A Christian Response To Terrorism

With every new terrorist attack, Christians in America struggle to respond as Jesus would. Like everyone else, we condemn the terrorists. Like everyone else, we pray for the victims. Like everyone else, we cry out for retribution and we paint every Muslim on earth as an evil person who should be hated and opposed.

But we’re not called to be like everyone else. We’re called to be like Jesus.

So, instead of responding like everyone else does, maybe we should take a step back and try to look at the problem the way Jesus does.

He doesn’t see us as Americans, or Europeans, or Asians. He sees us all as His beloved children who are made in His image.

He doesn’t see us as Baptists, or Buddhists, or Muslims or Atheists. He sees us as a people He would rather die for than to live without.

Ultimately, God doesn’t look at the outward appearance, or the superficial labels we all wear. God looks at the heart.

This means He takes each person one at a time and evaluates them based on who they are on the inside, not what they are on the outside.

Muslims, specifically, are not the problem. They are human beings; members of the human race; and they have the same dreams and hopes and fears and aspirations as we all do.

They love their children. They are concerned for their families. They care about those who suffer. They worry about the direction their nation is going. They want to be happy and they want to make the world a better place. Just like you and I do.

Christians have more in common with Muslims than with almost any other world religion. Muslims and Christians both believe in Jesus. They both believe different things about who He was and what He did, but what we have in common with Muslims is greater than most realize.

For example:

Mohammed is mentioned 4 times in the Qu’ran. Jesus is mentioned 25 times.

The Qu’ran teaches that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virgin who gave birth to Jesus. [ch.3:34] 

In chapter 3, verses 45 to 55, the Qu’ran makes these 9 points about Jesus [whom they call "Isa"]:

·         Jesus is the “Word of God”

·         Jesus is the “Spirit of God”

·         Jesus is “the Christ” [Messiah]

·         Jesus creates life

·         Jesus cured a man born blind, and a man with leprosy.

·         Jesus gives life to dead people.

·         Jesus went to heaven.

·         Jesus is still alive today.

·         Jesus will come again.

In contrast, the Qu’ran says none of these things about Mohammed. According to their own book, Mohammed did no miracles, is not alive today and is not coming back. 

The Qu’ran teaches that God created the Universe through the Word of God.

The Qu’ran also says in ch. 10 verse 94: “If you have any doubt in this Qu’ran which I give to you, go and read the Bible, or ask the people who read the Bible. The Truth has already come to you from your Lord, so do not be a doubter.”

Finally, Mohammed himself personally wrote a letter to his followers and commanded them to provide protection and favor to those who follow Christ. It was written in 626 AD and was called the “Oath of Ashtiname” and you can read about that here.

In this Oath of Ashtiname that Mohammed wrote, he says:

“Their churches must be honored and they must not be withheld from building churches or repairing convents…They must not be forced to carry arms or stones; but the Islams must protect them and defend them against others. It is positively incumbent upon every one of the Islam nation not to contradict or disobey this oath until the Day of Resurrection and the end of the world.”

So, here we have a beautiful place to start building bridges with people of the Muslim faith. We can begin the ministry of reconciliation that Jesus has given to us by reaching out to Muslims, inviting them into our homes, sharing the blessings we have been given, and meeting together with them to talk more about Jesus.

Our house church family has hosted several Muslim people in our worship gatherings over the last ten years. We’ve prayed with them, eaten with them, laughed with them, and encouraged them by acknowledging that they are – like us – people who love God and honor Jesus.

We don't believe exactly the same things, but we have a wonderful common ground to start learning to love one another from. 

We cannot afford to respond to violence and terrorism the way everyone else does. We are ambassadors of a different Kingdom. We are partakers of the Divine nature. We have been given a new heart. We have been – and are now being – transformed by the agape love of Jesus into a people who look and act and love like Jesus.

Let’s repent of returning to our old nature when faced with evil in all its forms. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” [Romans 12:21]

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Related links:

Join The Christian Anti-Terrorism Task Force

How To Fight Like A Christian

Incarnation of Love: Mary Emily Duba  

The Family That Love Built 

A Force More Powerful

Love,Hate and the Kingdom of God

Subversive

For Further Reading:

"Muslims, Christians and Jesus" by Carl Medearis

"The Jihad of Jesus" by Dave Andrews

LOVE, HATE AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Believe it or not, some Christians keep a list of people who can be righteously hated and even put to death, in spite of Jesus’ commands to love our enemies and bless those who hate us.

Usually those who fall into this exceptional category are criminals, terrorists, enemies of the state, homosexuals, and abortionists.

Frankly, many Christians have their own private list of who can be/should be put to death. It might be a an ex-spouse, a person who abused them in the past, a drunk driver who took away their loved one, or the umpire who blew the call that ended their team’s chances at a national championship.

It should be obvious to anyone who knows the Gospel of Christ that there are no exemptions when it comes to the commands to love our enemies, bless those who hate us, and do good to those who seek to harm us. None whatsoever.

That means God loves all the same people that you really hate. He loves those people you wish were dead. He loves those people that hurt you, and ripped you off. He loves everyone in prison, no matter what they did to get there. He loves the people who got away with murder, and the people who helped them get away with it.

Now, that doesn’t mean that God loves what they did, or what they do. Far from it. In fact, it’s because he “so loved the world” that he sent Jesus in the first place. Because he saw how horrific we all were without His love, and he sent Jesus to show us what it really looks like – and feels like – to receive that love. He sent Jesus to transform us through His love, and to rescue us from the penalty of a life without His love.

This means that those terrorists you’d like to see burned alive are within reach of God’s grace. Why destroy them before they have an opportunity to know Christ who can transform their hearts?

It reminds me of Jesus’ own disciples who asked “Shall we call down fire from heaven to destroy them?” in reference to a Samaritan village that refused to have Jesus travel through it on his way to Jerusalem. The response Jesus gave to these disciples is the same as what he would say to Christians today who yearn to rain down destruction on anyone: “You do not know what kind of Spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (John 9:54-56)

Loving our enemies is hard, of course. Our old nature is quick to crave violence and retribution. But Jesus has given us a new nature and a new spirit.

If we really hope to love our enemies, we have to first admit that we do not have access to this kind of love. This sort of unconditional love is just not in us by nature. The closest we can ever come is the love a parent has for a child. But even that example (as profound as it may be) falls short of the extravagant love that God wants to fill us with.

God’s love just “is”. It’s not dependent upon anything the person does, or does not do. And that’s why Jesus can tell us that, if we are abiding in Him, and if He is alive in us, then we will be connected to the constant, eternal flow of Divine Love that flows from the heart of the Trinity and outward into every corner of the Universe. We become conduits of His endless love and therefore everyone around us becomes illuminated in the light of His unconditional love.

And if we are indeed carriers of Christ-like love, then we cannot shoot anyone in the face. We cannot even wish that anyone were dead. We cannot cheer when someone receives the harsh judgment we believe they deserve.

Even God doesn’t take pleasure in the death of the wicked.

“As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11)

Jesus leaves us no wiggle room here. He loves everyone, and He commands us to love everyone as well.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:43-48)

Those people you hate? God loves them and He commands you to love them, too.

To be a follower of Jesus is to obey His commands. If we struggle with those commands, we must throw ourselves at His feet and beg Him for the grace to love as He loves, forgive as He forgives, and serve others as He serves us.

Love is our tattoo. Love is our song. Love is how Jesus knows that we belong to Him.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

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The Love Chapter (Remix)

And now I will show you the most beautiful way.

If I build a church that's larger than a football stadium but I don't love people the way God does, I am nothing.

If I write books that sell millions of copies and made Oprah's favorites list, but don't love my enemies, then I am worth nothing.

If I have a Television show where I take money from the elderly and the weak-minded and twist the scriptures around to promise endless health and a faith without suffering, then I am not of Christ.

Love is not violent. It does not kill. It does not carry a weapon. Love does not shed blood, unless it is bleeding for the sake of others.

Love is not arrogant. It does not insult. It does not carry a sign full of hateful words. Love never causes others to doubt God's goodness and mercy.

Love always transforms, always serves, always gives, always kneels down to touch the outcast, the homeless, the orphan, and the sick. Love washes the feet of the proud and the broken alike.

Love does not withhold mercy from those who do not deserve it. Love freely rains down goodness and relief and hope upon the hopeless.

But where there are wars, they will cease.
Where there is violence, there will be peace.
Where there is hate, it will pass away.

For we know full well that our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us not to kill, and we know
that He spoke to us of loving our enemies, and turning the other cheek, and walking the extra mile, and blessing those who curse us, and doing good to those who hate us, and laying down our lives for others, and loving our neighbor - even if that neighbor hates us with all of his heart.

When I was a non-disciple, I thought like one, and I acted like one. But when I became a follower of the Prince of Peace, I put away violent things.

Now, we see but a poor reflection of Christ in ourselves, and in the Church, but one day we will see Him in our own face, and in one another, more clearly.

And now, these three remain: Hate, Arrogance and Love. And the greatest of these remains to be seen.

Amen.


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11/16/13; 4:45 a.m.

Repent Or Likewise Perish

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-3)

Pilate, as a Roman ruler over Jerusalem, had essentially one job; to keep the peace. Sometimes that took the form of appeasing the Jews when they were angry, and at other times it took the form of putting down rebellion against the Roman Empire.

We know that Pilate was a cruel man, and history bears witness to that fact. But Pilate was not arbitrarily cruel. As one who had a vested interest in keeping the populace happy, he was not prone to using deadly force on a whim.

So, taking what we know about Pilate into consideration we can safely assume that those Galileans who were killed in the temple as they offered sacrifices were in the act of rebellion against the Empire. Especially since we know that this time in Roman History was littered with would-be Messiahs who routinely gathered followers and made attempts to overthrow the yoke of the Roman government.

It was not uncommon for these wannabe Messiahs to seek God’s favor before they launched their rebellion. This almost always involved offering sacrifices to God in hopes that His favor would rest on them – and not on the Romans – as they set out to free themselves from Roman rule.

This practice was also indicative of a mindset that Jesus often tried to correct in his teaching. For example, whenever someone got sick or experienced suffering the assumption of the day was that this was due to some sin the person’s life.

You might remember when the disciples pointed out a blind man to Jesus and asked, “Who sinned that this man was born blind? His mother and father, or him?” Jesus was quick to answer, “Neither.”

Not only did the Jews wrongly assume that suffering equaled God’s judgment, they also assumed that a lack of suffering equated to God’s approval or favor. Jesus tried to dispel that idea often. But he also tried to teach people that violent rebellion against Rome wasn’t God’s strategy.

He had already told everyone that instead of following the “eye for an eye” method of resisting their oppressors, the way that God approved of was quite unconventional:

“You’ve heard it said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ but I say to you, do not resist an evil person (that includes your Roman occupiers). If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also…If anyone forces you to walk with them one mile (a common practice of Roman soldiers), go with them two….You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’ but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..If you love only those who love you what reward will you get? Don’t even tax collectors do that?” (Matt.5:38-47)

In essence, Jesus here is warning the Jews that if they persist in these attempts to overthrow the Roman Empire by employing violent rebellion, they would “likewise perish” which means, literally, that they would die “in the same way”, that is, by having the Roman army slaughter them while they are in the Temple offering sacrifices.

Sadly, this is exactly what did happen to the Jews in AD 70 because they did not listen to Jesus. They refused to accept Him as their nonviolent Messiah. They refused to let go of their “eye for an eye” method of resistance. They refused to love their enemies (the Romans) and therefore they perished just as those Galileans did.

Jesus goes on after this to point out the death of eighteen people who were crushed when a tower in Siloam fell on them. Several New Testament scholars have suggested that this tower was a Roman stronghold which fell when Jewish rebels attempted to tunnel underneath it to reach the stockpile of weapons stored there in hopes of arming themselves for yet another rebellion. The tunnel weakened the integrity of the tower’s foundation and it fell on them and killed them and others living around the tower.

Once again, Jesus warns them that unless they repent of this lust for Roman bloodshed they would “likewise perish”, that is, by having Roman structures knocked over to crush them beneath the weight. This, again, is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who were destroyed when the Romans made Jerusalem desolate in AD 70. [And the parable of the fig tree in the vineyard that follows this verse verifies that this destruction is exactly what Jesus has in mind here.]

The point Jesus wants to make is that it was not the sinfulness or righteousness of those people that brought the calamity upon their heads, as they were prone to assume. Instead, Jesus wants them to see that their lust for a violent messiah and a bloody uprising is what brought them doom, and unless they repented of that way of thinking and began to trust the nonviolent, enemy-loving way that Jesus was preaching, the entire nation would be lost to violence.

We still have the same choice today. As followers of Christ, our choice is clear. We obey Jesus. We trust Him. We do not put our hope in weapons or violence or bloodshed. No, instead we put all of our hope in the way of the Cross.

We embrace the wisdom of Jesus and we refuse to trust in violence because we are convinced that love is more powerful than any weapon formed by man.

Aren’t we?

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IMMERSION

“Therefore, I began to think, my Lord, you purposely allow us to be brought into contact with the bad and evil things that you want changed. Perhaps that is the very reason why we are here in this world, where sin and sorrow and suffering and evil abound, so that we may let you teach us so to react to them, that out of them we can create lovely qualities to live forever. That is the only really satisfactory way of dealing with evil, not simply binding it so that it cannot work harm, but whenever possible overcoming it with good.” – Much-Afraid, from “Hinds Feet On High Places”, page 242.

My wife Wendy has been reading to us for a few weeks now from the book, “Hinds Feet On High Places” by Hannah Hurnard as part of our family devotion times together. So far, I’ve been very blessed by this allegorical story of faith, and often moved to tears at the beautiful devotion to Christ and the simple trust that Much-Afraid, the protagonist of the story, so effortlessly expresses from her heart.

But the other night my wife read the passage above out loud and it was as if a giant searchlight flashed out of the sky over my head and beamed pure wisdom down on my tiny heart. This is important. We need to stop and consider this profound truth. We must chew on it, swallow it, internalize it, digest it, and hold it forever in our beings so that we never forget it.

See, this is the key to something most followers of Jesus struggle with the most. We go to God with our sufferings and our trials and our only prayer is that He take the evil away. But what if the whole point of our being immersed in this world of sin and suffering and pain and evil is to recreate – over and over again – the amazing victory of Jesus over sin and death? What if God’s entire purpose and plan for our lives is to provide example after example of love overcoming evil and forgiveness overcoming hate?

Yes, Jesus prayed for those who nailed him to the cross saying, “Father forgive them. They know not what they do.” But what if you and I undergo suffering and persecution in order to duplicate that same scenario? What if every Christian is called to overcome evil with good, and to pray for those who hate us, and to love those who despise us?

Even more, what if God’s big plan is to defeat evil itself by this same testimony of love?

What if?

That would mean that our suffering has a purpose far greater than we ever imagined. Our response to hate is more critical than we might think. Our obedience to Christ could have eternal implications for those who are not yet citizens of His Kingdom.

This, I believe, is what Paul the Apostle has in mind in Romans chapter 12. First, he appeals to the unspeakable glory of God (at the end of chapter 11) and urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. Then he tells us not to be conformed to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed.

But why? So that we can love others (v.9-10), and so that we can bless those who persecute us (v.14), repay the evil with blessings (v.17), live at peace with all men (v.18), refrain from vengeance (v.19), feed our enemies (v.20) and overcome evil with good (v.21).

Do you see what Paul suggests? He’s saying that once we are transformed we need to live transformed lives. This transformed life looks nothing like what we’re used to. Our new, transformed lives are upside down from what anyone would ever expect, and apart from the indwelling spirit of Jesus such lives are hilariously impossible to duplicate.

Ask yourselves this question: “How could you ever defeat an enemy who only gained strength as it got weaker?”

Answer: “You can’t.” And that’s the point of 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 when Paul tells us that God refused to remove his thorn in the flesh. Why? Because God’s “power is made perfect in weakness.” It is, in fact, “the power of Christ”.  

This means that we who embrace our weakness and our suffering are carriers of the unlimited and infinite power of the supreme deity who created the universe, and the way we unleash this power is to do what He did – let go of our own identity and status and rights and lay down everything, even unto death (see Philippians 2:5-10), so that the power of Christ can flow through us and rip gaping holes in the fabric of evil like super-charged thermonuclear weapons of mass destruction.

God’s love changes everything. It has changed us. It can change others. It overcomes evil. It lays flat the proud. It devastates the oppressor. It silences the mocking voice. It transforms a sinful world of selfishness into a selfless Kingdom of joyful service to all.

This is why we turn the other cheek. This is why we pray for those who hate us. This is why we are called peace makers. This is why we are called upon to suffer as Christ suffered. (see 1 Peter 3:9-18) Because, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” (1 John 4:17)

Truly, we are called “Little Christs” (the literal meaning of the term “Christian”) for a very good reason. As Jesus loved others in suffering, we also are called to love those who hate us and to bless those who curse us. This is part of God’s amazing plan to change the world from the inside out.

We are each like little viruses that are transforming an organism from the inside out. Only the life of this organism depends on the success of this transformation.

This is Subversive. This is the Kingdom of God.

“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world.” – Jesus (John 16:33)