In the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster, much has been said about innocents suffering. Yet, the question arises whether anyone is truly innocent. Hardly a person affected by these events directly harmed the perpetrators, but each is guilty of personal sins against God and part of a larger group that has caused harm. For instance, American sanctions against Iraq, aimed at Saddam Hussein, are said to have caused the deaths of around 500,000 Iraqi children. Many Americans see themselves as innocent victims of a cowardly attack, but from a group perspective, they bear guilt alongside those who imposed the sanctions. One part of the body enacted the sanctions, and now another part suffers the retaliation. Just as Iraqi children suffered due to their leadership's actions, Americans now endure pain for the sins of their leaders. The notion of being innocent victims holds only within narrow limits, as societal sins and failures contribute to collective guilt.

Sadness, pity, frustration, anger, or disgust often accompany the loss of life due to unforeseen tragedies like tornadoes, hurricanes, drive-by shootings, robberies, gas explosions, or lightning strikes. Witnesses and family members mourn the innocent victims caught randomly in these tragic events. Yet, there are no truly innocent victims before God, as all have sinned and deserve the death penalty. Through our Father's graciousness and our Elder Brother's sacrifice, we have received forgiveness and the liberty to make things right, gaining entrance into His presence where no sin dwells. We must not take God's grace casually but fight sin with a seriousness that strives to match His own, seeking good and not evil so that we may live with the LORD God of hosts.