- 00:01
- Well, finally, finally, our call to be peacemakers is not an absolute call to humanistic pacifism.
- 00:10
- It's not a call to humanistic pacifism.
- 00:14
- Now, why did I add this in? Well, I added it in because, quite frankly, I think it's important to say and I didn't want to do a whole other sermon just on this topic.
- 00:27
- So I'm putting this in here.
- 00:30
- I want to ask you to stay with me for another few minutes because this is important.
- 00:34
- There are entire movements within, quote unquote, Christianity, which are staunchly pacifistic.
- 00:45
- Pacifism, of course, is the idea that we would never lift our hands to defend ourselves, would never lift our hands to battle for any reason whatsoever.
- 00:55
- And that's what we call pacifism.
- 00:57
- And there are like the Quakers are staunchly pacifistic, the Amish are pacifistic, the Mennonites are pacifistic.
- 01:07
- They refuse to serve in the military.
- 01:10
- They refuse to do any of those things.
- 01:14
- They consider service like that to be inherently sinful.
- 01:19
- So when we read Blessed are the Peacemakers and we see these groups like the Mennonites and the Quakers and they're demanding a level of pacifism, which is just bar none, pacifism is it, the question becomes, well, is that what we're called to? Is that what Christians are really called to? Well, this is something I want you to consider, and I've said it before.
- 01:47
- I don't know if you've heard it, but I have mentioned it before.
- 01:51
- Jesus many times rebuked the Pharisees, Jesus many times rebuked the scribes, Jesus many times rebuked the Sadducees, Jesus never once rebuked a soldier, not once.
- 02:08
- John the Baptist was asked by a soldier, what do we need to do to be saved? It seems like that would have been the perfect time for him to say, drop your sword, drop your shield and go start a farm.
- 02:19
- I mean, wouldn't that have been the time? No, he said soldiers asked him, and this is Luke 3, 14, soldiers asked him, and we, what shall we do? And he said to them, do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation and be content with your wages.
- 02:38
- Don't use your power incorrectly, don't use your power inappropriately.
- 02:45
- You've been given a level of authority in the world, don't misuse it.
- 02:49
- That's what that's what John said.
- 02:51
- He didn't say give up being a soldier.
- 02:54
- He said, do it the right way.
- 02:57
- Simple enough.
- 03:01
- Warriors are a necessary tool in a world that is filled with evil.
- 03:09
- Warriors are a necessary tool in a world that is filled with evil.
- 03:13
- As the believers, as we are believers in the doctrine of total depravity, we understand that man is capable of immense evil.
- 03:21
- And part of what keeps men's evil in check is that there is a law of the land and there are men who are willing to enforce that law.
- 03:32
- By force.
- 03:34
- You don't talk criminals out of being criminals.
- 03:38
- You enforce the law.
- 03:45
- The Bible says that the government does not bear the sword in vain.
- 03:49
- And interestingly enough, when it comes to self-defense, this is something Phil Johnson said.
- 03:55
- If you don't know who Phil Johnson is, he's a second to John MacArthur in the Grace to You community.
- 04:00
- Phil Johnson made this point.
- 04:01
- I thought it was great.
- 04:03
- He said the government has the power of the sword.
- 04:05
- The government gives the power of the sword to the individual in instances of self-defense.
- 04:11
- Making it legal to protect yourself.
- 04:13
- Thus, that sword that the government has is abrogated to every individual whose life is in peril to be able to protect themselves.
- 04:25
- Interesting thought.
- 04:26
- I had never thought of it that way.
- 04:27
- However, when he said it, I was writing it down.
- 04:34
- The only way for a completely pacifistic people to survive is that there be those who are not who are willing to stand in their defense.
- 04:45
- The only way for a completely pacifistic people to survive is for people who are not to be willing to stand in their defense.
- 04:52
- That's why I have said there are no Amish people in Iraq.
- 04:55
- There are no Mennonites in Iran.
- 04:58
- There are no Quaker villages in North Korea.
- 05:03
- There just ain't.
- 05:05
- They exist in America because we defend them.
- 05:13
- It would be impossible for a policeman or a soldier to be an absolute pacifist and safely discharge his duties.
- 05:23
- But does that mean that a police officer or a soldier can't be a Christian? No, it doesn't.
- 05:30
- Some early church writers did say those things, but you never hear that from Christ or John the Baptist or the Apostle Paul.
- 05:39
- I believe the Bible demonstrates to us that physical force can be used benevolently to save lives.
- 05:47
- And in that sense, it is not opposed to the gospel.
- 05:53
- Simple enough.
- 05:54
- Exodus 22,2 makes a good point.
- 05:58
- Exodus 22,2 says, if a man breaks into your house and is struck and dies, then you're not guilty of murder.
- 06:07
- That's an interesting point.
- 06:09
- The very foundation of self-defense right there in the Old Testament law.
- 06:14
- And the Bible is filled with godly warriors, Abraham, Joshua, David, all men who are accustomed to war, yet also accustomed to prayer.
- 06:27
- They demonstrate that the call to be peacemakers, which, again, I argue has the context first of peace with God, is not a call to absolute pacifism.
- 06:37
- But is a call to be one who proclaims the gospel of peace.
