Question: Hi Greg,

Recently I watched a movie about Mahatma Gandhi, which told the story of how he used non-violence to gain independence for India. I also respect Martin Luther King and other martyrs for their peaceful approach to human rights, freedom and democracy.

One of my favorite Bible passages is Luke 6:27-36, where Jesus talks about retaliation and loving our enemies:

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Years ago it was difficult for me to relate to this passage. I didn't understand how it could be possible to love and forgive someone who kills, rapes, steals -- even murderers, serial killers, dictators and terrorists -- but, by God's grace, I can now see how it is possible to love and forgive such people.

But I am still confused about some things. Should Christians own weapons for protection? Should Christians be trained in martial arts? How can Christians serve in the military and be "trained to kill"? When Christians find themselves in situations where where they need to stop a crime or protect others from harm -- such as stopping a rapist or murderer -- how can they do so without resorting to violence? Can Christians serve as police officers -- who are frequently called on to use violence against criminals? Is it permissible for a Christian to kill "to save lives"?

Answer:

Christians have always struggled with these ethical issues. Some Christians today advocate some form of what is called the "just war" idea – but that was not the case throughout all history. Some claim that early Christians were more pacifist in their views. At the other end of the spectrum we have the bloody Crusades, with its horrible atrocities and violence supported by and committed by Christians against Muslims and other non-Christians -- resulting in as many as 9 million deaths, by some estimates. Similar "evangelism by the sword" occurred in in the subjugation of the Americas by the conquistadors. Much pain and resentment continues from such misguided attempts to advance Christendom by force of law and by violence.

Of course, we must consider the teaching and practice of the old covenant. Warfare characterized the nation of Israel in its struggles – but within the context of being a nation with a king -- among many other competing, warlike nations in the ancient world. The New Testament took a different view of the kingdom of God, and thus Christians were/are not culturally, geographically or linguistically separated but instead those walls were/are torn down (Ephesians 2).

Jesus does seem to teach non-resistance, as you mention in the passage you quote, among others. Yet Jesus accepted war as a part of the world’s system (Matthew 24:6) – and we read that a warrior was among the early Christians (Acts 10). Military men are mentioned in Hebrews 11 – the New Testament uses metaphors of "Christian soldiers" – yet Jesus said that his cause was not advanced by his servants fighting (John 18:36).

All Christians share -- to some degree -- a common concern about violence and war. Nearly all agree that nonviolence is, in principle, preferable to violence. Few Christians would dispute that the ideal is brotherly love among all peoples and the elimination of war. But even now -- perhaps more so in the decade since the events of 9/11 -- there seems to be an outright glorification of war under the guise of patriotism in certain fundamentalist American Christian traditions.

So -- are there any circumstances that morally justify a Christian going to war? The idea of a "just war" (that war is necessary and justified under certain conditions) was developed by Augustine of Hippo, Thomas Aquinas and later Christian thinkers (although it seems to have been ignored or heavily revised during many phases of Christian history). This is a topic that is far too large and complicated to discuss here -- but most Christian scholars ground their thoughts in Romans 13 – and the fact that we humans are imperfect, sinful humans living in a sinful world. Most believe that we cannot devise a perfectly pure and spotless view of warfare, justice, law enforcement, etc. in the world in which we live, for all attempts to do so are confounded by the reality of our sinful condition.

On the other hand, one cannot help but admire those who genuinely are pacifists – for biblical reasons – for there is much in the Bible to commend such a view. Other Christians take what they consider to be a "realistic" position – asking what the state of any nation might be if they simply "turned the other cheek."

An excellent discussion of the Christian perspective on war can be found in our May/June 2002 Plain Truth magazine -- "War -- Should Christians Fight?" I also engage a number of these concerns in the Fall 2011 Plain Truth in an article titled "9/11: What Have We Learned?"

In Christ
Greg Albrecht