The Christian & The
Government
What About Pacificsm?
Text: Matthew 5.38-45
Peace at any cost?
If so, what does Ephesians 5.11 mean?
Why does I Peter 4.3,4 happen?
We know Matthew 5.9 is true…
Yet, Romans 12.18…
It is sometimes not possible to have
peace with some
Caution:
Romans 12.9-21 is not the same as
Romans 13.1-7
Chapter 12: individual duty…
Deals with insult, not injury
Consider Matthew 5.38-40
How could you do good, feed, etc.
someone who was…
beating your son, raping your daughter,
about to kill you?
This text does not apply to thugs, bullies,
and their violent actions upon you
Chapter 13: collective duty for all and
how Christians fit in
Errors Regarding Romans 13—
Some contend: “God gives the Government the
right to bear the sword, but Christians
cannot be a part of that”
They say: “It does not matter that a nonChristian is a Government official and must
put a murderer to death since this nonChristian is already in sin.”
This implies that the death of a murderer is
immoral, and putting him to death is a sin.
This also implies God has two sets of morality
for mankind
How can what God ordained be sinful?
Does God sin?
Is He immoral?
James 1.13
God has never asked nor used anyone,
sinner or saint, to do something sinful
or immoral!
Never!
Our Last Lesson…
Showed that what God ordains is moral,
the Government is God ordained, thus,
to work in the Government is a moral
occupation.
Question:
How can it be morally correct for a
Christian to call upon an immoral
person to do what is immoral for the
Christian to do?
How could an immoral person be
qualified to do a moral work, yet a
moral person [Christian] is not qualified
to do that same moral task? This is
contradictory and irrational!
Paul Took Advantage Of The
Government’s Protection:
Acts 23.16-end
If the plotters succeeded in attacking
Paul, and the soldiers had to kill them
to protect Paul, would this have been
immoral? If so, why did Paul suggest
his nephew tell the centurion of the
plot?
Where Is The Consistency?
I Timothy 2.1,2—
If the pacifist is correct, then sinners can
do God’s will while Christians pray for
their success in doing so!
Put another way: immoral people can do
a moral work for God, while God’s
moral people [Christians] pray that the
immoral people will succeed!
What About Personal
Protection?
Is it immoral for a Christian to prevent sin
by preventing a crime?
In view of Romans 12.18, since some
men cannot be appeased, would it be
immoral for a Christian to keep a thug
from beating a woman or raping her; or
keep the kidnapper from taking his
child for ransom?
Would it be immoral for a Christian to
keep a killer from taking his life?
Proverbs 3.27—
In light of this passage, crime prevention
could be, and many times is the best
“good” one could do for the criminal.
Does God Forbid Christians
To Protect Themselves?
What did Jesus mean: Matthew 5.38,39?
Subject is not dealing with self-defense
from a thief or thug,
But persecution because of your faith
This agrees with Romans 12.17-21
This rules out vigilantism…
…not self-preservation!
Matthew 5.39…
Is not without qualification
Keep doctrines in their proper contexts
Did Jesus violate His own rule?
John 18.19-24
Why did He not “turn the other cheek”?
Why did He speak up for Himself when
he was slapped?
What did He mean by verse 36?
Would Jesus’ servants really “FIGHT”?
Is the Lord being INCONSISTENT?
Matthew 5.39…
What did Paul do and say?
Acts 23.1-5
He protested the unjust treatment and
scolded the soldier!
Why did he not “turn the other cheek”?
What About Matthew 5.44?
To desire the best [love] for an evil
person does not place an evil person’s
actions above the welfare of yourself or
your loved ones if this evil person is
harming them!
One takes precedence over the other
We Dare Not Harm Out Of
Hatred…
But if harming the villain is the only
course to protect the innocent
It is an act of love for the one being
harmed
Do not forget: II Peter 2.12…
“But these, as creatures without reason,
born mere animals to be taken and
destroyed”
What About Peter And His
Sword?
Matthew 26.52
Why did Jesus not tell Peter to throw
away his sword?
He was told to “put it away” only
Why did Jesus not scold Peter?
What Does “Take Up” Mean?
“To take as a constant practice, typical,
usual as a habit…
…to use as a tool at certain times”
In fact, Jesus told his apostles to buy a
sword!
Luke 22.36,38
Why?
What was about to take place?
Jesus’ Arrest!
What did they ask Jesus when the
soldiers came with Judas?
Luke 22.49—Shall we fight?
(Peter did not wait for Jesus’ answer!)
Verse 51—
“Allow them to do this for now…”
Note: Jesus did not forbid fighting…
But bade them not to fight at this time!
Jesus’ Arrest!
He did not forbid self-protection…
He did not forbid the innocent protecting
another
He made the point that this is part of the
Father’s plan for your salvation…
“Let them have Me!”
In no Bible text Does God forbid His
people to protect themselves from
mere thugs, bullies, murderers, rapists,
thieves, and other violent behaviors!
So Why Buy A “Sword”?
Carnal weapons are not for spiritual
war…
II Corinthians 10.3,4
Ephesians 6.12
We do not teach, preach, convert by
force!
Carnal weapons…
Are for carnal [bodily], physical
protection
For oneself, and for the innocent who
need protection
If this is true for the individual…
Why is it not true for a nation?
Not all people engaged in war are acting
immorally
Some are trying to protect and preserve
their nation
nd
2
What Is The
Greatest
Commandment?
Mark 12.31
“Self” must come before your neighbor
You cannot love your neighbor if you do
not love yourself properly
You do not love yourself properly if you
harm yourself, or allow another to do
so
Ephesians 5.29
“Love Your Neighbor As
Yourself”
Is found 9 times in the New Testament
It is never taught as a reaction or
response to someone who is harming
you…
It is taught as a proactive attitude toward
those around you
It is similar to the “golden rule” of
Matthew 7.12
MISINTERPRETATION—
To use the “Golden Rule,” the “2nd Great
Commandment,” “Turning The Other
Cheek,” and “Loving Your Enemies” as
justification for pacifism is not proper
Biblical interpretation nor application!
To use these doctrines to allow a
murderer, thief, kidnapper, or rapist to
do harm is immoral!