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Why a Christian cannot be a pacifist
by I would argue that the Christian cannot only not be a pacifist, but that it is immoral for a Christian to do anything than other actively support the state that he is in/under, in all of its legitimate aims, in all of its authorized stately functions. The primary role the state has been given is the role of administering justice. The core function of that role is the wielding of the sword (Romans 13:3-5) and so the obedience to the state (Romans 13:1-8, Titus 3:1) that we are required to exercise must naturally be in support primary focus of the state on the administration of justice, The ultimate administration of justice, as we see clearly detailed in the OT, is capital punishment. Capital punishment was commanded, (not, as some nowadays expressed it, 'allowed') for all cases of murder and rape; it was also commanded for witchcraft and for blasphemy and sundry other crimes, basically all crimes against 'life' as scripture defines it. And the only legitimate reflection in justice against life in Scripture is capital punishment. Now the administration for justice written small is the punishment of an individual guilty criminal. Criminal justice written large is the exercise of war by a sovereign state. Or in the pre-state stage, of a patriarch, such as Abraham. And so, since we are told to support the states in their legitimate functioning, and since the core of the functioning of the state is the administration of justice, and the core of that is capitol punishment both in small and in large, then the core of a Christians support for the state, should be capital punishment written small and written large. If a Christian ops out, or plays possum, when it comes to the core functioning of the state, then they have in effect denied the injunction to obey the authorities over them. They have, in effect, denied the justice that God requires. --Pro 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. -- A former missionary to Africa, I am now an LVN and EMT with a wife, six kids, and small farm. I like to write about Theonomy, Betrothal, Fantasy, and Science Fiction, just for starters. vonsbooks.com Christianbetrothal.blogspot.com Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |