have towards our enemies and how we can show mercy to them while also praising God

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