The Murder of a Murderer

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:14-19 ESV)

Notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller was shot and killed this Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas, the congregation of which he was a member. Tiller was excommunicated by his former church for refusing to repent of his sin.

The background

For many years, Dr. George Tiller has represented the horrific reality of the abortion industry in this nation. Infamously known to the pro-life movement in America, Tiller was known as "Tiller the Killer" because of his well-known willingness to perform late-term abortions almost no other doctor in the nation would perform. Because of Dr. George Tiller, Wichita became the destination of choice for women seeking abortions in the late third trimester.

In 1993 Tiller was shot in both arms by an assailant. His clinic was regularly protested and was once bombed. Tiller had many brushes with the law, and just weeks ago he was acquitted of charges that he had colluded with another physician to illegally justify late-term abortions.

George Tiller was shot to death Sunday morning as he was serving as an usher at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita. Witnesses said that a lone assailant entered the church, shot Dr. Tiller with a single shot, threatened two others, and then fled the scene. A suspect was arrested hours later. Wichita police said that the unnamed suspect would likely face multiple charges as early as Monday.

Violence in response to the horror of abortion is rare, but not new. According to some news reports, Dr. Tiller was the fifth physician to be murdered by abortion opponents. In other cases, abortion clinics have been bombed and workers have been hurt or killed.

The irony of the situation is strong:

So the man who had no respect for human life is murdered by a person who had no respect for his life. While one can see a Biblical irony to it, that fact does not provide moral "cover" for the murderer (Dan Phillips).

Dan Phillips also provides a helpful context:

George Tiller chose to make his mark on this planet, and in history, by killing babies. He embraced abortion as ardently as President Obama. The distinction is that Tiller actually killed babies, while Obama and his enablers are simply there making sure that Tiller and his kind have the protection and respectable veneer of law to do so.

• There is no excuse for elective abortion.
• What Tiller did was wrong.
• There is no excuse for murder.
• What the murderer did was wrong, and he should be put to death.
• What Tiller did should have been illegal, but wasn't.
• Tiller needed the Gospel, not a gun.
• The forces of death will capitalize on this, no matter who or what the murderer was.

From the words of Doug Phillips, let us Mourn:

We mourn for the many children he murdered whose names will never make headline news, but whose murder were painful, violent, and bloody at the hands of this man. Second, we mourn for the future children who may be killed as a result of the way the pro-abortion movement will capitalize on this unlawful killing. Third, we mourn for a nation that has broken covenant with God, and that is deserving of God’s just wrath for its complicity in child sacrifice.

Finally, our mourning must lead us to prayer for the Church. God forbid that the blood of the innocent would be on our hands. If we would humble ourselves before the Lord and simply refuse to tolerate abortion in our own ranks, who knows what great things might be lawfully done, with God’s blessing, to bring murderers like George Tiller to an appropriate and earthly justice?

For a helpful examination of Biblical texts see Mike Ratliff