There are some things for which Christianity is worthless.
If under pressure you revert to violence, enjoy inflicting pain, feel the need to oppress, or are obsessed with working out a "Count of Monte Cristo" type of vengeance... a life with Jesus is not for you.
Remember President Truman's famous saying, "The buck stops here."?
Well, genuine Christians collectively declare, "The violence stops here!"
The high voltage cruelty that touches us and pretends to perpetuate itself through us, just comes charging down a dead end street and fizzles out because it cannot find a crack in our wall. True Christianity is useless as a conductor of violence.
Historical Anabaptists generally refrained from taking up the sword... renounced the sword:
Let's face it: it takes more faith and courage to turn the other cheek and live the Sermon on the Mount than to pick up a gun. (Mat. 5:39)
Whose kingdom do we serve, anyway? “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,...” (John 18:36a)
God's kingdom functions as portrayed in the parable of the mustard seed: “...but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13:32)
Birds are terribly skittish. What does it take for them to lodge in the branches of a tree? It would have to do with the sense of refuge, security and refreshment that the tree conveys. Birds are not attracted by a threat of violence.
People are terribly skittish, too. What does it take for us to take up lodging in God's kingdom? It would have to do with the sense of refuge, security and refreshment that it conveys. People are not attracted by a threat of violence.
What did Jesus command that we do about those who spitefully use us? “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44)
Speaking of Jesus, his earthly walk was about “..., leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” (1 Peter 2:21) How many did he maim or kill during his time on earth?
I end up pretty unimpressed with the "unheroic heroes" often portrayed in the movies: the ones that refuse to engage/fight until the violence reaches one of their own... then it is gloves off, no holds barred, call in the marines. It is nothing more than the law of savages, mafias and drug cartels: touch one of mine, I hurt one of yours; hurt one of mine, I kill one of yours; kill one of mine, I kill 10 of yours and burn down their houses.
A Christian's life is governed by a set of principles that compels him to live a certain way... and to always live that way. No set of extenuating circumstances could ever justify laying those basic principles aside.
So, yes... I joined the Resistance. Non-violence is an integral part my testimony for Christ. The descriptive list of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) does not include words like... combative, violent, vengeful, or bellicose.
These words of Dr. Martin Luther King came forth in a different context, but they still ring loudly today:
If under pressure you revert to violence, enjoy inflicting pain, feel the need to oppress, or are obsessed with working out a "Count of Monte Cristo" type of vengeance... a life with Jesus is not for you.
Remember President Truman's famous saying, "The buck stops here."?
Well, genuine Christians collectively declare, "The violence stops here!"
The high voltage cruelty that touches us and pretends to perpetuate itself through us, just comes charging down a dead end street and fizzles out because it cannot find a crack in our wall. True Christianity is useless as a conductor of violence.
Historical Anabaptists generally refrained from taking up the sword... renounced the sword:
“James M. Stayer has described the ultimate Anabaptist position as separatist nonresistance to the authority of the state. Separatist nonresistance comprehends not only pacifism but also a refusal to participate in the coercive force embodied in state institutions such as the magistracy." Stacy Magedanz, "Public Justice and Private Mercy in Measure for Measure," Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 44.2 (2004), Questia, Web, 5 Jan. 2010.Living the love of Christ was unconditionally not compatible with the use of force or violence. The reasoning was: God forbid that a Christian would end up in a situation where he would be used to take the life of another human being. Not taking up the sword equated with refusing to assume the role of God in sealing the eternal fate of their equals.
Let's face it: it takes more faith and courage to turn the other cheek and live the Sermon on the Mount than to pick up a gun. (Mat. 5:39)
Whose kingdom do we serve, anyway? “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,...” (John 18:36a)
God's kingdom functions as portrayed in the parable of the mustard seed: “...but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13:32)
Birds are terribly skittish. What does it take for them to lodge in the branches of a tree? It would have to do with the sense of refuge, security and refreshment that the tree conveys. Birds are not attracted by a threat of violence.
People are terribly skittish, too. What does it take for us to take up lodging in God's kingdom? It would have to do with the sense of refuge, security and refreshment that it conveys. People are not attracted by a threat of violence.
What did Jesus command that we do about those who spitefully use us? “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” (Matthew 5:44)
Speaking of Jesus, his earthly walk was about “..., leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” (1 Peter 2:21) How many did he maim or kill during his time on earth?
I end up pretty unimpressed with the "unheroic heroes" often portrayed in the movies: the ones that refuse to engage/fight until the violence reaches one of their own... then it is gloves off, no holds barred, call in the marines. It is nothing more than the law of savages, mafias and drug cartels: touch one of mine, I hurt one of yours; hurt one of mine, I kill one of yours; kill one of mine, I kill 10 of yours and burn down their houses.
A Christian's life is governed by a set of principles that compels him to live a certain way... and to always live that way. No set of extenuating circumstances could ever justify laying those basic principles aside.
So, yes... I joined the Resistance. Non-violence is an integral part my testimony for Christ. The descriptive list of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) does not include words like... combative, violent, vengeful, or bellicose.
These words of Dr. Martin Luther King came forth in a different context, but they still ring loudly today:
To our most bitter opponents we say: "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you...."Christians are the ultimate Resisters. We stop the current of violence cold. We absorb it like Jesus did, even during his trial and crucifixion. And our souls are not in the least harmed in the process.
“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
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