Recent events are showing us again how violent and ungodly our world can be at its worst. Murders and crime in our cities, the Taliban back in control in Afghanistan and reigning terror on their own people, and “wars and rumors of wars” as regular headlines in the news.
Jesus declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” while he shared the secrets of the kingdom of God in his Sermon on the Mount. What does it mean to be a peacemaker? It would be easy to say, “It’s 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 the human condition since Genesis 3, just read the Scriptures (Old and New Testaments alike) and you will see the flow of murder, rape, violence, and war throughout history. Persecution was prolific in Jesus’ day and throughout the early church straight through to the Reformation, and it wasn’t just secular governments and the Roman Catholic Church dishing out the violence. Protestant leaders participated in or advocated for shocking acts of violence in the name of Jesus as well. 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. Peacemakers are decidedly different from troublemakers.
How do we respond today to the increasing threat of religious extremism? How do we respond to the growing violence in our own city? Some Christians revert to tribalism, surrounding themselves with their “own kind” and hating all others. They arm themselves with assault weapons and dig in, growing more and more disillusioned with our world and more and more uncaring toward 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… ”blessed are the peacemakers.”
This does not mean, however, that our government should not intervene militarily to put an end to rampant violence and bloodshed, or that our law enforcement agencies should not enforce laws (Rom. 13:1-7). 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 reasonable force. Here is 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 society. I never intentionally harmed a person I detained—often I prayed for them—nevertheless, I still placed them under arrest. Some were violent and 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 occasionally do) and feel that it is not unreasonable for law-abiding persons to do so. A criminal 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. Putting a quick (albeit violent) end to a person who is randomly shooting up a public arena with extreme malice is not hating your enemy, it is loving your neighbor. Some disagree with me on these matters, and that’s okay.
Where does that leave us? I believe our government and public servants should serve to curb violence and to protect the citizens they serve (along with other assigned official duties). This 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 enforced with the use of force, if necessary. It is often a messy and somewhat arbitrary business in a fallen world. Societies ruled by law do this to the best of their ability.
The day may come, however, when you or I may be forced to testify to our faith in Christ with our lives, not our weapons. 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 us do all we can to follow the path he has already trod before us.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Jym