On Memorial Day, I published an article titled The Disciple Who Wasn’t, focusing on the way proponents of war dehumanize the enemy. I asserted that Christians shouldn’t get caught up in un-personing and then bombing people considering they are potentially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The response was overwhelmingly positive – except for the guy who called me a clown. He claimed I turned Jesus into a “fairy dust-tossing pacifist.

I thought I would share his comment and then my response.

I think the literal truth here is somewhere between the lust for world dominance and what this guy is trying to condescend. I’m so sick and tired of the loathsome condescension from both sides of this road. This clown, and yes, I said clown, alleges Jesus was some fairy dust tossing pacifist as if he never told his disciples to sell their cloak to by a sword or mixed it up with the Pharisees, or who literally called non-Israelites dogs.

Make no mistake, the same God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorra is the same God who said go into the world and make disciples of all men. That same God also knew all would not heed his call, and that many would need to be killed as the result of their choices. Please, stop with the whole “we’ve got to stop all war” mantra in the effort to corral those who wage illegal and immoral wars to finance their lifestyles. It’s SO old.

It’s interesting to me when people have this visceral reaction to Jesus’ clear teaching. It’s always framed as some kind of weakness. But the truth is it’s far harder to turn the other cheek than it is to punch somebody in the face. Hitting somebody, getting even, exacting vengeance — those are natural reactions. Any oaf can do that. “Pacifism” takes spiritual strength and discipline.

And this is clearly what Jesus teaches. He takes the Old Testament standards and elevates them to a higher level. We don’t base the Christian ethic purely on Old Testament law. It is the living word embodied by “The Prince of Peace” This is what Jesus meant when he said he came to “fulfill” the law. He completes it. Over and over in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “You have heard it said…but I tell you. He takes the Old Testament commands and adds another layer. Not only should we not murder; we shouldn’t even say hateful words to people. The Old Testament law calls for justice – an eye for an eye. Jesus teaches mercy. In fact, he says, “Do not resist an evil person.”

But Jesus not only taught these things to his disciples; he lived them out. You mentioned Jesus telling his disciples to “sell their cloak to by (sic) a sword.” But what did Jesus say when Peter pulled out that sword and lopped off the servant’s ear?

“Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.”

Jesus did not establish his Kingdom through violence. And that’s what everybody expected. The conventional wisdom was that the Messiah would come and expel the pagan invaders from the land by force. But Jesus did the exact opposite. He did not resist the evil. He let it kill him.

“Make no mistake, the same God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorra is the same God who said go into the world and make disciples of all men.”

This is true. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah as he was first revealing himself to the world. People had to understand his justice before they could comprehend his mercy. But again, Jesus fulfills the law. He completes it. And mercy trumps justice. This is the entire point of the gospel. We deserve destruction. We get grace.

I’m sorry that it offends your sensibilities, but there simply isn’t any Christian justification for supporting the state’s wars. If you read teaching from the early church – roughly the first 350 to 400 years of church history before it got in bed with Rome, you will find that that believers rejected Roman militarism. Tertullian went as far as to condemn Christian service in the Roman military. He argued that there was no way to reconcile war with the teachings of Christ and that anyone who claims citizenship in the Kingdom of God should not fight in another kingdom’s wars.

“But how will a Christian go to war? Indeed how will he serve even in peacetime without a sword which the Lord has taken away? For even if soldiers came to John and received advice on how to act, and even if a centurion became a believer, the Lord, by taking away Peter’s sword. disarmed every soldier thereafter. We are not allowed to wear any uniform that symbolizes a sinful act.”

But maybe Tertullian was just a clown, eh?