Several years ago I got custody of my son after doing the week-end visitation gig for many years. While I would have loved to characterize the occasion as an opportunity to really bond with my son in his teen-age years, the turmoil which prompted the brutal custody battle brought forth a kind of trial I had not experienced before as a Christian.
I found myself associating with people that I never thought I would have before. I hoped to maintain some kind of contact with my son who was completely out of control. Calling the cops never helped. Drug dealers, ex-cons, alcoholics and drug addicts became my new “friends”. I would rarely invite regular friends over to my house; I sometimes felt I was a double agent: I didn’t want the sub-culture types to feel too uncomfortable around me, and I did not really want the “regulars” to see how I lived.
The question which I bring to you, my readers, (and I hope that there will be more comments on this piece), is one related to Christian spiritual warfare. More specifically, can spiritual warfare get physical, biblically speaking, or are you just sinning?
I can almost hear you thinking, “uh oh, what did you do?”
Let me first say that I did not do drugs or commit crimes and so forth. However, the environment I was in, the environment my son would be in with or without me, was patently ghetto. What I did that prompts this discussion is outlined as follows.
I was sitting there in my dead-bolted room when my son pounded on my door in a panic. “Grab your shotgun…NOW!!!”
Apparently, in the front yard there was a rather large, spry young man in his late 20’s who was intent on doing serious damage to my son and others who were dispersing. He was on his way into the house, one way or another. So, grab the shotgun I did.
When I saw that the guy was not armed, I had someone take the shotgun away. Though I was 49 years old and had not been in a fight for several decades, I had no choice but to get it into gear—he was coming at me full tilt. Whatever was going to happen would happen before police would be able to intervene.
Surprisingly, I found myself performing some kind of flying round house kick to his ribs followed up by planting my knee in his groin and an elbow to the back of his neck after he bent over. It seemed like time slowed down as I blocked his blows and fought him, (my son pitched in some, a real bonding moment) till he was neutralized.
Maybe it was good that I didn’t have Christian friends around me. I could see myself, after such a scene, “Hey, brother, let’s go share our faith with the neighbors who were watching! I’m sure they were impressed as they watched my miracle work on the front lawn here!” So I had to get a little Old Testament on the guy?
While Jehovah’s Witnesses will not fight in wars, Evangelical Christians do. And most observe the right to defend yourself and others. For my part, my son is doing very well now; I do not question the work that the Lord has done in this trial, whether it be by using me while in sin or not. However, the New Testament continues to cause me to struggle on this issue.
What an experience this must have been! I think you handled it the best way you could. I was reading Romans 12:18 where Paul limits his command to If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with one another. Our aim should be to live peaceably, but peace is not always within our control.
ReplyDeleteWhat an experience! I really think you handled it the best way you could. In Romans 12:18 Paul's command was to "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Notice he limited this since we cannot always live at peace with others. Later in the chapter he talked about vengeance belonging to God, but you were not vengeful, just protecting your son.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is true that Jehovah's Witnesses do not fight in wars, everyone has a right for self defense. If it comes to the point of killing of another or you being killed, then it comes to a decision of conscience, but should still be avoided. Wars have often been fought based upon different religous viewpoints that have been intertwined with the political realm. This is the influence of the one who rules the world at this time. That is, of course, Satan. The opposer of God. Anyone who takes up arms against another is not doing so with God's approval or backing. It is not for man to decide upon another's death. That power is reserved for God only to direct, as was demonstrated at times in scripture (most notably when Jehovah directed ancient Israel to use warfare to take possession of the land that he himself designated as their inheritance and to execute people whose depraved practices and defiance of the true God caused Jehovah to view them as being no longer fit to live). Many well-meaning Christians go off to war thinking God is on their side with the blessing of the Church. The opposing side does the same thing with their beliefs. Common sense (and scripture) dictates that both sides are sadly mistaken to believe that God is on either side. Scriptures to consider: Matt. 26:52, Isa. 2:2-4, 2 Cor. 10:3,4.
ReplyDeleteFor more clarity to my earlier post on the subject of current warfare between nations, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. Christ's followers were to make disciples of people of all nations; so worshipers of the true God would in time be found in all those nations. That taken into account, what is the motive of nations today going to war against other nations? Is it to carry out the will of our Creator, Jehovah, or to carry out some nationalistic interest? Those who go to war today would be doing so against fellow believers, against people who prayed for help to the same God that they did (Whether they believe so or not).
ReplyDeleteMy good friend Nick, who has posted the last two well crafted comments, is a Jehovah's Witness obviously. The first "anonymous" comment is my other good friend Patty who is an evangelical christian. (I only have 2 friends because I raise contentious issues). I, the host of this prestegious blog, point this out so that the discussion might flow better; please post a name when you comment in the future.
ReplyDeleteFor my part, the issue raised here is a complex one in my mind. Nick and Patty raise some excellent points, and interestingly seem to agree on some level, that of defending oneself. However, I invite further discussion.
If both of you agree, for example, that my planting of my knee in the groin of my adversary (I inject some humor to lower the tension), was righteous insofar as it was to defend myself or my family, then why am I not obliged to do so in a more organized fashion against an attack by another country who intends to behead all non-muslims, for example? Please use New Testament scripture to support your position. I will give out grades later. And you...stop talking in the back!