I was recently in a debate with a fellow and we were debating the topic of pacifism and what it means to follow God when terrible people do terrible things. In particular it started as a discussion about radical Islam and this fellow who I was talking to said that a group of Christians should band together as an army and fight off the Muslim terrorists, like they did during the Crusades. He then continued to say that pacifism is not found in the scriptures, but instead is completely read in.



I could tell you I was honestly shocked, I hadn't heard a Christian speak well of the Crusades for a very long time, nor someone who was so anti-pacifism. So, naturally I responded with my quick quip, "The scripture does say we should be pacifists. The way to push back Muslim Terrorists is to claim victory by our blood." Of course, my extremest point of view was a little unpopular for him and this led into a full frontal debate. So, I am going to give a positive case for pacifism, and not just political pacifism, but pacifism viewed from weakness being the very strength of God.





I guess before we begin that we ought to define our terms. Pacifism is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as, "The belief that violence is unjustifiable and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means." Weakness theology is a short hand way of saying that God's greatest strength is in weakness and likewise; his greatest wisdom is in foolishness. This comes from various passages in scripture.





First, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25,

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.

And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside."

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness. 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.





This is saying the people of the world, unbelievers, consider the wisdom and power of God as foolishness and weakness. Where we, the church, see strength and wisdom, the unsaved, whose eyes are blinded, do not. They look upon Christ's death upon the cross as weakness, but we see it as our very strength.





"But surely," you must be saying, "Surely, that's only Christ. Christ didn't die for us as an example that we should die, he died in order to break the curse and bondage of sin and to bind the strong man."





You would be only half-right. 2 Peter 2:13-24,

13 Submit yourselves or the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.





Christ is our example precisely in his suffering. And this lines up well with other scriptures like Matthew 20:26; Mark 9:35; 10:43 where Jesus tells his disciples that whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all and he uses himself as a reason. "For the son of man did not come to be served but to serve. (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45)"





Though, yes, sin still needed to be defeated. But Christ defeated sin and death because of the victory of his death. As it says in Acts 2:23-25. What God would conquer death by dying and then ask you to pick up your sword to conquer the world?





In that vein, John 18:36 says, "Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.'"





Christ's kingdom is not of this world. That's the reason he gives for why his servants aren't allowed to fight for him. If we aren't allowed to fight for out king, what makes us think we can fight for ourselves? Instead, we wage a war against spiritual forces, Satan and his demons.





Ephesians 6:10-13,

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

2 Corinthians 10:1-5,

1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

And my personal favorite Revelation 12:11, "

11 And they overcame him [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."

Our war is not in the flesh and neither are our weapons. Our weapons are the word of God, prayer, and the Spirit. But three things caused the men in Revelation 12:11 to overcome Satan: Jesus' blood, their witness (lit. marturia which is where we get the word martyr), and their deaths. These things overcome Satan.

We gain victory over Satan by giving up our lives.

So, I have a challenge to you. Do you have the world's wisdom? I would say that the complete council of scripture points to nonviolent, Spirit-empowered pacifism for those held under the New Covenant. What is seen as t

he very wisdom of God, which is found in pacifism, is often rejected as weak and foolish. Yet they fail to see that this makes Christians the most powerful. As we see from Revelation 12:11, our death overcomes Satan. Our blood changes the world.

Why should a servant be above his master? If Christ conquered his enemies, both of the flesh and of the spirit, with his own death; what makes you think he would expect you to conquer your enemies, of the flesh and of the spirit, by taking up arms and making swift their death?

Romans 5:6-11, "

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."

When we were still helpless, ungodly, sinners, and enemies Christ died for us. He gained the victory over sin and death, with his own death, and brought the entire world into subjection under him. All with the shedding of his blood.

In Revelation 5 a beautiful thing is found. John weeps because no one is found that can open the scroll with the seven seals. But then, verse 5, the elders say, "Hey, look over there, the lion from the tribe of Judah has triumphed and is worthy to open the scroll." Then, verse 6, John looks and sees a lamb that had been slain. Do you get it? It's so beautiful, the lion is the symbol for strength, authority, and power. All of those attributes are given not to a lion looking triumphant, but a lamb looking dead. This lamb in its death has gained all the authority and power a lion should possess and it is this dead lamb that is the only one worthy to open the scroll.

Do you think there's a reason we're called sheep?