Last week I encouraged you to read a post by Tim Challies concerning Christian extremism. If you took the time to read it, I hope you found it thought provoking. Allow me to share with you briefly some of my follow up thoughts this week.
I believe that Challies is right in his assessment of our faith and our role as peacemakers. Jesus declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” while he shared the secrets of the kingdom of God from the mount near the Sea of Galilee. What does it mean to be a peacemaker? It would be easy to say, “Isn’t it different now, with so much violence and hatred and growing persecution in the world, particularly at the hands of religious extremists?” The answer I believe would be, “No, it isn’t different at all.” Violence has been a part of human nature since Genesis 3, just read the stories from Scripture, Old and New Testaments alike, and you will see the flow of murder and war throughout history. Persecution was prolific in Jesus’ day and throughout the early church, straight through to the Reformation, when some of our own Protestant leaders participated in or advocated shocking acts of violence in the name of God. Since the Reformation, religious persecution has only increased. So, suffice to say that when Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers…” he understood, as did his hearers, what the implications were.
How do we respond today to the growing threat of radical Islam? How do we respond to the growing violence in our own city? Some self-proclaimed Christians revert to violence to stamp out violence. They arm themselves with assault weapons and dig in, growing more and more disillusioned with our world and more and more angry at anyone who does not share their views. The concept of “love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you” is lost in a malaise of anger, fear, and bitterness. But this is not what God has called us to. We are called to pray for these desperate men and women who do evil. This does not mean, however, that our government should not intervene militarily to put an end to the violence and bloodshed. There is a delicate balance here. I am not a pacifist, nor do I believe that the Bible advocates pacifism. As strange as it may seem, one can love an enemy even while one resists that enemy through collective force. Here’s how that breaks down for me. I used to serve in law enforcement, and I often put restraints on men and women and placed them under arrest. I think it was the right thing to do for our collective society. I never intentionally harmed a person I detained, and I often times prayed for them – but I still placed them under arrest. Some were violent and some fought back. When that happened I forcibly placed them under restraint (usually with the help of a few other officers, thank goodness). I did not hate them in the process, but I did use force. Today I am a pastor. I hold a permit to carry a weapon, which I rarely do, and yet I believe it is reasonable to do so for many people. A person breaking into your home to rob or kill you or your children is not there to persecute you for your faith; they are there to steal and to destroy. I believe a Christian can resist such violence and still practice Jesus’ command to love your enemy. Some disagree with me, and that’s okay.
Where does that leave us? I believe our government and local officials should serve to curb violence and to protect their citizens. This is what is known theologically as the “second use of the law.” The law holds men and women to account and gives them a reason to obey, thus making possible a limited measure of justice here on earth. It is a messy business in a fallen world. The day may come when you or I might be forced to testify to our faith in Christ with our lives. I pray that I will have the strength if that day comes to peacefully share my faith and die. My prayer is the same for you. We are commanded to obey Christ and love rather than hate. He gave us the perfect example; let’s do all we can to follow the path he has already trod.
You’re probably reading this on Thanksgiving Day. Consider giving thanks today for the ability to eat and fellowship and relax in a society where chaos does not rule. Pray for the countless thousands of refugees fleeing countries where this is not a reality, who will spend the day in a refugee camp. God has been good to us. Let us rejoice and give him thanks!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym