Early in our marriage, Gil casually mentioned that he wasn’t sure he would have been on the side of the Patriots in the Revolutionary War.
I wondered if I had married some kind of Benedict Arnold. Movies, songs, and Christian school ingrained in me that Patriots were on God’s side – they were the good guys, the heroes. The Loyalists were filthy rotten traitors who had no right to call themselves American, let alone Christian.
But Gil has always been one to question the status quo; it drives me crazy, but that’s part of why I fell in love with him. He explained that he is deeply grateful for American freedoms, and he is not necessarily a pacifist. He simply doesn’t know if “taxation without representation” was a biblical reason to go to war.
That’s my Gil; he always has to bring the Bible into it. I wish it was easier to ignore him.
(If you’re wondering if I am heading into the realm of crazy talk, please, don’t deport me yet. Hang in there with me.)
I sense a pervasive worldview among Americans: God wants us to fight for our freedom. Let your memory roll through American history – the wars, the invasions, the protests, the marches. Americans believe that fighting for freedom is a God-ordained right….even a responsibility.
But is this biblical truth?
Ironically, first-century Jews expected Jesus to be their George Washington, leading them in their own Revolutionary War. The oppression they experienced under Rome went far beyond unfair taxation. Jesus’ disciples waited with bated breath for the moment when he would call them to arms to overpower the Romans.
Except, he never did.
Instead, Jesus just kept saying jaw-dropping things, like: Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Do not resist an evil person.
If anyone slaps you, don’t slap back. Just turn the other cheek.
Roman soldiers could legally force any Jew to carry their packs for one mile. Jesus’ advice? Carry it two miles, without being asked.
History tells us that early Roman society overflowed with injustice: slavery, pedophilia, infanticide, violent entertainment, oppression of women. Of course, Jesus was not okay with this stuff.
So isn’t it astonishing that Jesus never encouraged his followers to engage in a culture war? No riots, not even any protests. Instead, He taught the rich to give away their wealth to the poor. He said that persecuted people are blessed. He even told the beleaguered Jews to act like servants to those who oppressed them.
What the heck? If it sounds radical, it was. Jesus ticked off a whole lot of people. This was not what they wanted to hear.
On the other hand, Psalm 82 says to Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. To what length are we to “defend?” Could it include protests? Physical force? Violent force? Maybe. Sometimes. I’m not ready to say that resisting evil is never God’s will.
I also get that history clearly shows that the less democratic a country is, the more vulnerable the powerless become. I’m a big fan of democracy. Please don’t doubt that.
But as awesome as democracy is, why do we assume that God necessarily wants us to fight for it? I just don’t see it anywhere in the New Testament. Do you? Please, tell me. Because all I see is the opposite. Yes, it’s disconcerting.
I peer into the internet and see Christians who are terrified by what we are losing in America. We really could lose freedom of speech or religion, or our parental rights. Economic stability could become a thing of the past. It’s not just our imaginations running away with us. The threat is real.
I’m scared too; I like my comfortable life. I wish I could say that I am holding my hands open to God, willing to surrender whatever He might choose to take. But instead, He must gently pry open my clenched fists.
Which is more important to me: defending democracy, or building God’s kingdom? Doesn’t God use all sorts of political systems – even oppressive ones – to build His church?
I’m not saying that we stop voting or courageously speaking the truth or protesting peacefully. But I do wonder what we should prioritize. If Christians are engaged in a culture war, how are we meant to gird ourselves for battle – primarily in the courts, at polling booths, or even with weapons?
Or first and foremost with prayer, humility, and in washing our enemies’ feet?
What happens to the witness of the Church when the world sees us as more concerned with our right to refuse masks, keep out immigrants, and shut down CRT…over service and sacrifice for others?
Do I want to be seen as a soldier or a servant? Perhaps sometimes I can be both. But if I can’t, which reputation is more important? Which looks more like Jesus?
The early church changed their world – but not by fighting for freedom. They did it through enduring hardship as discipline (Heb. 12:7), delighting in persecution (II Cor. 12:10), and joyfully accepting the confiscation of their property (Heb. 10:34).
I realize this is not the American way. But maybe it is the Christian way.
Does God want us to fight for our freedom?
Please join me in thinking about it.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
kimkargbo
Ooooo Girl! Thank you! Again. I have been pondering many of these same things for the past couple of years. As we look at the potential of going to war again to help defend Ukraine, I wondered if the US decision-makers ever think to themselves – is there a way to get back out of this NATO thing? Do we always have to go to war when one of our friends and allies is in trouble? Are there other ways to do this? Obviously, there are other ways – and they are being tried. But there has been so much war – internal and external. It does make you wonder. I too, along with Gil, wonder where I would have fallen on the OG battle of our country. So much to ponder…
Daryl Martin
Again, an excellent post! I would say our involvement in the world is only to further the gospel and to lovingly care for the weak, the poor, and the orphaned. Anything else leave it to God. “Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. A good soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him,” II Tim 2:3-4. God is the avenger. God is sovereign. In our sanctification we love and reflect Jesus to the world. If we are constantly in a fight, how does the world perceive us. We are to set ourselves apart from the world, stay focused on the mission, and eagerly wait His return to make things right. Until then, pray and sing joyful praises to our Lord..
Wendy Bradshaw
Good stuff Amy. When I saw the heading, my initial rephrase before reading was Does God want us to fight against injustice. Unlike the above response, I correlated all you wrote to American thought and ideology as out history is wrought with war/conflict infused history against many dear souls, mostly people of color, largely under the guise of Christian prerogative, authority and godly expectations; yet wholly devoid of love. As one who knows first hand, and whose family history is well steeped in some of the unfortunate “ugly” aspects of our “Christian” heritage in America, I do hope many will read your post and really set their hearts to prayerfully examining ‘self’. I concur that the basic tenants of truth that call us to be true image bearers of Christ and to be ever patient and loving towards all, especially those with whom we disagree or outright dislike, are often lost in the realm of unrecognized self-righteousness whereby we lose sight of the very fruit of God’s Spirit that is lacking when it is most needed…specifically patience, kindness and goodness; the fruit that is geared towards our actions towards others, particularly the “unlovely” folks about us. “Nationalism” should never usurp biblical love as it appears to be doing at present; and current divisiveness over matters like masks, CRT and more also fails to show God’s faithful followers as true disciples whereby the nation (the world) can look upon us and be amazed and in awe that we do belong to God… known by the love we show one towards another. May I and each of us really examine if we are walking by the Spirit with the intention of being used of God to help expand the kingdom of God to the glory of God’s name and fame. Very good write Ms. Amy… I pray that the words will move folks from just reading eyes and passing thoughts, to hungry hearts and positive responses that shall lead true believers to loving acts of obedience that are undergirded by unsurpassed peace in doing right, with tremendous joy of heart. By God’s grace, he permits folks such as yourself, to give voice to needed ponderings of truth whereby corrective actions may occur, by the Lord’s convictions; lives changed and the beauty of Christ’s disciples realized!!!.
amy.medina
Thank you, Wendy. Later today, after I published this, I found this quote. I wish I had included it. It mirrors what you are saying.
From MLK:
“To our most bitter opponents we say: “We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. . . . Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you. Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.”
Truly, our African-American brothers and sisters can show the rest of America what it looks like to resist evil but prioritize love.
Andrea Sanborn
Thank you for having the courage to say this. There are obviously a number of different perspectives on how to navigate our current cultural moment, and yours is a voice that needs to be part of that conversation.
Linda Thomas
Thank you for helping us ponder these issues and for asking hard questions. A number of years ago, Mike Metzger at Clapham Institute said we need to “do a Doggie Head-Tilt” and look at issues from other perspectives than just our normal perspective. This is what you have done and you have asked us to join you in doing that. I applaud you for that. Regarding your statement: “Patriots were on God’s side – they were the good guys, the heroes. The Loyalists were filthy rotten traitors who had no right to call themselves American, let alone Christian,” I’ve heard that said of the Loyalists before. My ancestors arrived from Scotland and Germany around 1800 and settled in upstate New York. When they landed on US soil, they were required to take an oath that they’d be loyal to the King of England. So when the Revolutionary War was in its infant stages, my ancestors felt they could not go back on their word; they felt they had to honor the promise they had made to be loyal to the King of England. Their consciences wouldn’t let them rebel, so they moved into Canada. They showed a great deal of integrity in keeping their word, even though it meant leaving their lands and homes and even leaving brothers and sisters and cousins. This issue divided families and that was painful. But the Loyalists (in my family, at least) bellieved this was what God would have them do.
Sheryl O’Brien
Thank you for your honest questions and answers, Amy. I resonated with what you wrote. Robin McGee just told me about your ELWA connection. I’d love to read more of your postings.