I. Biblical Basis of Peacemaking
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The biblical witness on issues of war and peacemaking is large and complex, but several central strands of that witness are clear. The Hebrew prophets all paint visions of peace in the age of the Messiah. For instance, the prophet Isaiah says, " . . . [T]hey shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isa. 2:4) Similar visions and commands of peace are found throughout the Hebrew prophets (e.g., Isa. 9:1-7; 31:1; Hos. 2:18; Micah:4: 3-4; Jer. 29:1-14, etc).
As Christians, we believe that Jesus is the Messiah and thus embodies this hope for a messianic peace. In Jesus' teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20-49), we are taught to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors, not to resist evil violently, but to take transforming initiatives for peace and reconciliation. Christ's reconciling death is the basis of our peace with God (Rom. 5:10) and with one another (Rom. 12:21; Eph. 2:13-16). Christ’s resurrection demonstrates God's vindication of his teaching and example of unarmed, noncoercive, delivering love.
posted by Dan Trabue at 7:54 AM
4 Comments:
So...
Let us all disarm, grab our prayer rugs and face Mecca; send the kids to the Imam's Madrassa, for some Cartoon therapy; buy the wife a few fashion-cut black burkha, and forget we ever had a Thomas Jefferson, a Declaration Of
Independence. Humbug! reb
www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com
You may feel free to grab a prayer rug if you wish. I'll maintain my belief system, thanks. I'll continue to appreciate Mr Jefferson's contributions to history and pushing for a more perfect union. One in which we realize our freedoms come not from humans nor from some document, but from God.
In an effort to push for a more perfect union, I'll push for more Just Peacemaking practices be put in place, for I think that's the best way to ensure our opportunity to enjoy our God-given liberties. But if not, I won't engage in evil in order to protect our liberties, lest in fighting evil, I embrace it.
Romans 13, emphasis on verse 4
4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
This verse would lead one to believe that war/punishment from nations is acceptable to our Lord. Perhaps you confuse Jesus’ teachings for the individual as political commentary.
Is it wrong for a nation not to tithe, as Jesus suggests we as individuals do?
Is wrong for nations to go to war even though Jesus tells us individuals to love each other?
You quoted Romans 12 but stopped there. I see 12 as a warning for the each person, lest Romans 13 be applied to the evil doer. Punishment comes from God though the nations that he allowed to rise.
Thanks for the comments, Chris. A thought or two. You said:
This verse would lead one to believe that war/punishment from nations is acceptable to our Lord. Perhaps you confuse Jesus’ teachings for the individual as political commentary.
Some Peacemakers believe this, some debate it. Regardless, you are absolutely correct to think that we, as individuals have an obligation to be peaceable.
So, even if you think it acceptable for the gov't to sometimes wage war in self-defense, we Christians have our personal obligation to follow Jesus' teachings. And those are quite clear: Christians are to overcome evil with good, turn the other cheek, love our enemies, do good to those who hate us.
I agree with you 100% that we ought not confuse Jesus' teachings to us as individuals and as the church, but rather, that we ought to embrace them.
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