Activism Pacifism or Selectivism

Activism: It Is Always Right to Participate in War

Activism holds that Christians are duty-bound to obey their government and to participate in every war for which that government enlists their support.

Pacifism: It Is Never Right to Participate in Way

Pacifist is the Christian who opposes war or violence as a means of settling disputes.

Selectivism: It Is Right to Participate in Some Ways (Just Wars)

Selectivism argues it is sometimes right to take part in war.

I. Activism

Biblical Argument - Government Is Ordained by God

Romans 13:1 NASB95

1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

John 19:11 NASB95

11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

“Government is of God” - God uses government to bring order from chaos.

Genesis 9:6 NASB95

6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

1 Corinthians 14:33 NASB95

33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:40 NASB95

40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

The idea is that God has set forth government to establish rules and consequences for those who do not follow.

Norman Geisler book Christian Ethics says this about the Activist beliefs,

“In brief, God ordained human government. Adam was given the crown to reign over the earth. And then evil became rampant, and Noah was given the sword to enforce that rule. Government is of God both because order is from God and because disorder must be put down for God. Humans have the right from God to take the lives of unruly human beings who shed innocent blood. Government is invested with divine power. The sword given to Noah was used by Abraham when he engaged in war against the kings who had committed aggression against Abraham's nephew Lot (Gen. 14). This passage indicates God's approval of wars that protect the innocent from aggressors.”

Principle of the Activist - Eye for an Eye

Exodus 21:23–25 NASB95

23 “But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

The Activist believe swift and hard justice is necessary to maintain and create order.

Mr. Geiler add this concerning Gentle rule,

“As far as the governments of Gentile nations were concerned, the Old Testament declares that "the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes" (Dan. 4:25). And from the rest of Daniel's prophecy, it is dear that God ordained the great Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman governments (Dan. 2-7). Thus the text indicates that God has ordained government wherever it is found. And since government is given by God, it follows that to disobey government is to disobey God. If, therefore, the country's government commands a person to go to war, biblical activism argues that one must respond in obedience to the Lord, for the Lord has ordained the government with the sword, the power to take lives.”

Daniel 4:25 NASB95

25 that you be driven away from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.

Philosophical Argument: Government Is Humans’ Guardian

Plato’s dialogue Crito, which depicts a conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito of Alopece regarding justice.

3 reasons to obey the government

Government is the humans’s parent.

Government is the human's parent. One ought not disobey even an unjust government. "First, because in disobeying it he is disobeying his parent." By this Socrats means that under the sponsorship of government, the individual is brought into the world. One is not born into a lawless jungle but comes into this world under the parentage of the state. The state makes one's very birth more than barbaric: it is a birth into a state of civilization rather than into anarchy. Just as parents spend months in preparation and anticipation for a child, many years have likewise been spent in maintaining the state, which makes a civilized birth possible, and these years may not be lightly regarded later because a person finds oneself at odds with the government.

2. Government is the human’s educator.

"Second, because it is the author of his education." The implication here is that the very education making persons what they are (including their knowledge of justice and injustice) was given to them by their government. They are civilized, and not barbarian, not only by birth but also by training.

3. The Governed have a duty to obey the government.

"He has made an agreement with [it] that he will duly obey [its] commands.? That is, people's consent to be governed, given by pledging allegiance to that government, binds them to its laws.”

Plato aslo list two implied reasons

The governed are free to leave their government

Without government, there would be social chaos.

Pacifism

Biblical Argument: War Is Always Wrong

Principles of Pacifism -

“You shall not Murder”

Exodus 20:13 NASB95

13 “You shall not murder.

Well, if you can’t kill you should participate in wars.

“Do not resist one who is evil”

Matthew 5:39 NASB95

39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Wayne Grudem list 6 arguments commonly used by Pacifist

1) Jesus commander us to turn the other cheek

Matthew 5:39 NASB95

39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

2) Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves

Matthew 22:39 NASB95

39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

3) engaging in military combat involves failure to trust God

4) we should depend on international law rather than going to war

5) the use of violence always leads to further violence, and pacifism should be adopted to stop that vicious cycle

6) more genuine Christian pacifism would have prevented previous wars.

Giesler defines the pacifist beliefs saying,

“No war as such is ever God's command. What God commands clearly and unequivocally is " You shall not kill.! This command applies to all people, friends, or enemies. All persons are made in God's image, and it therefore is wrong to kill them. The Old Testament clearly teaches that one should love one's enemies (Lev. 19:18; Jon. 4), and Jesus reaffirmed this: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44). War is based in hate and is intrinsically wrong. Taking the life of another person is contrary to the principle of love and is therefore fundamentally unchristian.

Resisting evil with force is wrong. Closely connected with the first basic premise of pacifism, that killing is wrong, is another. Evil should never be resisted with physical force, but rather with the spiritual force of love. Did not Jesus say, "Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matt. 5:39 RSV)? Did not Christ also teach in this passage that "if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles" (v. 41 RSV)? The Christian is not to retaliate or pay back evil with evil, for vengeance belongs to God (Deut. 32:35). Paul wrote, "Beloved, never avenge yourself, but leave it to the wrath of God.….. No, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink' ... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:19-21 RSV). The Christian is to "repay no one evil for evil.

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

Matthew 5:44 NASB95

44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Matthew 5:39 NASB95

39 “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Matthew 5:41 NASB95

41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.

Deuteronomy 32:35 NASB95

35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’

Romans 12:19–21 NASB95

19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Social Argument: Way is always Wrong

Geisler adds,

“There are strong social arguments against war. It is not the best way to settle human disputes. Down through history, a river of human blood flows in the wake of wars. Evils of all kinds result from war: starvation, cruelty, plagues, and death.”

3 Social Arguments

War is based on the evil of greed.

James 4:1–2 NASB95

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

1 Timothy 6:10 NASB95

10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Plato’s Republic observes

“We need not say yet whether war does good or harm, but only that we have discovered its origin in desires which are the most fruitful source of evils both to individuals and to states.”

In another place he says,

"All wars are made for the sake of getting money?"

2. War results in many evils

In essence way and violence have consequences

What are some results of war and violence?

3. War breeds wars.

seems like a logical conclusion, right?

Woodrow Wilson said to congress in 1917 that the First World War was, “the war to end all wars.”

The Pacifist ask the question, “how did that work for us?”

“In summary, the pacifists argue that war is both unbiblical and antisocial. It is forbidden by God under the prohibition against murder, and it is becoming increasingly repugnant to the human race, which is showing increasing signs of battle fatigue under the continued inhumanities of human to human.” Norman Geisler