It seems like as soon as I finish one of these posts, a flurry of insights come from random sources. This is a learning point in itself: the discipline of study opens up veins of knowledge that you often are blind to before you start digging. You enter the "classroom" intending to learn about a fourth of what you eventually discover. It is more akin to planting a seed and harvesting forty, fifty or a hundred fold. Sounds parabolic, doesn't it?
Anyway, a few more thoughts on this issue of "justified violence." This comes from more of a philosophical/theological/ecclesiastical angle. I began to think about God's pursuit of discipline in the Church. Though the concept of church discipline is mentioned sparingly in the New Testament, it is clearly there, even discussed by Jesus before the Church in any official sense is established. See Matthew 18:15-20.
Paul, too, is insistent on discipline within the church body, as passages like 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10, 1 Timothy 1:18-20 and Titus 3:9-11 reveal.
This emphasis, which exists within the very context of a community of peace, suggests that peace is never so highly prized that truth and corruption are compromised. "Peace at any cost" was not an acceptable slogan for the early Church. When required, some rather extreme means of discipline were exercised to establish truth, holiness and, ultimately, lasting peace in the Body of Christ.
"Discipline" indicates an aggressive move toward correction of the behavior/beliefs of a fellow Christian. This is a justified exercise because God recognizes that two ultimate concerns, perhaps inseparable, are:
- the spiritual orientation of the human soul
- the health of the Christ-community
Any enemies which come against these concerns must be dealt with quickly and decisively. Sometimes these acts of discipline might be considered "violent" in the sense that they are perceived as harsh and can be painful emotionally, relationally and spiritually.
Granted, this is a far cry from justifying military actions in the Old Testament, but some of the principles seem to connect. Is not the move of God in some of His actions in the Old Testament to bring discipline to creation and the Kingdom? Rebellious individuals are confronted and dealt with according to God's plan for all of creation. Thus we have the purging flood in the days of Noah, as well as military ventures led by God.
Consider these points (on both sides of the ledger) in relation to God's creation/Kingdom-discipline:
- God's ultimate concerns are the souls of men and the health of His Kingdom-community. In His sovereignty, He moves to purify and possess both soul and community. Church discipline serves this purpose in the age of the Church, and for ancient Israel, in addition to internal discipline, external actions kept paganism from creeping into the Kingdom-community.
- The military battles in the Old Testament were engaged against foes who declared their allegiance to other gods. This is true even in the case of periodic punishments brought upon Israel, for the wrath of God was exercised against them for trusting other gods or powers than the Living God.
- Church discipline is less "severe" because it is not merely punitive, but disciplinary - the soul has the opportunity to benefit because the body lives. The "discipline" of violence is irrevocably condemning from a physical standpoint.
- Discipline which touches human flesh does not necessarily condemn the soul.* In the same way, casting a wayward believer from the Church seems extreme, but it is not an eternal condemnation. It is a measure implemented to arouse the conscience to repentance.
- The move from the Old to New Covenant marks a change in many respects on how God works. God never loses sight of His plans for creation as a whole, but His focus intensifies on His chosen people (Israel/Church) as the conduit of blessing to all of creation. Corollary to this shift in focus is His method of dealing with rebellion - from physical retribution to spiritual discipline (although the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is an interesting exception - verse 11 reveals that even this extreme act had a "church discipline" effect). God can reign in any way He chooses, and He chooses to move from war to discipline. God seems to choose to work with humanity to develop God-like thinking as history progresses. Moving from war-like to peaceful resolutions is a gradual learning process.
As in all these posts, I have few rock-solid conclusions (I just mis-typed "confusions" . . . how ironic), but am just hoping to get a clearer picture of the issue. Your continued comments are appreciated.
* The troubling factor here, or course, is that logistically, a person who is killed suddenly in battle is given little or no time to reflect on their position before the sovereign God of creation. This is where we cross over from "discipline" to "punishment" - discipline being an action which intends to lead to rehabilitation, and punishment being the inflicting of a penalty with little regard as to the reaction of the one punished.
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