Life without Christ is cruel. The Klahrs
 
 Answers to Tragedy
 
 September 11, 2001 will be remembered as a moment of tragedy.  A group of misdirected, diabolical murders plotted and carried out a mission that collapsed several towers in New York City and killed thousands of innocent people.
 
 These men attacked a way of life that threatened them. Their aim was to bring the world into bondage to their manner of thinking and belief. A false promise, of what they felt was a great reward, made them willing to forfeit their own life.
 
 Man is able to sink to great depths of cruelty and tragedy. The more he tries to solve the issues of life by himself, the more injustice will rule because sin makes it an exercise in futility. Life itself is unfair. Our wisdom is insufficient and death laughs in our face.
 
 The question is not whether or not evil is in the world, but how we respond to it and live in the midst of it. Life without Christ is cruel.
 
 Paul pictures a Christian’s answer to life. First, there is the work God does for us, which is salvation. Jesus Christ completed this work on the cross. By trusting Him, we are transformed. Second, there is the work God does in us. This is sanctification. God builds our character and we become conformed to the likeness of His Son. The third work is service.  It is what God does through us. When He calls us to service God builds character. He must work in us before He can work through us. The fourth work is our personal resurrection from death to be with Him. Christ’s resurrection is the assurance of our resurrection.
 
  We are given the task of sharing God’s answer with a starving world. Do not be overcome by evil, but  overcome evil with good.