1. We should be happy that a mass murdering terrorist can no longer orchestrate terror.
It can be so simple that it is easy to overlook: Osama up to his death believed in violent terroristic jihad and has always had intentions to continue. If nothing else, Osama can no longer do this.
2. We should be thankful that our government uses lethal force in punishing those who harm its citizens
Romans 13:3-4
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
All civil governments have a God-given duty to avenge wrongdoers. Governments too have been marred by the consequences of sin and often fall short of what God has called them to, therefore we should be all the more pleased when they do succeed in becoming the vehicle for God’s wrath against criminal activity.
3. We should rejoice that God is so glorious that he would have forgiven Osama if he would have repented but also be glad his sins are not going unpunished.
This is the message of the gospel. All people have deeply degraded God through horrible sin. Jesus came to live a righteous life and die on the cross and rise from the dead to secure our justification so that by faith in him we might receive forgiveness, adoption, and joy. Yet for those who do no believe, the wrath of God remains on them.
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
4. Is Osama in Hell?
While it is not man’s position to judge the eternal destination of those who die, we do know clearly by what standard God makes his decision: Repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ. Osama has claimed allegiance to Islam, a religion that denies the saving work of Jesus Christ.
There is zero evidence that Osama ever trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of his sins, but for the benefit of the doubt, if he did convert to Christianity secretly, the outcome would be even worse for him:
1 Timothy 5:8
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
He died using a family member as a human shield. Judge for yourself. Edit: As new details come to light, it appears that this element of the story has probably been fabricated.
5. Is it right for the government to have killed him?
This is one of the least morally ambiguous cases for the justification of lethal force: Osama personally took credit for the 9/11 attacks, he evaded arrest for a decade, he made clear his intentions for continuing with the attacks, and he died firing a weapon at those who would have taken him alive to try him in court. If you can’t warrant lethal force in this circumstance, you are not living in reality.
