Jesus? A Pacifist? (Christianity and Pacifism)

Recently, I publicly called out a well-known pastor of a popular church congregation because he had publicly refused to preach accurately the Truth of GOD’s Word regarding the issue of abortion while he had been interviewed on a national talk show. In addition, I called out that same pastor for being guilty of an adulterous affair against his wife (of which he confessed as being true). Ultimately, I admonished that man to step down from being a pastor (James 3:1; 1Timothy 3:2-5; Titus 1:6-9), to genuinely repent, and then, because restoration is the goal for admonishment (2Corinthians 2:6-8; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20), I asked for all Christians everywhere to pray for that man to be restored as a follower of Christ (even if he never becomes a pastor again).

In response to my rebuke against that pastor, an angry audience member wrote to me and stated the following arguments:

“Except it’s not a sin to NOT stop other from sinning. I’m not going to be condemned for other people’s sins when I get to the pearly gates, I promise you that. The Bible is pretty clear as far as who’s fate I am responsible for, we aren’t Calvinists here. In fact I would argue that this truly is the most Christian approach because it is the most accepting. Because at the end of the day you militant ass Christian’s seem to forget that Jesus was the ultimate pacifist. He loved all. Accepted all. Regardless of past or current sins. I swear all of you read the same book and every one of your glossed over the main message. ACCEPT EACHOTHER.”

Interestingly enough, the person contradicts him/herself by arguing for pacifism while attacking my character in an aggressive manner by calling me a “militant ass.’ In addition, the person demands that we all accept each other yet the person refuses to accept me. But apart from the person contradicting him/herself, are the main arguments presented true? In order to discover Truth, we must investigate thoroughly, and then honestly examine the evidence with integrity. Because there were multiple arguments presented, each one will need to be examined separately.

It’s not a sin to not stop others from sinning:

That argument was presented as a double negative and so I’ll paraphrase it in the affirmative as, “Nowhere in the Bible does it state that I must stop others from sinning in order to keep myself from sinning.” But is that true? Yes and no. This is a half-truth. However, it is fully true that all half-truths always neglect to tell the entire truth. So, what is the whole truth? Due to GOD granting us the great gift of free choice, we are not forced to do what is right, nor are we forced to prevent someone else from doing what is wrong. But ought we to prevent others from sinning? Ought we to stop someone while they are in the act of sinning? The problem is that logic cannot obtain “ought” from mere descriptions of “is,” that is, of the way things are. Relativists confuse fact and value, what is and what ought to be. What people do is subject to change, but what they ought to do is not subject to change. There is a difference between sociology and morality. The former is descriptive; the latter is prescriptive. Relativists confuse the changing factual situation with unchanging moral duty. No mere human is able to tell you whether you ought to do something without appealing to the absolute standard of good. And because GOD’s morality is the absolute standard of good, GOD’s Word informs us what we ought to do if we discover a person’s intent to sin or witness a person in the act of sinning. And this is why sin is defined as anything (whether in thoughts, actions, or attitudes) that does not express or conform to the Holy character of GOD as expressed in His Moral Law. Morality dictates what future behavior ought to be. So, what does the Lord say we ought to do in those scenarios? If we know someone intends to sin, ought we to prevent that person from sinning? Yes. Why? Because GOD says it’s the loving thing to do.

Ezekiel 3:17-21 says, “¹⁷ “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. ¹⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹ Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. ²⁰ Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. ²¹ However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”

In Acts 16:22-34, GOD produced an earthquake which opened the prison doors, allowing Paul and Silas the opportunity to escape: “²⁷ When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!’ ²⁹ And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰ and after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ ³¹ They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ ³² And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. ³³ And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. ³⁴ And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.”

In both scenarios, speaking out so as to prevent someone from sinning was the morally right action to choose. But what if we witness someone in the act of sinning? Ought we to stop that person from completing the sinful action? Yes. Why? Again, GOD says it is the loving thing to do.

In Numbers 25:1-13, Israel was in the act of being a harlot, committing sexual immorality and idolatry, joining themselves to Baal of Peor. GOD commanded Moses to instruct the judges to purge the evil from among them in order to put an end to those sinful acts that were happening. Phinehas, in his zeal for the Lord, caught the perpetrators in the act and purged the evil from among them, which put an end to the plague among the Israelites. In response, the Lord said, “¹¹ ‘Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. ¹² Therefore say, “Behold, I give him My covenant of peace; ¹³ and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.” ’ ”

In Galatians 2:11-21, Peter was in the act of sinning by showing favor to the Jews over the Gentiles when Paul interrupted him and rebuked him to his face in order to lovingly bring Peter back into alignment with GOD’s command that there must not be any partiality or personal favoritism (Deuteronomy 1:17; 2Chronicles 19:7; 1Timothy 5:21; James 2:1-9).

Essentially, GOD tells us that if we see someone who either intends to sin or is in the act of sinning, it is our moral obligation to prevent or stop that person from sinning. For this reason, it is written in James 4:17, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

But what about people who have already committed acts of sin? Should we remain silent because those acts have already been committed? If the sins committed are in the past, ought we to say or do anything to that person? Yes. Why? Because so long as a person is still alive on this earth, that person has the opportunity to repent and come back into alignment with GOD’s will.

In 2Samuel 11, David sinned by committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband, Uriah, murdered. In 2Samuel 12, Nathan the prophet confronted David about the sins he committed in order to bring David back into alignment with GOD’s will. And Psalm 51 showcases David’s genuine repentance.

James 5:19-20 says, “¹⁹ My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

I’m not going to be condemned for other people’s sins when I get to the pearly gates:

Well, from the investigation of the previous argument, we already know that GOD holds us responsible for preventing and stopping people from sinning; in addition, we’re supposed to lovingly confront people about sins they’ve already committed in order to bring them back into alignment with GOD’s will. However, let’s address the unfounded myth that we will stand before Peter at the Pearly Gates. The book of Revelation describes the gates as belonging to the city of New Jerusalem. The city and Heaven are not exactly synonymous; the city (New Jerusalem) comes “down out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2) and is part of the New Earth (21:1). Also, contrary to the popular belief that the pearly gates exist as a barrier which prevents entrance into Heaven, Scripture says the gates of pearl will always be open: “its gates will never be closed” (21:22–25). The gates, made of a single pearl, will be open and the redeemed will enter into the eternal state: “nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (21:26–27). The pearly gates do not need to be closed because there will be a great chasm fixed so that the wicked will not be able to cross over into the Kingdom (Luke 16:26). Also, no one will stand before Peter to give account of their lives in order to gain entry into Heaven; rather, all people will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Christ Jesus is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Jeremiah 32:19; Matthew 16:27; 26:25,64; Romans 14:10-12; 2Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 22:12).

But let’s return to the argument that we will not be condemned for the sins of others. Again, that’s only a half-truth. While it is true that the Lord clearly tells us we will not be guilty for the sins of others and that we will only be judged according to our own deeds (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:20; Revelation 22:12), it is also true that our choices have consequences which can negatively influence and affect others.

In Matthew 12:36-37, Jesus said, “³⁶ But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Whoever causes people to sin will be held accountable for their wicked and careless decisions (1Kings 22:52-53; Jeremiah 32:35). For this reason, in Matthew 18:6-7, Jesus said, “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”

Being nonjudgmental is the most Christian approach because it is the most accepting:

Being “nonjudgmental” is an imagined and illogical concept which cannot be implemented in actuality because it does not correlate with reality. All people make judgments about what is good and bad, right and wrong. It’s unavoidable. Even those who claim to be neutral and without judgment will eventually reveal their hypocrisy through the judgments they make as they journey through life. Sadly, in our “politically correct” era, we are told by the hypocrites that it’s not our right to point fingers and pass judgment on others, and that whoever judges others is a horrible person. However, that is actually a judgment in and of itself, and thus it contradicts the principle that we should not judge others. In fact, this person hypocritically judged me as being a “militant ass.” The truth is that Jesus never commanded Christians to avoid judging; in fact, Jesus told His followers to judge righteously (John 7:24). The judgment Jesus condemns is the prideful, self-righteous, and hypocritical judgment (Matthew 7:1-5). And 1Corinthians 5:9-13 instructs Christians to judge insiders, not outsiders; therefore, I acted in obedience by reproving another pastor based on GOD’s Word. Whether Christians like it or not, we’re all held accountable to each other because we’re all the body of Christ and the body should work together for the same end goal (1Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 5:22-32).

Being “accepting” is not a praiseworthy quality if the person accepts what is evil. In fact, GOD commands us to hate evil (Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 8:13; Isaiah 1:16-17; Amos 5:15; Romans 12:9; 3John 1:11).

Jesus was the ultimate pacifist:

Pacifism is defined as being the belief that any violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances, and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.

But did Jesus proclaim that violence (including war) is unjustifiable under any circumstance? Many different arguments have been presented over history as to why Jesus was a pacifist, but the five most common are as follows:

• In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
• In Matthew 5:38-45, Jesus said, “³⁸ You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ [Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21] ³⁹ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. ⁴¹ Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. ⁴³ You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor [Leviticus 19:18] 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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
• In John 8:1-11, Jesus not only refused to stone to death a woman supposedly caught in the act of adultery, but He also wouldn’t allow the religious leaders to stone her.
• In Matthew 26:51-52, Jesus wouldn’t allow Peter to use a sword against the guards who came to arrest Him.
• Jesus was silent when accused, allowed Himself to get crucified, and refused to fight back.

Blessed are the peacemakers:

In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Examining this verse in its proper context within that historical time period, we know that some Judeans and Galileans believed that GOD would help them wage war against the Roman Empire in order to establish GOD’s Kingdom. However, in the beatitudes of this sermon on the mount, Jesus assigns the Kingdom to the meek (5:5), those who show mercy (5:7), those who make peace (5:9), and those who are persecuted (5:10). Thus, the main message is clear: children of GOD should do everything within their ability to be righteous so that they will bear righteous fruit. For this reason, Jesus said in 5:20, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” But this leads us to a curious question: how can a person’s righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees? Well, the solution is simple, albeit not easy. To live in such a way as to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, we must live without pride and hypocrisy (Isaiah 29:13-16; Matthew 6:2,5,16; 7:1-5; 15:1-9; 22:18; 23:1-36; 24:48-51). For this reason, Paul said in Romans 12:9, “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”

But does the absence of pride and hypocrisy equate to pacifism? Is pacifism the only path to producing righteous fruit? Wisdom instructs us to examine the entire Bible as a whole, and not foolishly carve out a false path to follow due to one isolated verse.

Romans 14:19 says, “we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”

In proper context, this verse declares that we can ensure peace by refusing to be a stumbling block to others. Sin is not a private matter, for everything we do or do not do affects others, either positively or negatively. We cannot build others up if we are pridefully building ourselves up at the expense of others. Therefore, we are to be humble and without hypocrisy.

1Thessalonians 5:12-15 says, “¹² But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, ¹³ and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴ We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.”

Scripture clearly informs us that in order to live in peace with others, we must abhor what is evil and admonish the unruly without being hypocrites and doing evil ourselves. But how can we gently warn and reprove the unruly without being hypocrites? The word “unruly” is the English translation of the Greek word [G813] ἄτακτος ataktos (at’-ak-tahs), which describes a soldier who is disorderly or insubordinate and out of rank, or someone who deviates from the prescribed order or rule. This word was used in Greek society of those who were lazy or slothful and did not show up for work. This word refers to those who are capable of working yet choose instead to be a parasitic burden to their neighbors. Thus, to be able to admonish the unruly, we would need to speak the Truth out from love (Ephesians 4:15). Is it possible that admonishing the unruly could produce an angry or even violent reaction from the person being admonished? Yes. But the possibility of a wrong reaction to the right message of Truth spoken out from love should never prevent the Truth from being spoken. The entire purpose of admonishing the unruly is to ensure that the entire community can exist in peace with each other. But peace will not be possible so long as sluggards remain as unnecessary burdens and refuse to contribute to the community.

Proverbs 18:9 says, “He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys.”
[see also, Proverbs 6:6-11; 19:15; 20:4; 24:30-34; 26:13-15; 28:24]

A lazy person who refuses to contribute to building up the community only helps in destroying the community. For this reason, Paul later wrote in 2Thessalonians 3:6-16, “⁶ Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. ⁷ For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; ⁹ not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. ¹¹ For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. ¹² Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. ¹³ But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. ¹⁴ If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. ¹⁵ Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. ¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”
[see also, Matthew 18:15-20; 1Corinthians 5:5; 1Timothy 1:20]

Therefore, Scripture clearly informs us that sometimes peace is only possible by being assertive rather than being passive. Some people might consider Paul’s command that “if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat” to be an unloving and aggressive action, but it’s actually assertive and loving. Paul was not advocating coldness or cruelty, but tough love in order to help shape every member of the community into a responsible, useful, and caring individual. Not only was Paul’s command assertive and loving, but it was without pride and hypocrisy because even he humbly worked so as not to be a burden on anyone (1Thessalonians 2:9; 2Thessalonians 3:8). Correcting wrongdoers is an act of love that ensures peace for the community. We are not to be stumbling blocks to others and cause them to sin, but we are also not to be unnecessary burdens on others due to laziness. We are never to be part of the problem; rather, we should be part of the solution. As a follower of Christ, it is our moral obligation and duty to work so that we can help others who are genuinely in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-37; Galatians 6:10; Ephesians 4:28; 1Timothy 5:3-8).

2Timothy 2:22-26 says, “²² Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ²³ But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. ²⁴ The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, ²⁵ with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.” [see also, 1Peter 3:15-16]

In accordance with maintaining peace, Christians are not supposed to be impatient or aggressively argumentative, trying to start unnecessary fights; however, Christians should be prepared to give a defense of the faith, explaining why they believe what they believe, able to correct those in opposition with gentleness and reverence. The goal is not to win an argument, but to win a brother or sister to Christ. If the argument leads me to hate the human [who was made in the image of GOD (Genesis 1:27) and for whom Christ died (John 3:16)], then I have become a murderer in my heart (1John 3:13-16) and have therefore lost a brother or sister, even if I won an argument. Again, we will be held accountable for every careless word we say (Matthew 12:36-37). We are instructed in Jude 1:22-23 to have mercy on those who doubt, and to do everything possible to snatch them from the fire of judgment. Therefore, seeking to be a peacemaker, we must use wisdom to formulate an appropriate response to those who are unwittingly serving Satan. Proverbs 15:1-2 says, “¹ A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ² The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.”

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” [see also, Psalm 34:13-14]

The word “sanctification” is the English translation of the Greek word [G38] ἁγιασμός hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mahs’), which means purification, the effect of consecration, which is sanctification of one’s life. The audience who received this letter of Hebrews would have been familiar with the ceremonial cleansing ritual that prepared them for worship, and they knew that they had to be holy or clean in order to enter the Temple. Sin always blocks our vision of GOD; so if we want to see GOD, we must keep in repentance so as to bear fruit (Matthew 3:8) while living in faithful obedience to the Lord’s commands (Psalm 24:3-4). Holiness is partnered with living in peace. A right relationship with GOD leads to right relationships with fellow believers and others who do not yet believe. Thus, Christians are servants of righteousness, which results in fruits of holiness (Romans 6:19,22; 1Thessalonians 4:3-4,7). But how can Christians pursue peace with the world if the world is against holiness and hates those who are righteous (John 15:18-21; 1John 3:13)? Because only with holiness will peace ever be possible. Apart from GOD’s Truth and absolute moral standard, there exists only selfish pursuit of sin, which results in chaos, destruction, and death. Evil is merely the privation of GOD’s goodness. Therefore, wisdom tells us that if we sow in peace, then we can reap a harvest of righteousness. For this reason, James 3:17-18 says, “¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Galatians 5:22-25 says, “²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Romans 12:14-21 says, “¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. ¹⁷ Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. ¹⁹ Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ [Deuteronomy 32:35-36] says the Lord. ²⁰ ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ [Proverbs 25:21-22] ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
[see also, Exodus 23:4-5; Psalm 135:14; Proverbs 20:22; Hebrews 10:30-31; 1Peter 3:8-17]

In Romans 12:18, Paul said “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” The word “possible” is the English translation of the Greek word [G1415] δυνατός dunatos (doo-nah-tahs’), which means possessing the power, ability, might, strength, and possibility of doing something. And so this leads us to a curious question: does a follower of Christ possess the power, ability, or strength to be at peace with all people? Examining how this word is used elsewhere in Scripture will help us fully understand if it is possible for us to accomplish this goal.

In Matthew 19:23-26, Jesus told His disciples it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. “²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ²⁶ And looking at them Jesus said to them, ‘With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ”

And so in proper context, no human possesses the power, ability, or strength to be saved by their own efforts; rather, GOD alone possesses the power to save. Therefore, salvation for humans is only possible because of the Lord; there’s nothing humans can do that can earn salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9).

In Matthew 26:39, while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

In proper context, Jesus showed His disciples by example that they needed to “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (26:41). For this reason, Paul said in Romans 8:4-14, Christians are not supposed to “⁴ walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. ¹² So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³ for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

In Mark 9:14-29, the disciples had been unable to cast out a spirit who made a boy mute. After expressing His disappointment with their unbelief, Jesus told the father to bring the boy to Him. The father asked if Jesus could do anything to help, and Jesus said, “²³ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” After Jesus cast the spirit out, “²⁸ When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ ²⁹ And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’ ”

Therefore, for it to be possible that a Christian is able to be at peace with all people, then the Christian must not walk according to the flesh, but must instead be guided by the Holy Spirit, completely relying upon the power of GOD to supernaturally work through him/her. For this reason, Paul told us to “pray without ceasing” (1Thessalonians 5:17) and “Do not quench the Spirit” (1Thessalonians 5:19). To live at peace while being persecuted by the enemy is not naturally possible, but only supernaturally possible. GOD informs us via His Word that we must be completely reliant upon Him with all of our actions being done in faith and that He will see our faith and respond to our faith. For this reason, Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” [see also, Matthew 17:20; John 11:40; Acts 14:8-10]

In conclusion to being a peacemaker, Scripture clearly reveals that the Lord commands His followers to often remain passive, peaceful, and loving despite their circumstances of being hated and persecuted; however, Scripture is also clear that the Lord Himself is not a pacifist because He is known as the Avenger, He has told us that vengeance belongs to Him, and that He will repay the wicked with His wrath (Deuteronomy 32:35-43; Psalm 18:47; Isaiah 35:4; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 7:8-9; Micah 5:15; Nahum 1:2-3; Luke 21:22; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30-31). As a follower of Christ, being a peacemaker is predominantly passive, but it can be assertive at times. Again, the possibility of a wrong reaction to the right message of Truth spoken out from love should never prevent the Truth from being spoken. Christians can still maintain peace while refusing to compromise on Truth and morality. But how can a Christian be a peacemaker? By praying without ceasing, being in constant communication with the Lord, being guided by the Spirit, never quenching the Spirit, and acting in complete reliance upon the Lord, knowing He will see your faith and will respond to your faith.

Matthew 5:38-45:

In Matthew 5:38-45, Jesus said, “³⁸ You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ [Exodus 21:23-24; Leviticus 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21] ³⁹ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. ⁴⁰ If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. ⁴¹ Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. ⁴² Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. ⁴³ You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor [Leviticus 19:18] 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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Turn the other cheek:

Matthew 5:39 says “do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” So, should Christians literally allow violent people to slap them in the face? In proper historical context, Jesus is explicitly addressing the legalistic misinterpretation of the Law; the religious leaders claimed the Law demanded that they must take revenge on their enemies using an equal measure of damage inflicted upon them. However, the Lord never commanded that in every circumstance they must seek revenge; rather, the “eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” measure was permitted as the most a person could do against someone who inflicted damage on them. A limit on vengeance was set so as not to exceed or go beyond that limit. Instead, Jesus clarified that people did not need to choose the most retaliation as a must response for revenge; rather, choosing to possess self-control, refusing to be offended, and choosing to forgive the offender provided an opportunity to overcome evil with good by loving the enemy. In those ancient times, the backhanded slap to the cheek was meant primarily as an insult, a challenge to the honor of the person struck. So, did Jesus mean that Christians should allow someone to slap them in the face? Obviously, if you’re able to avoid being slapped, then avoid the slap. However, Jesus did say that if an “enemy” slaps you on the cheek, He commands you to possess self-control and then turn the other cheek to the enemy. Why? Because it’s a radical expression of love and forgiveness, which allows the “enemy” the opportunity to see that you don’t consider that person an enemy and you don’t desire to be that person’s enemy. That supernatural response of resisting a natural reaction of retaliation will invite the enemy into a moment where he can recognize your love and then have an opportunity to pursue peace and restoration rather than war and destruction.

When Jesus said not to resist an evil person, that word “resist” is the English translation of the Greek word [G436] ἀνθίστημι anthistēmi (awn-thiss’-tay-mee), which means to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, or oppose. In other words, resisting an evil person who slaps you on the cheek would be to accept the person’s declaration of war and you would then present yourself as an enemy who is ready to fight. And so yet again, examining how this word is used elsewhere in Scripture will help us fully understand how to accomplish our goal in turning the other cheek.

Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

So, in proper context, the full armor of GOD enables us to stand firm against the enemy. But who is the enemy? In the previous verse (6:12), Paul says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

For this reason, it is written in James 4:6-7, “⁶ But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ ⁷ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

If we are in constant prayer with the Lord and guided by the Spirit, refusing to quench the Spirit, then we will refuse to take the devil’s bait, we will refuse to accept the person’s invitation to war, and we will instead be able to hear from the Lord as to how He desires us to respond. But how does the Lord desire us to respond?

In Luke 21:12-15, Jesus said, “¹² But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. ¹³ It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; ¹⁵ for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.”

In Acts 6:10, people rose up and argued with Stephen, “But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.”

Therefore, we resist the devil and refuse to physically fight the human who is enslaved by the devil. Why? Because the human is not the enemy, the devil is the enemy. If we stand firm in faith, resist the devil, the devil will flee from us; however, that doesn’t mean the devil will flee from the human who opposes us. The Holy Spirit will then give to us utterance and wisdom that the person will not be able to oppose or refute. In fact, Jesus showed us by example how to respond when He got slapped in the face by Roman officers. In John 18:23, “Jesus answered him, ‘If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?’ ”

Though the “enemy” may not be able to oppose or refute the Truth of what the Christian will be given to say in that moment, the person still might harden his/her heart just as Pharaoh had hardened his heart (Exodus 8:19). And so it’s possible that the person still might choose the path of war and destruction rather than peace and restoration even though the Christian chose the path of peace and restoration. In fact, that’s what happened to Stephen – the people couldn’t refute the wisdom and Truth that had been given him to speak, so they hardened their hearts and brought together false witnesses to accuse him. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit gave Stephen an irrefutable message of Truth to speak, yet the people hardened their hearts, did not master sin that was crouching at the door for them (Genesis 4:7), and they stoned Stephen to death. In fact, the same happened to Jesus – they were unable to refute Him, so they brought together false witnesses, accused Him, and had Him crucified. Therefore, we must realize that the Christian’s decision to be a peacemaker will not ensure the existence of peace, nor will it ensure his/her safety. But Jesus said that not only is the peacemaker blessed and will be called a child of GOD (Matthew 5:9), but that those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed and will inherit the Kingdom (5:10).

What if the “enemy” takes advantage of your love and mercy and attempts to slap you again on the other cheek? Well, you will then know that the person desires to pursue war rather than peace. But turning the other cheek does not mean that you must stand in place and allow the offender to strike you a second time. Again, the goal is to avoid being slapped. Turning the other cheek is an expression that means we choose not to retaliate, and sometimes that requires for us to walk away. However, if the attacker manages to slap you a second time, and because you only have two cheeks for the violent offender to slap, it’s not possible to turn a third cheek to the enemy, right? So, how should a Christian respond to a violent attacker who has chosen to pursue war rather than peace even though peace had been offered? Well, it would then be the enemy’s choice to have rejected peace (not your choice), and so the Christian would be forced to either choose a pacifist role and flee (Acts 14:1-7), or act in self-defense and fight so as to abolish the threat and preserve life. However, Scripture clearly states that we are not to seek revenge because vengeance belongs to the Lord; therefore, if possible, Christians should always seek first to walk away or run away if the threat is serious. In regard to resisting retaliation, Jesus is not speaking of dangerous situations, like encountering a person in a dark alley who has intent to rape or kill you; we do have the right to preserve purity and life. Jesus is referring to circumstances of daily life that are insulting, bothersome, or even mildly injurious, but not life-threatening. The point is that rather than retaliating and acting with the same attitude of hatred as the aggressor, we should recall our calling as soldiers for the Kingdom and suppress the urge to destroy the people we were commanded to rescue. Just as evil cannot cast out evil (Matthew 12:25-28), we simply cannot fight evil with evil because hatred begets hatred and violence begets violence. Again, to be “unruly” is to be [G813] ἄτακτος ataktos (at’-ak-tahs), which describes a soldier who is disorderly or insubordinate and out of rank.

Paul, writing to his disciple in 2Timothy 2:3-5, wrote, “³ Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”

The phrase “suffer hardship with me” is the English translation of the Greek word [G4777] συγκακοπαθέω sugkakopatheō (soong-kahk-ahp-ath-eh’-o), which means to be a partaker of affliction, sharing with one another the burden of bearing evil and experiencing suffering. The word “soldier” is the English translation of the Greek word [G4757] στρατιώτης stratiōtēs (strat-ee-o’-tace), which quite literally means a soldier. And so just as one soldier shares with other soldiers the burden of the enemy’s attacks, so also one Christian shares with all other Christians the burden of the enemy’s attacks. Paul argues that Christians are soldiers who do not get entangled in worldly affairs because our goal is to serve and please the One who enlisted us into service. Who enlisted us? Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords. What would be considered as getting entangled in worldly affairs? Acting as wicked people of this world. What did the King command His soldiers to do? Turn the other cheek. Paul also argues that athletes only win the prize if they compete according to the rules. So, if Christians are the “athletes,” what are the rules by which they compete and who made those rules? Again, Christ the King made the rules. What are the rules? His commands. For this reason, Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Also, Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Further, in John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

In Matthew 8:5-13 [also, Luke 7:1-10], a Centurion – who was highly regarded by the Jewish community due to his love for them – believed by faith that Jesus could heal His dying servant from a distance by a mere spoken command. The Centurion explained that he understands the power and authority a commander possesses to not only cause things to happen, but to create change in a situation. By faith, a Roman Centurion confessed that Jesus is the ultimate Commander who is able to speak life into existence. In response, Jesus said, “¹⁰ Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. ¹¹ I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [Isaiah 25:6-8]; ¹² but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

But why would the sons of the Kingdom be cast out into the outer darkness? Because they were willfully disobedient and did not act as obedient soldiers who live by the King’s commands. Again, what did the King command his soldiers to do? Turn the other cheek. Why would a Christian willfully disobey Christ’s command to turn the other cheek? Why would a Christian willfully disobey Christ’s command to resist retaliation and allow the Lord to act as the Avenger? Is it not due to a lack of faith that the peaceful response could accomplish the desired end result? Would it not be due to pride that the person believes the desired end result will only happen by his/her own power? But should we act like the wicked of this world or should we act in faith to Christ’s commands? In Philippians 2:20-22, Paul describes Timothy as one who seeks after Christ’s interests and not one who seeks after man’s interests. As soldiers of the Kingdom, we must respond obediently to the King’s command to turn the other cheek, possessing faith that His command will ultimately lead to what is best and what is right.

But what if a person is unable to walk/run away due to the aggressor’s violence? Is a Christian able to act in self-defense so as to restrain or immobilize the attacker? Yes, because the motive would not be to harm the person but to merely restrain the person. But what if the aggressor desires to rape and/or murder us? If we’re able to injure the attacker so as to be able to flee, then we should do what is necessary to flee. If unable to flee, and an unintentional death is the end result of trying to preserve purity and life, then the law says self-defense is permissible. However, we must realize that there are no examples in the New Testament (new covenant) which showcase violent retaliation as being the right choice of action. In fact, even in the Old Testament (old covenant), as Exodus 20:13; 22:2-3 describes, the child of GOD should still avoid intentionally taking anyone’s life unless the Lord Himself commands it as capital punishment against the wicked, such as the Lord did against the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1-2; 20:16-17). However, whereas in the old covenant, the Lord commanded evil to be purged in order to ensure the survival of the Israelites, the Lord now commands Christians in the new covenant to be peacemakers, to love others, not to resist evil people, and wait for the Lord to return as Judge and Avenger. And because each scenario we will experience as new covenant followers of Christ will be unique, the new covenant follower of Christ must be guided by the Holy Spirit as to how to respond (Romans 8:14). However, in Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said, “¹⁰ Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

For this reason, after the new covenant apostles were flogged (and they did not retaliate), it is written in Acts 5:41, “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

In conclusion to turning the other cheek, it is evident that Jesus commanded His followers to be pacifists in regards to revenge because vengeance belongs to the Lord alone. Therefore, followers of Christ are to be pacifists because Jesus is not a pacifist and He commanded us to allow Him to be Judge and Avenger. But the main message of turning the other cheek is that Christians must choose self-control, refuse to get offended, refuse to accept an invitation to war, and refuse to consider another human being as being the enemy. As a follower of Christ and solider of the Kingdom, it is our duty to help set people free from the snare of Satan even if those people think we are their enemies who are trying to harm them. The captives are confused because they are trapped in darkness and are blind. Sometimes, people who are drowning will fight the rescuers who are attempting to save them. If a rescuer gets slapped in the face by the person he is rescuing, the rescuer understands the victim’s confusion and so he does not get offended, nor does he retaliate; rather, he keeps his focus on the end goal of rescuing the person who needs to be rescued. People who are in bondage to sin will feel threatened by soldiers of the Kingdom who bear the Sword of GOD’s Word because they will feel like you are there to strike them down; consequently, they might feel like it’s necessary to attack you. However, as a soldier of the Kingdom, it is our responsibility to assure them that we do not consider them to be enemies and we have been sent to help set them free.

Let him have your coat also:

In Matthew 5:40, Jesus said, “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.”

The shirt (tunic) was the undergarment, and the coat (cloak) was the outer garment. The cloak was the one possession that a creditor could not permanently seize from a destitute debtor (Exodus 22:26-27; Deuteronomy 24:12-13). The poor most likely had only one cloak; in such cases, surrendering both the inner and outer garments might leave one naked and vulnerable to the elements. In this case, an element of hyperbole might be involved, and/or it might include shaming one’s aggressor with such extensive cooperation, forcing the aggressor into an uncomfortable position where he must either refuse the cloak or return the cloak prior to sundown as the Law demands. The main point to this message is to essentially show the “enemy” that whatever hate is launched against the Christian, the child of GOD will produce a double amount of love in order to overcome evil with good. This action of offering the cloak essentially states, “If you are so destitute that you have need of my undergarment, then I’m going to willingly give you my cloak as well. If you reject my cloak, which is of greater value than the undergarment, then why sue me for the undergarment? Am I not also willing to give you that which is of lesser value? Yet if you receive my cloak, then you admit by your actions that you did not take it from me; rather, I willingly gave it to you. And if you receive it yet fail to return it before sundown, then you will be found guilty before the Judge. But if you receive it and return it, then did you ever truly have need of it? Why then take it at all? Why is there any need for the court of law when I am already willing to give you what you need?”

In conclusion to allowing the “enemy” to also have the cloak, this scenario demands a refusal for retaliation, but it also shifts the power from the aggressor to the Christian. In essence, the Christian’s action says to the “enemy”, “You cannot take from me what I am willing to give to you. As a soldier of the Kingdom, I will show you what the Lord is like – I am willing to lose what I have so that you may receive what you don’t have. Even though you show me hate, I will show you love. Even if you strip me bare and leave me naked, the shame will not be on me, but on you, because you demanded my nakedness. And even if I am naked here on this earth, like the Lord’s faithful servant, Job, I will worship the Lord, I will not sin, nor will I blame the Lord: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:20-22).

Go the extra mile:

In Matthew 5:41, Jesus said, “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.”

One of the Roman Empire’s marvels of their conquest was a vast system of highways that they had built for travel to and from their conquered territories. There were more than 50,000 miles of these Roman roads throughout the empire. At each single mile was a stone marker. These mile markers pointed directions, determined the distance to the next town as well as to Rome itself, and warned of dangers that might lie ahead. Hence the common phrase “All roads lead to Rome.” In the first century, Roman soldiers could lawfully force able-bodied civilians to carry their gear (which could weigh upwards of one hundred pounds) for one mile. It was unfair, inconvenient, took civilians away from working for their own livelihood, and it was often backbreaking and even infuriating because it was embarrassing and oppressive. Jesus exhorted His followers to respond in a new and unexpected radical way, one that would reflect the generous love of GOD’s Kingdom instead of unlawful resistance or revenge. This teaching was definitely unexpected and seemed absolutely absurd. The Jews had expected their Messiah to be a warrior who would overthrow the Roman Empire and release them from their oppression. And yet Jesus—the true Messiah—told everyone to not only carry the Roman soldiers’ gear for one mile as the Roman law commanded of them, but to willingly carry the heavy burden a second mile! The first mile is the carrying of another’s burden. It is obligation, duty, and the law. Carrying a soldier’s heavy gear a second mile might seem outrageous, but that’s often what it takes to turn the tables lovingly on our so-called enemies. This is the common theme found all throughout the Bible: the Great Reversal! It’s a powerful and hopeful way to respond, one that reflects the new life of GOD’s coming Kingdom. And it’s one of countless ways to emulate the gracious love of our “Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45,48). Above-and-beyond or extra-mile love requires sacrifice, but it also requires faith in Jesus that He will act in His timing to set up the Great Reversal so that the so-called enemies might be saved. We should be willing to take a loss if it adds to GOD’s glory. Going the extra mile might require martyrdom, but love demands sacrifice if that’s the only solution (John 15:13). The first mile is the mandated mile; the second is a miracle mile. But how can one get to the second miracle mile unless that person is obedient in the first mandated mile? The second mile is only made possible by being obedient to the first mile. In Matthew 27:54, a Roman Centurion, looking up at Jesus on the cross, said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” I wonder if that Centurion might have had such an earlier encounter with an extra-mile follower of Christ, or if he simply recognized the above-and-beyond love of the Savior. Perhaps this was even the same Centurion whose servant Jesus healed (Matthew 8:5-13)?

Further, who said you have to stop at the second mile? Why not travel the third, fourth, fifth, or beyond? Just as Jesus didn’t tell us we have to forgive exactly 490 times (Matthew 18:21-22), we do not have to travel exactly two miles and then stop. The point is that we should not be keeping score of the sins of others and reach an end of our ability to love simply because we want to do the bare minimum. The first mile is required due to the Law—the absolute standard and bare minimum! The second mile is grace—this is the mile where miracles become possible! So many people complain about not seeing miracles in their lives, yet they refuse to walk the first required mile of the bare minimum of obedience, much more the second mile. Is it any wonder why they don’t see any miracles? The first mile of obedience must be walked out if we are ever to begin the extra miles, which are the miracle miles. The second mile is grace, but the third and beyond is exactly that—above and beyond! Just as we are supposed to give with a cheerful heart and not grudgingly or under compulsion (2Corinthians 9:7), we are to also willingly serve people with a cheerful heart! Let love lead the way! And if compelled by the Spirit to travel an extra mile or above and beyond, then do not quench the Spirit – walk in faithful obedience!

In conclusion to going the extra mile, this act of love shows the “enemy” that he has no power to force us into compliance when we already volunteer our services. At one point, the “enemy” demanded you to join him, believing you could not get rid of him, but then at the point of exit, you refuse to leave, informing him that he cannot get rid of you. After one mile, when the “enemy” tells us we are released from our obligated duty, we should respond by staying while continuing to share the Gospel. Therefore, if the “enemy” attempts to enslave us and burden us, our response should be to overwhelm the “enemy” with love and Truth until the “enemy” regrets choosing us, or until he becomes an ally. When viewed from this perspective, this unusual response is not one of a pacifist who merely avoids a fight, but is one of a soldier of the Kingdom who is aggressively attempting to rescue someone from Satan’s snare. This is the Great Reversal: a soldier of the world comes upon a soldier of the Kingdom and then discovers that his worldly power of physical force is rendered impotent against the Kingdom’s power of love and Truth in servitude.

Give to him who asks of you:

In Matthew 5:42, Jesus said, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”

Should Christians literally give anything to anyone who asks of them? If we took this literally, we would give everything away and not have anything to provide for our families. And Paul reminds us that those who do not provide for their own family have denied the faith and are worse than unbelievers (1Timothy 5:8). In proper context, we know from other things Jesus said and did that this does not mean Christians should give to people what will harm them. For example, if we know that someone is a drug addict and that person asked for money with intentions of buying drugs, then it would be unloving and wicked to give the drug addict money because we would enable his/her destruction. As Jesus said, no good father would give a serpent to his child if the child asked for fish to eat (Matthew 7:10). It also does not mean to give food to those who are able to work yet refuse to work (2Thessalonians 3:10). The whole context of Jesus’s statements are to reaffirm the spirit of the Law which He came to fulfill (Matthew 5:17-18), as opposed to what they “heard” (5:21,27,33,38,43) – what had been said by oral tradition and misinterpretation (15:3-6). Jesus clarified that all giving is to be done out from love in order to accomplish good.

Proverbs 3:27-28 says, “²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,’ when you have it with you.”

James 2:14-17 says, “¹⁴ What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”

In conclusion to giving to whoever asks of us, the point is that those who represent the Lord are not to lie or makes excuses for not doing the good they are able to do. As soldiers of the Kingdom, we represent the Lord. The Lord is giving; therefore, we also should be giving. For this reason, Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect:

In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus said, “⁴³ You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor [Leviticus 19:18] 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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸ Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

With everything Jesus said, the ultimate end goal of all actions was to win over the enemy and to gain an ally. For if we convert an enemy into an ally, then the possibility of converting an ally into a brother/sister in Christ increases tremendously.

For an Old Testament example, in 2Kings 6:8-23, the Arameans had plotted to capture and kill Elisha. In response, Elisha decided to allow the Lord to fight for him and he said to his attendant, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed that the army would become blind. When they became blind, he led them to Samaria where the king of Israel and his army surrounded the Arameans. Elisha then prayed for their eyes to be opened and GOD opened their eyes again. “²¹ Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, ‘My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?’ ²² He answered, ‘You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.’ ²³ So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.”

Thus, Elisha chose to take a peaceful path by converting enemies into allies through an act of mercy. However, not all enemies will accept peace and restoration, but will instead choose to pursue the path of war and destruction due to their hardened hearts and depraved minds. Consequently, wicked people choose to wage war against the Lord. In 2Kings 1, king Ahaziah became ill and he sent his messengers to go inquire of Baal-zebub as to whether he would recover in health. But the Angel of the Lord instructed Elijah to meet Ahaziah’s messengers and to tell the king that he would die because he sought after Baal-zebub rather than the Lord. King Ahaziah, angered by the message, sent a captain and his 50 soldiers to Elijah with intentions of murdering Elijah. When they got to him, GOD sent fire down from Heaven and it consumed the soldiers. Enraged, the king sent another captain with his 50 soldiers and again GOD sent fire down from Heaven and it consumed them. But when the king sent a third captain and his 50 soldiers, that captain, having the fear of the Lord, pleaded that their lives would be considered precious in Elijah’s sight. And then the Angel of the Lord showed them mercy. Yet king Ahaziah did die, just as the Lord had declared.

Psalm 44:5-6 says, “⁵ Through You we will push back our adversaries; through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. ⁶ For I will not trust in my bow, nor will my sword save me.”

1Samuel 17:45-47 says, “⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷ and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.’ ”

2Chronicles 20:14-17 says, “¹⁴ Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; ¹⁵ and he said, ‘Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.” Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.’ ”

Therefore, Scripture makes it clear that the Lord Himself is not a pacifist because the battle belongs to the Lord. Whereas the Lord once commanded from His old covenant for His children to purge the evil from among them so as to ensure their survival, the Lord now commands in His new covenant that followers of Christ should not resist evil people but love them and pray for them so as to provide the wicked with the opportunity to repent before He returns in judgment. In the timeline of humanity’s salvation story, the Lord acts in periods of grace and judgment just as humans travel through peaks and valleys. In these last days, we are in a period of grace until the Lord returns for the final judgment. In the old covenant, children of GOD were often commanded to be violent and aggressive because GOD was not only ensuring their survival, but GOD had used warriors as instruments of judgment in a period of judgment. The dividing line between old covenant and new covenant was the perfect atonement of Jesus Christ. Whereas children of GOD had once existed in a period of judgment where they were commanded to purge the evil and then make atonement for themselves through sacrifices, children of GOD are now in a period of grace because Jesus’s perfect atonement commands pacifism until He returns. Whereas prior to Pentecost the Holy Spirit only dwelt within selective people, the Holy Spirit now dwells within all children of GOD who are found in Christ (Ephesians 1:13-14). And because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, and we have been given gifts of the Spirit, the Lord now demands that we are guided by the Spirit and do not act according to the flesh. Our bodies are holy temples and we have been commanded to honor our bodies, not to defile our bodies, and to glorify GOD in our bodies (1Corinthians 6:19-20); therefore, as Jesus commanded, we need to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect.

As children of GOD and soldiers of the Kingdom, we must be guided by the Spirit in how to respond to so-called enemies, for every occasion will be unique and will require wisdom and discernment. Ultimately, we are to strive to be as pacifists for the sake of peace; however, if evil people refuse to accept peace, then we have done our part, they are without excuse, and we can walk away, shaking the dust off our feet as a testimony against them (Luke 9:5; John 15:22). As Paul said in Acts 17:30-31, “³⁰ Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

In conclusion to being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect, we are required to do what seems counterintuitive by not resisting an evil person even unto our own detriment. How is this possible? It will only be possible by being guided by the Holy Spirit.

The woman caught in the act of adultery:

John 8:1-11 says, “¹ But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ² Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. ³ The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, ⁴ they said to Him, ‘Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. ⁵ Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?’ ⁶ They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. ⁷ But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ ⁸ Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. ¹⁰ Straightening up, Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ ¹¹ She said, ‘No one, Lord.’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.’ ”

In John 8:5, the Pharisees brought a woman supposedly caught in the act of adultery and they proposed that she should be stoned to death according to the Law of Moses. However, Leviticus 20:10 and Deuteronomy 22:22-24 state that both the man and the woman caught in the act should be stoned. So, where was the man? In Matthew 23, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for devouring widows’ houses (23:14), and for tithing yet neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness (23:23). For this reason, Jesus said the Pharisees were hypocrites who did not practice what they preached (23:3).

In John 8:6, the Pharisees used this scenario as a trap in order to condemn Jesus. This fits with other accounts we see throughout the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 16:1; 19:3; 22:15,18,35; Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:15; Luke 10:25; 11:16,54). Not only does it fit with the other eyewitness accounts, but it fits with the Gospel of John (John 7:19; 8:37,40).

In John 8:7, Jesus told the Pharisees that whoever is without sin should be the one to cast the first stone. This is actually extremely important and relevant because Deuteronomy 17:7 states that the witness of the crime must be the one to cast the first stone. However, because they were the witnesses who apparently caught the woman in the act, that would put the guilt of the woman’s blood on them. And again, where was the man who committed adultery? Either one of the Pharisees had committed the act of adultery or the Pharisees allowed the guilty man to leave (thus showing partiality in judgment and violating the Law – Exodus 20:16; 23:1; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; 5:20; 16:19; Proverbs 18:5; 24:23; James 2:9). Another possible scenario is that the Pharisees conspired together to lie against a woman they hated even though she had been innocent of adultery on that occasion. But if that were the case, then the Pharisees were guilty of being false witnesses and thus violated the Jewish Law according to Deuteronomy 19:18-19. If Jesus said the woman should not be stoned, the Pharisees would have accused Him of violating the Law of Moses. However, if Jesus ordered that she should be stoned, Jesus still would have violated the Law of Moses (because the guilty man was not present). Further, the Roman empire’s law stated that only Romans could execute capital punishment (John 18:31). Therefore, Jesus’s clever response called attention to a gap in their plan and highlighted their own guilt. Jesus challenged them that the one without sin should cast the first stone. However, they were already guilty because the man who committed the adultery was not present. Thus, if they did cast the first stone, they themselves would have broken their own Law, becoming murderers (Exodus 20:13), as well as Rome’s law and would be condemned. Checkmate. And this is very similar to Paul’s rebuke we see in Romans 2:1,22 as well as Jesus’s warning in Matthew 7:1-5 regarding hypocritical judgment. And so when Jesus said that whoever is without sin was able to cast the first stone, He boldly declared that only He was able to cast the first stone because not only was He a witness (via the Father’s omniscience), but only He was without sin (2Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1Peter 2:22; 1John 3:5). But instead, in John 8:11, Jesus merely told the woman to go and sin no more. We also see this act of mercy in John 5:14 when Jesus told the man whom He healed, “do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

The Lord’s command to go and sin no more also fits well with what Luke, Paul, and Peter describe in their writings. In Luke 5:31-32, the Pharisees got angry because Jesus dined with sinners, yet Jesus said, “³¹ It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. ³² I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” And in Romans 2:4, Paul wrote, “do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” In fact, 2Peter 3:9 informs us that the Lord is patient toward sinners, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

However, we should not mistake the Lord’s kindness for weakness, nor His patience for pacifism. Scripture makes it clearly known that the Lord is patient in His expectation for repentance. But did Jesus ever say what He would do to those who are unrepentant? Yes. In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus essentially tells everyone that their sins are the same and that “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” In fact, Jesus continues in 13:6-9 by telling a parable about a fig tree that is in danger of being cut down due to it not producing any fruit. And though 2Peter 3:9 tells us that the Lord is patiently waiting for people to repent, just two verses prior in 3:7, Peter tells us, “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” And then 3:10-12 describes the Lord’s judgment of fire on the wicked. So, does judgment of fire coming from the Lord describe a pacifist? No. Again, the battle belongs to the Lord. For this reason, in John 15:22, Jesus said, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.” Therefore, the Lord is patient in His expectation for repentance, but His patience will come to an end on the Day of Judgment. In fact, it is written that when Christ returns, He will be coming as a conquering King who will completely slaughter His enemies.

Isaiah 63:2-6 says, “² ‘Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?’ ³ ‘I have trodden the wine trough alone, and from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger and trampled them in My wrath; and their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, and I stained all My raiment. ⁴ For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and My year of redemption has come. ⁵ I looked, and there was no one to help, and I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; so My own arm brought salvation to Me, and My wrath upheld Me. ⁶ I trod down the peoples in My anger and made them drunk in My wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”

Psalm 2:9-12 says “⁹ ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth. ¹¹ Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. ¹² Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

Revelation 19:15 says, “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”

What many fail to realize is that Jesus is GOD and “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Was it not the Lord who commanded the flood to destroy the wicked over the entire earth (Genesis 6-8)? Was it not the Lord who commanded brimstone and fire to destroy the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18-19)? For this reason, it is written in Luke 17:24-30, “²⁴ For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. ²⁵ But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ²⁶ And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: ²⁷ they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. ²⁸ It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; ²⁹ but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰ It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”

In conclusion, the Lord is not a pacifist, He is Judge and the Avenger.

Those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword:

In Matthew 26:47-56 [see also, Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11], Jesus instructed Peter, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (26:52). Now, we already know that the Lord is not a pacifist, but did Jesus mean that His disciples should never use a sword? Yes and no. Jesus did not want His disciples to use a sword as an offensive weapon to murder people; however, Jesus was the One who instructed His disciples to buy a sword if they didn’t already have one (Luke 22:36). But for what purpose? Defense. Protection. Jesus knew He was about to get arrested, undergo trial, and be crucified, which would scatter His disciples (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:27). Therefore, they needed to carry items and provisions — even if they might be a weighty burden — because they needed to be prepared to face persecution and be able to hide out and survive. Why? Unlike their previous journey when other people supported them (Matthew 10:9-11), not many people would be willing to support them after Jesus gets crucified. So, why didn’t Jesus allow Peter to use the sword Jesus instructed Peter to possess? Earlier, Jesus had told Peter that he did not have his mind set on GOD’s interests, but man’s (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33), and the same applied to this scenario of Jesus’s arrest. In Matthew 26:54, Jesus said, “How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” In John 18:11, Jesus said, “the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” Jesus needed to become the sacrifice for us on our behalf. And so Jesus essentially told Peter and the rest of His disciples that they needed to allow GOD’s plan to be fulfilled. That meant that they were not allowed to fight; therefore, they fled (which fulfilled prophecy).

But did the disciples ever use the sword later on to retaliate? No. Why not? Jesus commanded them not to resist evil people, to love their enemies, to pray for those who persecuted them, to rejoice in their persecutions, and to be perfect as their Heavenly Father is perfect. The entire New Testament only showcases that followers of Christ either fled under persecution or became martyrs, but there are no examples where they ever retaliated in physical violence. Therefore, the sword they possessed would have only acted as a deterrent to would-be robbers and protection against wild beasts.

In conclusion, GOD’s plan is not complete until Christ returns as the Avenger, punishes the wicked, and restores His children on the New Earth. Jesus is patient and His timing is perfect, but He will enact perfect vengeance upon all the wicked. Therefore, followers of Christ are called to be pacifists who wait for the Lord to come, but that is only because Christ the King is not a pacifist.

Jesus refused to fight back:

Was Jesus silent while being accused? Mostly, yes. Did He refuse to fight back? Yes. Did His refusal to fight back lead to His death on the cross? Yes. But again, Jesus, in His great love and patience, remained committed to the Father’s will so that prophecy would be fulfilled. And again, Christ’s death on the cross wasn’t the end of the story – not only did He resurrect three days later, but He ascended to Heaven and will be coming back again as the Avenger to punish the wicked and restore His children.

However, even while Jesus dwelt among us, His actions revealed that He was not a pacifist. In Luke 6:6-11, the scribes and Pharisees watched Jesus on the Sabbath so they could find reason to accuse Him of breaking the Law. Jesus, knowing this, healed a man’s withered hand. But if Jesus knew that healing on the Sabbath would make the religious leaders angry, why did He do it? For the same reason He publicly exposed the Pharisees and condemned their hypocrisy in Matthew 23:1-36.

In John 2:14-17, it is written, “¹⁴ And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵ And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; ¹⁶ and to those who were selling the doves He said, ‘Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.’ ¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house will consume me.’ [Psalm 69:9]”

In Matthew 10:32-39, Jesus said, “³² Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. ³⁴ Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. [Micah 7:6] ³⁷ “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.”

In Luke 12:49-53, Jesus said, “⁴⁹ I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! ⁵¹ Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; ⁵² for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

The Lord has boldly declared that all people will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Christ Jesus is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Jeremiah 32:19; Matthew 16:27; 26:25,64; Romans 14:10-12; 2Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 22:12).

In conclusion, according to Jesus, He demands complete loyalty even though following Him in faithful obedience to His commands will cause conflict and create division. Speaking Truth out from love while refusing to compromise is going to enrage the wicked who love sin and want to remain in darkness (John 3:19-20). Scripture is clear that in His first coming, Jesus was not a pacifist, but was assertive in His demands that His commands not be compromised. Though Jesus was assertive, He was patient so that all people would have time to repent. In His mercy, He did not give the wicked what they deserved, and in His grace, He gave to all the gift of salvation and eternal life which no one deserved. However, in His second coming, Jesus, out from His love and perfect justice, will aggressively defend His children by enacting quick and decisive judgment on the wicked who rejected His sacrifice while persecuting His children.

The main message of the Bible is to accept each other:

Acceptance of each other is not the main message of the Bible. The main message of the Bible can be summarized as follows: The bad news began when Adam and Eve disobeyed GOD, partook of the forbidden fruit which they were commanded not to eat, came to know evil from good, and then they were separated from GOD due to sin (Genesis 3). And through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). Thus, the bad news is that we are all sinners deserving of Hell for our sin against a Holy GOD (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Our sin has kept us from His presence and eternal life (John 3:15–20). No one can earn his/her way into the presence of GOD because there is “no one righteous” (Romans 3:10). Even our best efforts of righteous deeds seem like filthy rags in comparison to GOD’s holiness (Isaiah 64:6). There is no way to earn our way back into eternal life with the Lord in His Kingdom. However, the good news is that GOD — who is the Word — tabernacled in flesh, dwelt among us, in order to live a sinless life and become the perfect sacrifice for us on our behalf so that we will be in right standing with the Lord once again (John 1:1,14; 3:16-17; Romans 5:6-8; Hebrews 7-10). Immanuel (GOD with us, Matthew 1:23) did what we could never do in order to redeem us and restore right relationship! The good news is that salvation is as easy as placing our faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus, confessing that He died for our sins and resurrected as it is written (Acts 16:30-31; Romans 10:8-13; Ephesians 2:8-9)! Our faith in Christ is what saves us! And when we become a child of GOD, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and guides us in faithful obedience so that we will endure until the end. Therefore, the main message of the Bible is that we are all sinners in need of salvation and Jesus Christ is the saving solution. So, what does acceptance have to do with the main message of the Bible unless it is the acceptance of humanity being dead in their sins and needing Jesus Christ to be saved? Shall I accept someone who sins as if I accept sin? May it never be.

It is written in Matthew 22:34-40, “³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. ³⁵ One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶ ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ ³⁷ And He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” [Deuteronomy 6:5] ³⁸ This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹ The second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [Leviticus 19:18] ⁴⁰ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’ ”

Acceptance is not necessarily bad, but it’s not the main commandment. The main commandments of the Bible is to love GOD and love others. There is a big difference between acceptance and approval. We can accept the fact that people do evil things; however, if we approve of those who live wicked lives, then we approve wickedness and thereby reject righteousness. If we approve of lies, then we reject Truth. Approving of wickedness can never be loving toward GOD or others because it is rebellion against GOD and hatred of our neighbors, which is the exact opposite of what Jesus commanded us to do. In fact, that rebellion is apostasy. So, even as new covenant pacifists, followers of Christ can accept the fact that wicked people exist and will do wicked things; however, we can never approve of wickedness. And even as new covenant pacifists, we can fight back by speaking Truth assertively out from love.

In 1Corinthians 15:34, Paul, refusing to approve of wickedness, wrote, “Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”

Ephesians 5:6-17 says, “⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them; ⁸ for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason it says, ‘Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ [Isaiah 9:2; 26:19; 51:17; 52:1; 60:1-2; Daniel 12:2; Malachi 4:2] ¹⁵ Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of your time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

So, do you know the Father’s will? The King commanded all of us to be pacifists during this period of grace. For this reason, the Lord said in Mark 13:13, “You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” But how do we endure until the end? In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, if you are a soldier of the Kingdom, then you need to know GOD’s Word because it is the Sword we are permitted to use until the King returns (Ephesians 6:17). And if “all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52), may we perish while wielding the Sword of His Word.

2Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, ⁴ for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. ⁵ We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

In Revelation 22:11-13, the King says, “¹¹ Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy. ¹² Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”