Stranger In This Land

The Tension & Balance of the Early Church on Non-Resistance

Sep 11, 2009 reflecting

I am committed to living a non-resistant lifestyle. To some of you that is no surprise – and yet to others that might be a shock, bad theology or it might be just confusing on what that means. Perhaps the bigger surprise for some, is that I believe Jesus not only demonstrated this lifestyle – but has called us as the church and as Christians that make up the church to live it out as well.

For some of you, like I said, you are going to view this as bad theology – but regardless please continue to bear a little longer with me as I continue this brief note. I would like to present to you perhaps some of my story, but more a few simple points to “chew on” in your thoughts.

Recently, I had a discussion with a reformed Baptist woman during my travels to California who believed that the ‘tradition’ of non-resistance and pacifism began and ended with the Anabaptist and Historic Peace Churches. She said sometimes she doesn’t know where the Historic Peace Churches (Mennonites, Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Amish, Quakers, etc) get their ‘traditions’ and why they continue to pass down a tradition that has no biblical evidence or mandate.

Her belief that it is an “Anabaptist Movement” tradition only; is unfortunately what the majority of individuals in the church believe and even more so unfortunate – really bad understanding of the early church.

In fact as we look at the early few centuries of the church, the church plants of the apostles and the church plants of those churches we continue to come across evidence that it was a norm for the early church to live in such a matter that is constant with the belief system or tradition if you’d rather coin it that.

If the call to living a non-resistant lifestyle is only tradition of a reformation era belief – then history would reveal this truth to us and back up such a statement.

I am not even going to argue a ‘Theological Stance’ this time around, but merely show theology lived out that was evident in the early church.

Let me quote to you from renowned Christian thinker, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, known better to most people as only Tertullian. Tertullian was the first Christian writer to write in Latin, he was well educated and was fluent in Greek and Latin. He became a Christian somewhere around 197AD, very early in Church history.

“But how will a Christian war, nay, how will he serve even in peace without a sword, which the Lord has taken away? For albeit soldiers had come unto John, and had received the formula of their rule; albeit, likewise, a centurion had believed, still the Lord afterward, in disarming Peter, unbelted every soldier.” – Tertullian (160-225 AD), On Idolatry 19

Let us also reason with the words of Justin Martyr, a Christian Apologist and Thinker from 100ad to 165ad; who was martyred for his beliefs.

“We who formerly used to murder one another do not only now refrain from making war upon our enemies, but also, that we may not lie nor deceive our examiners, willingly die confessing Christ.”
Justin Martyr (100 – 165 AD), Apology 1.39

“We who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons—our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage—and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified.” – Justin Martyr (100-165 AD), Dialogue with Trypho 110

Let us also discover the words of many other early Christian forefathers here.

“The catechumen or faithful who wants to become a soldier is to be rejected, for he has despised God.”
Hippolytus (170-236 AD),The Apostolic Tradition 16.11.

The whole world is wet with mutual blood; and murder, which in the case of an individual is admitted to be a crime, is called a virtue when it is committed wholesale. Impunity is claimed for the wicked deeds, not on the plea that they are guiltless, but because the cruelty is perpetrated on a grand scale.
-Cyprian of Carthage – 250 AD

If that isn’t enough, other early first and second century Christians said in early written doctrines…

Early Christian Writing of the “Didascalia” most likely written in the third century, but based on the teachings of the Church of Acts – forbids the acceptance of money for the church “from soldiers who have unrighteously or from those who kill men or from executioners or from any (of the) magistrates(s) of the Roman Empire who are stained in wars and have shed innocent blood without judgment”.

Perhaps Pastor Bob Yoder of Dayspring Mennonite puts it best as describing the Tension a Christian will feel with his life here on this earth. Paraphrased he says, that we will continue to try to find the balance of how we are in the “here and now of the kingdom of earth”, yet we are citizens of heaven. Romans 12/13 – a role of a Christian in this kingdom and our duties to the Government will present some tension for someone, all the time – regardless of your feelings on government and war and politics, there is tension to be had in the balance. The Christians job is to find the opportunity that is less tension filled. To find the balance that seems to be right, and the fewer tension we live within our Christian walk on earth, the more Kingdom focused we will be.

The least tension is the way of the peacemaker.

A discussion on this balance with my grandfather over a year ago, also puts it into balance; as a Christian if I die I know where I am going. As a Christian if I kill someone I know I am most likely signing their sentence to hell.

Historically the Church is a Peace Church, long before we had a superstitious love affair with American politics, war and government. Once we were in opposition of such.

Where is your balance?

Tags: Anabaptist History, Anabaptist Movement, Christian Forefathers, Cyprian of Carthage, Dayspring Mennonite, Didascalia, Early Church, Historic Peace Church, Justin Martyr, Non-Resistance, Pacifism, Pacifist, Pastor Bob Yoder, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Tertullian, Trypho