Why Are Christians in the Military?

It's that time of year again - the season for patriotic fervor and pro-military attitudes. We're past Memorial Day and the 4th of July is just around the corner. Flag Day is sometime in June (I can never remember the exact date). These holidays are almost always accompanied by military events of various types. When this occurs, the church in this country never fails to be one of the biggest cheerleaders for both the flag and the military.

One question: why are followers of the Prince of Peace in the military?

(This post stems from an earlier one entitled Sorry, But I Can't Stop Asking Questions.)

Jesus Christ expects his followers to turn the other cheek and love their enemies. Our Lord makes this exceedingly clear in the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus also left an example of non-violence for his disciples to follow. When he was arrested, tortured, and crucified he could have struck back and been justified in doing so. However, Christ instead took the beatings not only to pay for our sin but also to show us how to respond when attacked.

Since this is both what Jesus taught and showed us, how can any of his followers be part of the military? In particular, how can any Christians take part in combat where they may be called upon to kill other human beings on behalf of a secular state?

I used to have no problem with Christians being in the military. After studying scripture I have changed my mind. Christ's teachings simply do not allow for His people to act violently toward others. Jesus offers no loopholes. He never tells his followers that in certain circumstances acting violently is acceptable.

In light of this, why are Christians in the military? In response to this question I've heard some believers say that they are in the military to defend others. This may at first sound like a good answer, but Christ never even implies that we should use violence to defend other people. Additionally, in the military it is not God but government who is giving the orders.

In the end I'm still left with the question: why are Christians in the military?

Linking: 12 Reasons America Doesn’t Win Its Wars

I don't link too often to articles that mostly focus on politics, but this one is too good to pass by without sharing:

12 Reasons America Doesn’t Win Its Wars

(Thanks to Arthur Sido for pointing this out.)

How Should Christ's Followers Respond to Memorial Day?

It's Memorial Day again. This is the day that our culture tells us we are to remember American soldiers who have died in combat. Some people do this, while many others just enjoy a day off work and maybe a juicy burger.

As those who claim Jesus Christ as Lord, how ought we respond to this day? Should we follow the cultural status quo by remembering the military dead? Or, should we simply ignore the whole thing and enjoy a day of freedom from our normal labors?

I'd like to suggest a third option. We Christians, while enjoying a restful day, ought to spend some time remembering. However, what we remember will be significantly different from what typical Americans do.

Let's remember that war is terrible.

Let's remember that war is always terrible.

Let's remember that "just wars" do not exist.

Let's remember that wars do not solve problems.

Let's remember that wars have all sorts of unforeseen long-term consequences.

Let's remember the war dead from every country, both military and civilian.

Let's remember that Christians ought never participate in war.

38 You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you (Matthew 5:38-42).

43 You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).

I've Reached Non-Violence, But Not Non-Resistance

I've been giving a lot of thought lately to the issues of non-violence and non-resistance. Having grown up in American evangelicalism, this has been a struggle for me. After much searching of scripture and analyzing of my own assumptions and motives, I've finally reached a point of embracing complete non-violence. I'm determined to respond to all of life's circumstances, no matter what, in a non-violent manner. No exceptions.

I believe we followers of Christ must take our Lord's teachings seriously. Jesus says some extremely straightforward and earthshaking things in Matthew 5:38-42:

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Christ continues in 5:43-48:

You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." 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 makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I'll be honest: the above verses make me uncomfortable. I don't particularly like them. A large part of me wishes they weren't in the bible. However, we don't get to pick and choose. Based on Jesus' life and teachings, it is clear that he expects non-violence from his followers.

When I talk about non-violence, I'm not speaking about politics. I don't care to be part of some sort of flower child, peace sign, pot smoking club. I have no intention of taking Christians to task who are part of the military (although that issue does raise some significant questions). I'm not going to start rebuking Christians for having guns. The list goes on.

This is more about what I'm for than what I'm against. I'm for living a life where every interaction with other people is a peaceful one. This will not always mean agreement. I will no doubt have different thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. about all sorts of issues than others will. However, this does not mean that things have to get violent. Additionally, just because someone else is violent toward me does not mean I have to respond in kind.

I believe in a sovereign God who oversees all circumstances. This includes violence toward me and my family. I trust him to protect me as he sees fit. When it comes to protecting my own family, I trust God with that as well. Would I respond violently if someone was attacking my family? At this point I do not know what I would do. The husband and father in me says "Yes I would," but I struggle to defend that scripturally.

My goal is to live in a non-violent manner at all times.

As for non-resistance, I'm not so sure. I have an easier time (at least in my mind) defining non-violence than non-resistance. While non-violence seems fairly clear cut, non-resistance feels murkier. When we look at the life of Christ we see Jesus at some times not resisting, but at other times he did. For example, when he cleansed the temple (not a violent act by the way), he was certainly resisting the status quo of the day. When the Pharisees put their traditions in front of biblical truth, Jesus rejected them forcefully. In fact, he resisted anyone who was teaching against God's truth. As for his disciples, Christ consistently resisted their lack of understanding and faulty assumptions about what the Messiah should be.

I'll be pondering non-resistance quite a bit in the days ahead. I've got to come to a clearer understanding and definition of what it means and does not mean. That being said, I do think Christ's call to non-violence is clear. Although it flies in the face of our Republican-loving, gun-toting American Christian subculture, it is what Jesus calls us to do. Will we do it?

Count me in for non-violence.

On Misinterpreting "Peacemakers"

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus Christ famously says the following:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (ESV)

"The peacemakers are blessed, for they will be called sons of God." (HCSB)

"How blessed are those who make peace, because it is they who will be called God’s children!" (ISV)

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (KJV)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (NASB)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." (NET)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (NIV)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (NKJV)

"God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God." (NLT)

"Happy the peacemakers -- because they shall be called Sons of God." (YLT)

I've listed ten different translations of this verse to show that they all say basically the same thing. We will be blessed by God when we live as people who make peace. This does not suggest that we earn God's favor by being peacemakers, but it does make it clear that God is pleased by this behavior. He also expects it.

But what does Jesus mean by being peacemakers?

I've heard this verse misinterpreted many times by well-meaning (and usually military supporting) evangelicals. Far too many of these folks say that Jesus is mainly referring to helping others make peace with God by accepting the gospel. This verse amounts, in this view, to another Great Commission. While sharing our faith is certainly important, neither the context of this passage nor the specific wording indicates that Christ has this in mind here.

Why would these evangelicals misinterpret this passage in this way? The reason is that they, ironically, fear the idea of peacemaking in its most basic sense. I'm referring to helping others live lives of day-to-day peace with other people through turning the other cheek and loving enemies. These truths, while spoken by Jesus in this very chapter, are not popular in much of American Christianity. They fly in the face of the military aggression that is so prevalent in our society and which is so often supported by the church.

In Matthew 5:9 Jesus is not talking about assisting lost people in coming to peace with God through the gospel. Rather, Jesus is telling his soon to be followers that he expects them to live peacefully in an unpeaceful world. He expects them to not retaliate when wronged (look at 5:10-12). Jesus desires that his people promote peaceful, kind, non-aggressive interactions among others. While the world wages war, Christ's people are to be agents of peace.

Let's be those people of peace that Jesus is talking about in the Beatitudes.

By the Way, Christianity is Not a "Religion of Peace" Either

In my previous post I made the case that we should reject the ignorant, politically correct, and patently false notion that Islam is a religion of peace. In doing so, I did not want to imply that Christianity is a religion of peace. When we look historically at the religion Christianity has become we see much violence. This is to our shame.

Please allow me to take a moment to clarify one key term. When I say "religion," I'm referring to man's attempts to get to God by his own means. This describes any religion in the world that does not have Jesus Christ at its center.

Institutional Christianity poses some problems when it comes to definitions. While it has many aspects of man-made religion, it also focuses to one degree or another upon Jesus Christ. Additionally, many wonderful Christian people attend institutional churches. This makes things a bit murky.

The sad reality, however, is that institutional Christianity has a long history of violence. This all began when Constantine made Christianity the preferred religion of the state. Whenever the church and state come together, the church becomes the whore of the state. This always (no hyperbole) leads to violence and aggression. All through the Middle Ages the church struck out against any they deemed to be heretics. During the crusades, many Muslims were slaughtered in various attempts to retake the holy land.

During the Reformation, both Catholics and Protestants killed in order to defend what they considered to be theirs. Dissenting groups such as the Anabaptists felt the wrath of both sides, finding little shelter anywhere. Even in modern times many within the church support violence. When President George W. Bush, himself at least sort of an evangelical, decided to start two different wars the church in this country largely lauded him.

When we look at the life of Jesus Christ we see one of non-violence. In fact, we see a man of peace. This is the model he left for us to follow. While the man-created institutions that masquerade as Christianity embrace war and violence, those who truly seek to live as Christ did desire lives of peaceful existence with all people. This is not to suggest that Christians cannot endorse or even commit violent acts; rather, I'm saying that those who do so have no biblical basis for their beliefs and actions.

Ultimately, Christianity is not a religion of peace because Christianity is not a religion.

Christianity, at least what we see in the scriptures, is about knowing and living for Jesus Christ. It is not man's attempt to get to God, but rather God's successful reaching down to mankind. He has done so in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christ never retaliated even though he would have been completely justified in doing so. This is the type of life we must lead.

Let's follow after Christ, rejecting both the violence and made-created religion that permeates this world.

7 Steps for How Christians Should Respond to Muslims

Below are seven concrete steps we followers of Jesus Christ should take when interacting with those who claim Islam as their faith:

1. Love Muslims.

2. Befriend Muslims.

3. Sacrificially serve Muslims.

4. Live holy lives in front of Muslims.

5. Willingly die for Muslims.

6. Do not retaliate against Muslims.

7. Share the Gospel with Muslims.

A Must Read!

It is not often that I refer to a book as a "must read." Here's an exception.

Fight: A Christian Case for Nonviolence is a text that I believe every Christian, at least those who have been raised in the USA, should read. We American Christians have largely ingested a massive dose of militarism along with our Christianity. The church in this country for the most part is one of the biggest supporters when our military goes off to war (at least as long as the president at that time is a Republican). We also relish our perceived right to self-defense. Author Preston Sprinkle, while not writing a great deal about politics in this book, confronts his readers with a strong biblical case for nonviolence.

I appreciate this book for two main reasons. First, Sprinkle bases his conclusions in scripture. This book is simply full of bible. You may not agree with all of his conclusions (I didn't), but you will have to at least deal with the scripture passages he sites. Second, the author addresses difficult questions and objections such as "What about Jesus' cleansing of the temple?" "What about the two swords?" "What about the soldiers who are not told to leave the military?" "What about Israel going to war in the Old Testament?" and "What about the death penalty now?"

Sprinkle spends roughly the first 1/3 of this book looking at violence/nonviolence in the Old Testament. This is an important topic for certain due to Israel's repeated warfare as a nation. Sprinkle uses the next 40% on analyzing the life of Jesus Christ during his first advent and what we have to expect in his second coming. The final 20% of this text focuses first on how the early church lived related to violence/nonviolence, and second on how we should respond to and think about difficult questions related to nonviolence.

Violence is largely accepted within the church as acceptable under a range of situations. But should this be? This is not an easy question to answer. For this reason, I deeply appreciate Fight: A Christian Case for Nonviolence. It challenges us to think through assumptions we have about how we interact with the world. It is not a comfortable book. However, it is well-written, well-researched, and worth your time. I highly recommend it.

One More Reason Why World War II Was Such a Travesty

Wars are generally murky things.

It is often difficult to know who the "good guys" and "bad guys" are. Many times wars involve bad guys fighting bad guys. Secular governments usually struggle to decide whether or not to get involved (unless they have been attacked directly). Individuals face this same dilemma. This is because wars are usually not black and white, good versus evil in nature.

World War I is a great example of the murkiness of war. Europe had managed to make it through the 1800's without any major conflict. This was a great blessing from God. Unfortunately, by the early 1900's few people remained alive who remembered the horrors of war. Additionally, the industrial revolution had brought about new weapons that many in the military wanted to try out. Because of all this (and many other factors), saber rattling began. All it took was Archduke Ferdinand's assassination to unleash warfare like no one had ever seen before.

Who were the "good guys" in World War I? The answer is that there weren't any. This is how we, as followers of Christ, should think about war. The vast majority of the time wars are not good versus evil, but evil versus evil (or at least more evil versus less evil).

This brings us to the one more reason why World War II was such a travesty. On the surface the second World War looks like a clear-cut decision. There were really bad guys who had to be stopped, and we good guys were going to stop them. Hitler attacked, so we attacked back. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, so we nuked them (twice no less!). We were good, and they were bad. End of story.

I believe that Christians should not have been involved in World War II, at least as far as killing goes. However, for the purposes of this post I just want to point out one thing: the additional travesty of World War II is that many within the church still think of all wars as being the World War II type: clear cut good against evil. This thinking, in turn, leads the church (ironically and tragically) to be one of the biggest supporters of the military when we go to war.

If we look at U.S. warfare post World War II we see a murky quagmire. The good versus evil thinking fails when looking at Korea and Vietnam. Were we (the U.S.) really with the good guys? Were there any good guys? What if we were the bad guys?

The first Persian Gulf war seems to be fairly clear cut as wars go. However, our involvement there has led to all sorts of terrible ramifications since (such as the 1993 and 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center). Wars always have unforeseen, negative consequences (see the far too harsh Versailles Treaty that ended World War I and its leading to the rise of Nazism in Germany).

America's involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq post 9/11 has been an absolute disaster in almost every way possible. We've lost hundreds of soldiers, killed thousands of civilians, spent billions of dollars, and left both situations in worse shape than before we arrived. And this makes us the good guys? I don't see how.

Wars are murky. We ought to think of them as they are: much more like World War I than World War II. Additionally, we Christians are members of a far better kingdom: our citizenship is in heaven. Why then would we followers of the Prince of Peace ever kill on behalf of a secular government? We do far better to abstain from warfare as it rages around us.

Let's be people of peace, not war.

Could You Ever Kill? Would You Ever Kill?

I've never been a fan of killing.

The Ten Commandments make it clear that murder is wrong. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. The epistles are full of exhortations to look out for the good of our neighbors. One general theme throughout all scripture is that the taking of another life is not good.

Despite the above, I've previously held to two exceptions when it comes to killing. I believed it was acceptable to kill if it was part of a war I deemed just or if someone was attacking my family or friends.

I've been pondering this issue quite a bit for the past couple of years. It has been a challenging process. I've arrived at the following conclusion: I could no longer and would no longer kill another human being for any reason. No exceptions.

Now, if someone was attacking my family I would certainly defend them. However, killing is no longer part of the equation. As for warfare, count me out. I would never take up arms as part of a national military.

My two questions for you mirror the title of this post: Could you ever kill? Would you ever kill? Why or why not?

I'd love to hear your reasoning. If you differ from me I will not respond with any sort of attack. I may question you further, but I won't let the discussion turn ugly. Thanks for responding.

Why Would Any Follower of Christ Serve in the Military?

I've recently come to the conclusion that I could no longer consider serving in the military. Not that I'm being asked to sign up, but if I was asked I would not do so. I can no longer reconcile loving my enemy with possibly being asked to shoot him.

This conclusion has led me fairly quickly to a related question: Why would any follower of Christ serve in the military?

Uh-oh. Them's fightin' words.

I realize that thousands of Christians are currently part of the U.S. military. Many thousands more support them in this. However, numbers do not equal correctness. Look at the following verses from the book of Matthew:

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Matthew 5:9

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 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 makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." Matthew 5:43-45

In 5:9 and 5:43-45 Jesus says that "sons of God" and "sons of your Father" are those who are peacemakers and love their enemies. Christ himself makes a connection between how we treat others and whether or not we know God. Remember that both love and peace are aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Evidence of our being in Christ is loving and peaceful attitudes toward even those who hate us.

I've heard some Christians speak of a difference between how we are to act individually toward others and how we are to act as part of the military. The idea is that while it's not acceptable to harm someone as we go about our daily lives, it is all right to harm them as part of the Army, Navy, etc. I find this argument convenient but not biblically defensible.

Jesus made it clear what he thought of the use of violence. During his arrest we see the following:

"While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, 'The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.' And he came up to Jesus at once and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, 'Friend, do what you came to do.' Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, 'Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.'" Matthew 26:47-52

Jesus says, "All who take the sword will perish by the sword." This is a strong warning to those who would act out in violence toward other people.

God's Kingdom is not of this world. Its values are upside-down compared to the world's standards. What might make sense to us is often not what Jesus wants.

Jesus commands to love enemies. The military commands (sometimes) killing enemies. These aren't just different; they are opposite.

In light of Jesus' counter-cultural statements and demands, how can any Christian serve in the military?

No Longer Could I Serve in the Military

I have never served in the military. However, I've always thought in a positive manner about being a part of the United States' armed forced. It seemed natural to want to support and defend our country. For much of my life it was something I never questioned. I had seen, and still see, many Christians in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, etc. Frankly, it wasn't an issue.

My thoughts have changed radically over the past few years. No longer could I serve in the military at any level or in any position. I realize this is somewhat theoretical in nature; it's not as if recruiters are knocking down my door to get to a 43-year-old. Regardless, I couldn't and wouldn't ever be part of the military. Even if the USA was invaded by another country as part of total war I would not join the military.

I've come to this conclusion after thinking long and hard about Jesus' teachings. Specifically, I've been pondering both what he said about and how he acted toward his enemies. Jesus teaches us much in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:9 Jesus says, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Some Christians limit the meaning of this verse to only the helping of people reach spiritual peace with God through the gospel; however, in light of what Jesus says later in Matthew 5 this seems like too narrow of an interpretation.

In Matthew 5:38-47 Jesus expands on what he said in 5:9. Our Lord says, "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 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 makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Jesus says a lot in those verses. Much of it can be summed up in the startling phrase, "Love your enemies." I believe this is one of Christ's most counter-cultural and counter-world statements. It gives us a view of how radically different the Kingdom of God is from the kingdoms of this world.

One of the primary things the military does is fight against enemies. In light of what Jesus says here, how could I take up arms against enemies of the USA? Can I love someone and shoot him at the same time? I don't see how the two can possibly fit together. Furthermore, I don't understand how I could be part of the support network behind the soldiers. If I'm assisting them in doing their job, which involves killing others, then I'm at least partially responsible for any deaths caused.

Did Jesus actually live out what he said? How did he treat his enemies? Did he even defend himself? The answer is a resounding "No!" Read any of the trial and crucifixion passages from the gospels to see this. For example, Matthew 27:27-31 says, "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him."

Jesus was living out what was written of him many years before as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."

In the end my conclusion regarding military service is quite simple. Jesus commanded us to love our enemies. How could I possibly serve in the military when I might be ordered to kill someone in the name of the USA? Killing and loving do not mix. Therefore, I could no longer serve in the military in any capacity whatsoever.

What if the Good Samaritan Had Seen the Man Getting Beaten?

The best class I took in seminary was Christian Ethics. Part of the reason for this was that the professor was excellent. The second reason was that ethics is basically applied theology. We were able to discuss what the bible has to say about all sorts of real world issues.

One day in class we were talking about what responsibility we have to defend others. The professor posed an interesting question. He asked what the Good Samaritan should have done if he had seen the man getting beaten. In the Luke 10 passage the Samaritan man happens across the beaten man well after the crime has been committed (click here to read the passage). We know that the Samaritan does the right thing in the situation: he sacrificially cares for the man. Jesus commends him for his actions.

But what if the Samaritan was walking along and stumbled across the beatdown in action? What then should he have done?

This is one of those tough questions because it is not directly addressed in scripture. On the one hand, Jesus was a man of peace. His teachings make this very clear. On the other hand, Jesus desires that we care for the poor and needy. Someone getting beaten up is certainly needy.

It has been ten years since I took that Ethics class. I've been pondering an answer to the question the entire time. Despite this, I'm still not sure of the right answer.

I've come to this somewhat shaky conclusion (which is open to change in light of better scriptural understanding on my part): if the Samaritan had come upon the beating taking place, he should have intervened. What would this look like? His first response should be to approach the situation and tell the criminals to stop. If they did not, he should begin yelling, calling for help, or anything else that would scare them away (for us today, we could call 911). If none of this worked, I believe the Samaritan should have tried to step between the criminals and the beaten man. This would probably require him to take a beating as well. If all other courses of action were extinguished, the Samaritan should intervene physically, but only in defensive manner to attempt to drive the men away.

I'm not thrilled with my own answer, but it's the best I've come up with so far.

What do you think? What should the Samaritan have done and why?

Love and Nonresistance: God's Plan for the Church

I've been thinking a lot lately about our responsibility to live peacefully in a sinful world. Thinking biblically, what should this look like?

I recently read a helpful little book entitled Love and Nonresistance: God's Plan for the Church. The author, John Coblentz, looks at Old Testament foundations and New Testament principles that must guide our decision making. Using scripture as his basis of authority, he deals with issues such as warfare in the OT, nonresistance in both the OT and NT, and the separation of church and state.

The most helpful chapter for me focuses on the difference between nonresistance and pacifism. The author writes that pacifism is actually nonviolent resistance. This is significantly different from nonresistance. I had never thought about the difference before. Coblentz suggests that the bible models and teaches a life of nonresistance on the part of the Christian.

I'm still working through these issues. This book was helpful in this path I'm walking. I recommend it highly. You can order it here or here. Enjoy.

Guns, Guns, Guns

Jesus Christ was a man of peace.

Jesus expects his followers to be people of peace.

In light of this, what are God's people to do about guns?

Like most things in life, guns can be used for both good and bad. Good examples include hunting for food and defending family. Examples of the bad include much of what we see in the news: murder, burglary, etc. Because of their very nature, guns tend to cause extreme reactions. I admit that I'm troubled by the tendency of so many Christians to fall in line with conservative (Republican) politics. The right to bear arms is not exactly critical to the mission of the church. And yet, some Christians seem to get more riled up about keeping their guns than they do about evangelizing the lost.

On the flip side, other Christians are looking to government to curb crime through gun control. Two problems exist with this line of thought. First, more government in general almost always causes more problems than solutions. Second, gun control in particular takes the guns out of the hands of the good guys, but leaves them with the bad guys (look at Chicago to see what happens).

What are Christians to do? This is not an easy answer.

A few suggestions:

1. Pray fervently about what to do.

2. When in doubt, fault on the side of peace.

3. Remember that gun rights are not a gospel issue.

4. Guns should be used in a very limited, controlled capacity.

5. Guns should be a last resort in self-defense or other-defense.

6. Let's avoid more governmental regulation on any side of the issue.

7. Let's avoid entanglement with secular lobbying groups.

As with many other topics in the Christian life, this is not a simple issue. However, there can be no doubt that Jesus Christ was a man of peace.

In Matthew 10:34 Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." In this verse he is referring to spiritual issues, in particular the gospel. This has nothing to do with peace/violence toward another person.

As Jesus' disciples we should be people of peace who fault on the side of peace. In light of this, we must be cautious and careful in how we choose to talk about and use guns. Christ's church must stand out as different from the world. We cannot afford to sound like the NRA or some anti-gun group. Instead, let's think biblically.

We must be people of peace.

Limited Pacifism Anyone?

The more I read about Jesus Christ, the more I see a God-Man of peace. Jesus came to earth to die for his church, but he also came to show us how to live. While we certainly cannot live a perfect life or walk on water, we can emulate much of what he did.

For much of my life I've seen Jesus through "Republican Party lenses." I thought of Jesus as caring for the unborn, but not caring much for the poor. I saw Jesus condemning sexual sin, but didn't see his warnings to the wealthy. I understood Jesus to be in favor of self-defense, but didn't think much of his teachings about peace.

I'm slowly learning that Jesus was and is far too complex and interesting to be claimed by any one political party. One way that Jesus is un-American (and neither Republican or Democratic) is that he cares a great deal about peace. His teachings all point toward loving service of others, whether they be his followers or not. He never suggests that we use violence to solve problems. My desire is that I become more like this.

I've reached a point of what I'll call limited pacifism. In my dealings with the world in general I plan on living peacefully. I'll not take up arms for any sort of political reason; I could never serve in the military.

The one place I'd still use limited violence is in defending others (especially family). My hope is that I'm never placed in this situation. I'll exhaust all other options before resorting to any sort of force.

I encourage you to look at this issue with me. I'm new to it. If you have thought about these issues in depth, then I cherish your input.

As we look at the life of Christ, we must understand that there are certain things he did to fulfill the OT law. For example, he kept the Sabbath and celebrated the festivals. These are not things we need to do. However, Jesus also gave us many examples to live by that meld with his teachings. One of these is his emphasis on peace.

In Matthew 5:9, toward the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Let us be people of peace.

A Question About War, Peace, and the American Church

A question for you today:

In light of Jesus Christ's emphasis on peace, why do most Christians in the USA almost always quickly support the government in going to war?