The apprehension of quadruple murder suspect Austin Drummond on Tuesday morning in Jackson, Tennessee, was one of those rare events that reminded all of us how fragile life and the freedoms we enjoy can be. The search began one week before its conclusion after police discovered four victims in Tiptonville and an abandoned child left on a random lawn in the heat.
After Drummond fled to Jackson, residents remained on edge for several days as local authorities and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation searched the area. Agencies like these should be applauded for their bravery and diligence to keep our community safe. Other well-documented details appear in numerous news outlets, so I would like to take a moment to think through a few obvious theological realities in light of the ordeal.
First, evil is real and prevalent in our world. Both natural and moral evil are the consequential effects of humanity’s fall into sin (Gen. 3:1-6). The former occurs without apparent design or intent simply because creation groans in pain due to the moral collapse caused by the presence of wickedness in the world (Rom. 8:20-22). As a result, cancer, tornadoes, freak accidents, etc., plague our existence, causing untold suffering all around the globe.
Jesus spoke about an unpredictable, seemingly senseless example of evil when a tower in Siloam fell on 18 unsuspecting victims (Luke 13:4-5). Tragedies like these leave us scratching our heads and wondering why horrible things happen. Indirectly, all such heartache and pain find their root in Eden’s curse. The universe is broken and does not function as God designed it because of sin.
Moral evil, on the other hand, traces itself directly to the volitional transgressions of men and women who are far from God. Since the Garden of Eden, all people everywhere (except the Lord Jesus) have been born sinners (Psa. 51:5; Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23, 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3). Our Lord illustrated this as well by recalling Pilate’s murderous actions against a group of Galileans (Luke 13:1-2).
The moral relativism that often accompanies modernity often resists the Bible’s straightforward diagnosis of our societal problems, opting for psychological explanations with therapeutic solutions instead. Yet, Scripture is resolute that right and wrong exist. Even worse, apart from the grace of Jesus Christ, we are lawbreakers by nature who love the darkness more than the light (John 3:19). Taking the lives of four people is wrong, regardless of the motivation. It is evil. No amount of spin changes the obvious.
Second, the presence of evil must be met with consequences. One of the hallmarks of our nation is that all people are innocent until proven guilty. Time will tell if Austin Drummond is guilty or innocent as evidence is brought to bear, but whoever is responsible for these crimes must face severe consequences.
God has woven governing authority into the fabric of civilization precisely because of the presence of evil. Community laws should promote what is good and punish what is not (Rom. 13:1-5; 1Tim. 1:9; 1 Peter 2:13-14). Life in prison or death by execution are fair possibilities in a case like this because the state of Tennessee defines mass murder as taking the lives of three or more persons in a single episode.
Admittedly, the Christian perspective on capital punishment varies, but from my perspective, the Bible not only permits but also advocates the practice. Before God handed down the Old Testament Law, He instructed His image bearers to preserve the sanctity of human life by punishing those who murder. Given during the wicked days of Noah, the Lord said, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man (Gen. 9:6).”
Meant to be both a punishment and a deterrent to sin, these instructions are just as permanent as the covenant sign of a rainbow in the heavens. God uses human government as a means of His wrath and justice. Though we should never seek vengeance for ourselves, we should applaud the righting of wrongs through God’s ordained means. We should prayerfully wait and pray for the correct outcome for all involved in this recent tragedy (Rom. 13:3-4).
Third, we should remember that all people are made in the image of God. Horrific crimes like these elicit our common cries for justice because of our innate understanding that every human being bears the image of his Creator (Gen. 1:26-27). The young adults who lost their lives in Tiptonville deserved better than being cut down in the prime of their lives. Diminishing the consequences for the heinous crime committed against them would be an insult to the sacred image of God within them.
Just as true, but drastically less popular, is the reality that Austin Drummond is also made in the image of God. While it is true on the one hand that he should, if guilty, face the full penalty of the law for his actions in this life, it is equally true on the other hand that life does not end with death (Heb. 9:27). Those who live lawlessly and step into eternity apart from Jesus Christ will face weeping and gnashing teeth in the eternal fire of Hell (Matt. 13:41-42). This is what all of us deserve unless God intervenes.
So, even as we pray for his victims’ families, we should also pray for Austin Drummond’s soul. If that sounds too drastic, remember the words of our Savior, who said, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:44-45).
Dr Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, TN, and author of Hope When Life Unravels. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBDooley.
