Let me begin by saying my heart and prayers go out to those family’s who have lost loved ones in Paris and Beruit. I can not fathom the grief and the whole range of emotions they must be working thru right now. And I by no means want to make light of the tragedy they are facing. But I do want to address some issues that are directly related to current events in our world.
First, can I talk about the issue of immigration? Specifically Syrian refugees. Over the last week I have seen mass outcry over whether we as a nation or individual state should accept these refugees. The main point being argued is that we can not screen for potential Isis members. While I believe this to be a significant issue I want to look at things from the glasses of a Christian. Let me ask you what would Jesus want us as Christians to do with this topic? Verses like James 1:27 instantly jump out at me from scripture: Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
We have been charged to care for the widows and the orphans in their affliction. There are no conditional phrases like, if they are Muslim you do not have to care for them or if they maybe Isis members you do not have to care for them. We are called as Christians to care for these people. We at called to show the world Jesus and one way we can do this is Love our enemies and overcome evil with good. If we as Christians take the stance of refusing refuge to those displaced by civil war and mass murder then we are not showing love, we are not caring for the widows and orphans. You may say it’s not that simple what if (fill in the blank). It is that simple if you want to live a biblically based life caring for the widows and orphans, loving our enemies is one of those thing you MUST do.
As if I haven’t already opened a can of beans can we talk about what our response as Christians to the bombings and mass murder in Paris should be? I have been reading a book by Preston Sprinkle entitled Fight: A Christian Case for Non-Violence that has caused me to rethink some issues. Over the years I have heard self professed Christians say things like “we should bomb the heck out of the Middle East and let God sort it out” and every time I have heard such nonsense I have thought how could anyone who ever reads the bible come to that conclusion. Let me give you one quote from Prestons book, “A large portion of the American evangelical church has been seduced, whether knowingly or not, by nationalistic militarism.” This is a huge problem because when I see Christians take the stance time and again that we should invade Iraq, Syria, Iran, the list goes on and on they are rooting this belief not in Scripture but in nationalistic militarism. This is dangerous because American values are replacing Scripture in our minds when we do this. I do not think the answer is to bomb all of the Middle East we should be advocating for good not evil.
I hope as I continue to wrestle with these issues you can take an honest look at them yourselves and look at what Scripture teaches not your American identity. America is not the new Israel, it is not God’s choosen people, it is a secular country where many Christians have replaced the bible with national pride. Get a copy of Prestons book and read thru it, find other resources for and against Non-Violence but let an honest look at scripture be what makes up your mind on these issues.
Remember if we meet evil with evil then Satan wins, only when we meet evil with good do we shine a bright light on the love of Jesus to our world
Behind The Keyhole 