A Time to Kill? - Part B

People will raise the flag of concern. What about love? What about love, the law of love? Didn't Jesus say love your enemies? Didn't the Old Testament even say love your enemies? How can I love my enemy and then take up arms against him? That's a tough one, but there is an answer. And here it is.

It's the same answer, hadn't changed. The Bible makes the difference between murder and killing. Not all killing, according to the Bible, is murder. Today on Connect with Skip Weekend Edition, Skip Heitzigs continues an engaging look at the Ten Commandments as he continues our series, God's Top Ten. This series opens up all Ten Commandments and shows us how they not only matter to the people of their time, but how they matter to us. And today we'll be touching on an intriguing issue that has been debated in the Church for centuries. Should believers fight in wars where they may have to kill someone? And should the death penalty be allowed? Does the Bible have much to say about this?

Well, fortunately, yes, it does. We'll see more in just a moment. But right now, Skip would like to invite you to join him on social media. Hey, Pastor Skip here. If you want to stay up to date on the latest from this ministry, follow at SkipHeitzig on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. That's Skip, H-E-I-T-Z-I-G. We'll be focused on several different passages today, including Matthew Chapter 5 and Romans Chapter 13. So I hope you'll get your Bibles ready as we begin.

Now here's Skip Heitzig with our teaching today. Martin Luther said these words, quote, Without armaments, peace cannot be kept. Wars are waged not only to repel injustice, but also to establish a firm peace. Violent means must sometimes be used to preserve the life and health of the body politic, just as a physician must at times amputate an arm or a leg in order that the whole body may not perish. And this, said Luther, can be a work of Christian love, close quote.

In other words, if I may paraphrase for Martin Luther, he said, I love peace, and I love peace enough to fight for it, if need be. So there have been the wranglings from the early church onward and the just war tradition. The question is, is any of this biblical? Is there a biblical precedent?

Well, sure, you can look through all the history of all the way back to Abraham. Remember Abraham, by the way, is called the father of faith in the New Testament. When five kings under King Kedorlaomer waged war against the people of the south and stole Lot, his nephew, the Bible says that Abraham had 318 trained militiamen that he had paid for, and he sent them out to battle for a just cause. God used Joshua to rid the land of the Canaanite purge as they were wreaking havoc on people of that region. David was called to go to war and the book of Judges. Now, when you think of a judge in the Old Testament, don't think of a guy with a robe and a gavel, or like Justice Sanders from South Carolina. The judges in the book of judges were fighters. They were warriors slash deliverers. And did you know that the New Testament, in looking back to the Old Testament, and some of these judges actually commends them for their warrior activity?

Listen to Hebrews chapter 11. Through faith they subdued kingdoms. They worked righteousness. Out of weakness they were made strong. They became valiant in battle. They turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

They were slain with the sword. Also, you ought to know that in the New Testament, there's no mandate for people in the military to quit the military, to not be involved in it, to resign. Remember when John the Baptist was down at the Jordan River baptizing people from Jews in Jerusalem to Roman soldiers? And you'll remember that each of the different groups was asking John, what should we do? You're telling us that we need to repent and show forth works that speak of the fact that we have repented.

What do we do? And the soldiers asked him, what do we do? You know what John said? John the Baptist said, don't intimidate anyone. Don't bring any false accusations against anyone and be happy with your paycheck.

That's what he said. Luke chapter three, be content with your wages. He did not say, well, if you want to follow Christ, you have to quit the Roman military. You cannot be a soldier and be saved at the same time. He just said, don't intimidate anybody.

Don't falsely accuse people and be happy with your paycheck. Furthermore, in the New Testament, some of the greatest people were centurions, officers in the Roman army. A centurion came to Jesus and said, Lord, I have a servant who's sick. I know all you have to do is say his name and he'll be healed.

He didn't even have to be here. Remember what Jesus said? He said, I haven't found this kind of faith even among any of the Jews in Israel, as this centurion has. And then what about the centurion in Acts chapter 10 named Cornelius? He was of the Italian regiment. Here's his description.

He was a devout man, one who feared God with all of his household, and he prayed. So clearly the Bible does not forbid any military association, nor is the Bible promoting pure pacifism. So that's the case.

And I hate even to use that term. It's sort of hard from a pulpit as one of the points to say a case for killing. And so there are concerns with that.

People will raise the flag of concern. What about law? What about love, the law of love? Didn't Jesus say love your enemies? Didn't the Old Testament even say love your enemies?

How can I love my enemy and then take up arms against him? That's a tough one. But there is an answer. And here it is. It's the same answer.

Hadn't changed. The Bible makes the difference between murder and killing. Not all killing according to the Bible is murder. And there's a lot of different Bible texts we could point to.

I want to give you just one that puts it all together. In 1 Kings chapter 2, King David is dying. His son Solomon is there. He's briefing his son on what to do as the next king. And David knows his cabinet members very well, and he knows that Solomon is young and inexperienced. So this venerable king in the briefing says to Solomon, you know what Joab did to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jethur, whom he killed.

Now listen to this. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime. And he put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist and on his sandals that were on his feet. David in that verse to his son Solomon makes a difference between personal murder and national war. Between righteously administered judicial execution during a time of war and killing for personal reasons.

Part of loving people is to protect them, is to defend them. Now during World War II, when Hitler was coming to power, there were a lot of Christians that were discussing these very issues in churches like we are. I don't know if they were doing it publicly because the Nazi machine was quite intimidating, but some of them were. And there came a time when the Christians in Europe just wanted peace at any price. They didn't want to stand up and fight against this tyrant and make any kind of waves. They were just sick of war.

World War I had just passed. They were fearing another one. They just wanted peace at any price.

Jacques Ellul observed this. He was a French philosopher, and this is what he said concerning Christians. After 1937, he said, it was too late. The fate of the world was already sealed. But those in those years, the Christians full of good intentions were thinking only of peace and loudly proclaiming pacifism. In matters of that kind, Christians' good intentions are often disastrous. They didn't want to fight against Hitler.

They just wanted to go home and have peace. Another issue. What about the Sermon on the Mount? What about the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus himself said, if you have evil coming against you, don't resist it. If you have evil coming against you, don't resist evil. Now I bring that up because every pacifist who wants to quote the Bible will quickly go to the Sermon on the Mount.

So let's look at it. Matthew chapter 5. I promise you we turn there. Matthew chapter 5, verse 38. You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone wants to sue you, take away your tunic, let them have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with them two. Give to him who asks you and from him who asks you and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away.

The point is pretty straightforward. When evil comes at you, don't follow the world's evil ways in dealing with it. Don't follow the violent ways of the world. Now there was a novelist some years ago, very famous, some of you've heard of him and read him, named Leo Tolstoy. Some of you had to read his great book called War and Peace. And Tolstoy called for, based on what we just read, he called for the elimination of the military, the elimination of the police force, the elimination of the court system and judges, because all of these resist evil. And Jesus said, don't resist evil. Well, if we are to follow Tolstoy's philosophy, based on his misinterpretation of this verse, we are giving a permission slip to every thug on planet earth to do whatever he wants, because we're not going to do anything about it. Well, so what does Jesus mean in verse 39, when he says, do not resist an evil person?

Now listen carefully. This is what he's talking about. Personal retaliation. Personal retaliation. Jesus isn't even dealing with national issues, formal judicial actions or national defense. That's not his topic. He's not dealing with protecting your household or protecting your neighbors or protecting your country. He's referring to our personal relationships, not our public citizenship.

And there is a difference between people who come at me personally and how I deal with that versus people who deal with the society. Let me explain. Francis Schaeffer, I would recommend you dig up some of his writings. He's in heaven now. He was a great thinker. He said this, I am not a pacifist because pacifism in this fallen world means that we desert people that deserve our greatest help.

That gives an example. You're walking down the street and you see some big thug, big ripping muscles, older guy beating up on a five-year-old little girl. She's innocent. Now what are you going to do? Well, I won't do anything. I'm a pacifist.

I don't believe in it, but it's happening. What are you going to do with it? Well, I'll negotiate.

Good. Do that first. Go over and approach that thug and say, Mr. Thug, would you please stop beating that helpless little girl?

Shame on you. Didn't your mother teach you manners? And maybe he'll snap out of and go, you're right, I feel so bad. Or maybe you'll have to further negotiate and converse and coerce him. But what if the thug decides not to listen to your language but lays into that little girl harder and meaner and laughs at you in the process? Here's the question. What does love mean to you at that point? Love means, if you love that little girl, that you're going to stop him any way you can, including using force to stop him.

Because she's innocent. Okay, one other verse of scripture and here's where we end. It puts it all together. It puts it all together.

This is how it all works. Romans chapter 13. Let's turn there and then we'll close in prayer. Romans 13. And because I got you to turn to Romans 13, I begin in chapter 12.

Because I am a preacher and I love context. Verse 17 of Romans chapter 12 is where the thought begins. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

If it's possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he's thirsty, give him to drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Then let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there's no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil.

Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid. For he does not bear the sword in vain. Sword is the Makarios, the sword of execution that was his authority to minister.

For he is God's minister and avenger, notice that, to execute wrath on him who practices evil. So here's here's how it all works. If it's possible, live at peace with everybody. Here's the problem. It's not always possible. Boy, it'd be great if we could all hold hands and and grab arms and swing and say give peace a chance and all you need is love and the whole world would join in, but they won't.

It's not possible to live at peace with all men. So when people come against you personally, notice that in verse 19 and 21, don't avenge yourselves, that's personal. Because it says, I will repay, says the Lord, vengeance is mine.

That's personal. They come against me personally. Question. How will the Lord take vengeance upon them?

How will he repay them? You might say, well that's judgment day. Maybe.

Perhaps. Ultimately, yes. But it does say in chapter 13 verse 4, he is God's minister and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

God may use the government in his lifetime to execute wrath and bring vengeance. So I'm going to wrap it all up to you. Here's the bottom line. Murder is wrong. Suicide is wrong. Killing is awful. War is horrible.

But there are times where reasons for killing are justified to establish peace and to protect people who are innocent. Tom Allen was at a cafeteria line at Asbury Seminary. As he was going through the food line, there was a basket of apples with a sign that said, take only one. God is watching. At the end of the line, some wiseacre put another sign in the peanut butter cookies that said, take all that you want because God is busy watching the apples.

And here's why you're laughing at that. Because it's absurd to think that God can't see both the apples and the peanut butter cookies. If God is God, he doesn't see one and not the other. He sees it all. And God sees all the war, all the anger, all the abortion, all the suicide, all the euthanasia, all the anger boiling up in every person, in every country, in every city, in every generation.

He sees it all. But we don't. So we're called to deal with only that which we see. And if we see evil personally, we do what? Forgive.

If we see evil societally, what do we do? Protect. People come against me personally. I'm like, watch what I'll do to you in court. I forgive them.

I want to promote Christ and his kingdom. Vengeance is the Lord's, not mine. I'll forgive on a personal level. Vengeance is the Lord's, not mine. I'll forgive on a personal level. On a societal level, if we love, we at some point must protect.

Now here's the bigger truth more than all of that. The bigger truth in this commandment is God loves life. He's for life. He's not for death. Jesus said, the thief doesn't come except to kill, steal, and destroy.

I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. Soldiers die. Victims of murder die. Murderers die. Judges die. Pastors die. Good people and bad people die.

There's a bigger issue. What do you do now? What do you do for eternity? What next? 1981, an author, William Saroyan, a great American author, died. Before he died, he was on the phone to the Associated Press.

And in his classic style, he said, yeah, I know everybody's gonna die, but I always thought an exception would be made in my case. And he ended the conversation, now what? Now what?

Now what? I know when tragedies happen, I don't minimize it. We say they've died and it takes us by surprise. But not everybody dies at age 120, closing their eyes and falling asleep. In a number of different ways, all people of all ages die.

What now? Do you know the author of life? Has he given you everlasting life?

Have you let all of your sins be taken upon Jesus Christ that you might enjoy everlasting eternal life? Abundant life, but then what? We all die. And as Skip reminded us, what happens after death? Peace, forgiveness, and rest are ready for you today. And if you'd like to learn more about our relationship with God, and if you'd like to learn more about our relationship with Jesus, we'd like to invite you to visit connectwithskip.com and click Know God. There's a complete description of what salvation is and how you can take part today, so I hope you'll check that out. And today's teaching was part of our current teaching series, God's Top 10. You can get all 17 teachings bundled together as an audio CD package for only $39 plus shipping. Find out more and order today at connectwithskip.com, where you can also find out about this month's special resource offer. I've enjoyed watching the growth and the ministry of my friend Levi Lusko, and now we're offering you his Take Back Your Life Study Guide and DVD.

Here's Levi to tell you about it. It's all around this idea of taking back your life. It's a 40-day interactive journey to thinking right so you can live right. And it's going to be really powerful and special, I think, for people to have this.

Not only is it in hardcover, which just makes me happy because I've never had a book release in hardcover, but it has a ribbon, so you'll be able to keep track of your progress through these 40 days. It would be an incredible gift to someone who is looking to grow in their faith or for any of us who want to maybe kind of do an oil change for your heart, a checkup on your wellness, on where you're at. It'll deal with internal difficulties and help you deal better with external circumstances that are challenging as we explore how we can get to the very best version of ourselves that we are meant to be. Get the book Take Back Your Life with a donation of $35 to connect with Skip. Call 1-800-922-1888 or online at connectwithskip.com. This hardcover book by Levi Lusko will help you take back your life. It's a 40-day interactive journey to thinking right so you can live right.

1-800-922-1888. And come back next time here in Connect with Skip Weekend Edition as Skip Heitzler continues taking us through the Ten Commandments with his teaching, Weeds of Unfaithfulness in the Garden of Love. Don't miss it next time here in Connect with Skip Weekend Edition, a presentation of Connection Communications. .... Connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.