Continued from page 1
Now with that said, let me share what I’ve come to believe about taking up arms against my enemies. I may exercise one of three responses to my enemy’s actions. One, I may legally defend myself against bodily injury by
use of force necessary to neutralize enemy’s threat or his aggressive actions. Or secondly, I may ignore him and hope he goes away. Or third, I may place my life in his hands and accept my fate.
The third is highest response I can display toward my enemy, but it is not easiest. Why? To place my fate in hands of evil will either enslave me or kill me. Granted action may stun my enemy and affect his heart in a positive way. But it is costly on my part. Pacifism is very powerful. Jesus did not resist His accusers by violence, and His death changed course of human history. Martin Luther King Jr. detested violence and changed American history. Many great men and women of history took a non-violent stand against evil and good eventually won out. Pacifism is powerful, but it is costly. And not everyone can pay cost it demands.
The second response is ignoring your enemy. The Apostle Paul told early church to live in peace with all men—IF POSSIBLE. Sometimes it’s possible and desirable to pursue peace with enemy. I may sacrifice a little for sake of peace and reap positive consequences. In this regard a treaty or contract is valued. This is sensible, but it is not always practical. Sometimes my enemy won’t leave me alone and forces my hand to war. This leads me to first response I mentioned.
As a Christian I should never condone violence. I should never pick a fight. And even when pushed, I should seek high road and pursue reconciliation, even if I’m in right. The Christian thing to do regarding an enemy’s reproach is to reach out to him. Bless him. Pray over him. Do good to him; however, if he should resist my efforts to love him then what?
I should let my conscience guide me and wisdom control me. But my enemies will never enslave me nor will they murder me because fear of them or intimidation by them paralyzed me. I will act some way to my enemy’s saber rattling. Either I will turn other cheek, offer terms of peace, or give him fight of his life. Whatever course I choose, it’s my choice by grace of God. And if God is with me, I will not be defeated.
Keep faith. Stay course. Jesus is coming again. This time He’s coming like a lion.
Pastor T. dash
Pastors a small church in Broken Arrow, OK. Retired from law enforcement. Served honorably in the United States Navy during the Viet Nam era.
