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“Soldiers of Christ”
Categories: DOCTRINE, GOVERNMENT, NEW TESTAMENT, OLD TESTAMENT, RELATIONSHIPS, WITH MANKINDIs capital punishment and/or war wrong? Is it wrong to fight someone when warranted?
Peter cut off the ear of the soldier when they were taking Jesus away, and there were all sorts of wars in the Old Testament.
I’m of the opinion that punching a bully in the nose is the correct course of action to take if you don’t want to be bullied anymore. However, then you have Jesus’ instructions to turn the other cheek…
Sincerely, Prepared for Battle
Dear Prepared for Battle,
Capital punishment and war are a separate issue from an individual’s authority to inflict pain on another.So we must deal with them separately.
God authorizes governments to punish its citizens as it deems fit.God has given governments the ‘sword of terror’ to bring wrath down upon evildoers (Rom 13:3-4).God allowed the government of Israel to stone evildoers (Lev 20:27) for various acts of wickedness against man and God.Stoning definitely would count as capital punishment!God also authorizes governments to go to war.Israel went to war (1 Sam 15:1-3), and God sent the Chaldeans to war against Israel (Hab 1:6).Furthermore, Roman soldiers asked John the Baptist what kind of life they should live, and John responded that they should be good soldiers and men (Lk 3:14).God has no problem with men going to war under the authority of a government.
Government authority and individual authority are different things though.God tells us that we aren’t to take vengeance upon ourselves (Rom 12:18-19), but instead, we are to do good to our enemies (Rom 12:20).We are to turn the other cheek (Matt 5:39) and go the extra mile with people (Matt 5:41).
Vengeance belongs to God and not to man.In fact, when Peter cut off the ear of the soldier, Christ rebuked him for the act (Jhn 18:10-11). Be very careful to do that which is ‘honorable in the sight of all men’ (Rom 12:17).If you or another person is in physical danger, you may defend yourself (i.e. a burglar breaking into your house), but to punch a bully preemptively is against what Christ taught.
