Retribution

May he (the king) vindicate the afflicted among the people, help the poor, and crush the oppressor. - Psalms 72:4 HCSB

At some point in their lives, nearly every Christian wonders how to reconcile the innermost feeling that justice demands retribution and the biblical passages that teach we should leave vengeance to God and turn the other cheek. What is the Scriptural view the Ransomed should take on retribution, self-defense and war?

First, you have to realize that much of the Old Testament still applies to us. Jesus came to fulfill the Sinaitic Law, not abrogate it.[1] So Jesus expects obedience to all of the Law that was not “fulfilled.” What was fulfilled? All laws dealing with atonement, ritual worship in the Temple and the separation of the Jews from the Gentiles.[2]

That means that the relevant passages on capital punishment and war are applicable. Now, God does say that vengeance belongs to Him[3] and John told us that God will punish the future government that will persecute us.[4] However, Paul informed us that God’s vengeance as often as not comes through the duly elected official.[5] The government (at whatever level, city, county, state or federal) is God’s sword, if you will.

What about “turning the other cheek”?[6] People often quote this verse but fail to understand the context in which it is found. Jesus was referring to those who are persecuted for being Christians.[7]

So what are we to hold? First, it is right for a nation to prosecute a righteous war.[8] Second, it is right for the duly elected officials to put a person to death for crimes that society has deemed worthy of death.[9] Third, we cannot, as unauthorized individuals, take the law into our own hands and take a life. Fourth, we are allowed to take a life if society has granted that right (i.e. life threatening events leading to self-defense). Fifth, if we are being persecuted for our faith in Christ, we may not retaliate. Is that difficult? Yes, incredibly so. It’s so hard that we cannot say for sure if we will be able to follow that tenet until we are actually faced with the situation. However, it is what our Master demands. Being one of His disciples is not easy; there is a cost.

Has Osama bin Ladin been practicing religious persecution? He declared his actions to be a “holy war” but his organization’s actions belie his declared intent. If he had attacked a church, or the Southern Baptist Convention, or even a Mormon tabernacle, we could probably admit religious persecution. But he didn’t, did he? He hit a financial target and a military institution. He is not a religious martyr. He is a thug trying to dress up his crimes and ambitions in the threadbare cloak of Islamic religiosity, much as Hitler did with Christianity.[10] We are not only allowed to bring him to justice – God expects us to.

[1] Matthew 5:17
[2] Hebrews 10:12; Colossians 3:11
[3] Deuteronomy 32:35
[4] Revelation 18:20
[5] Romans 13:3
[6] Matthew 5:39
[7] Matthew 5:10, 43-44
[8] Genesis 14:14-16; Exodus 17:16; Numbers 31:3
[9] Numbers 35:31
[10] In Hitler’s March 23, 1933 Reichstag address he referred to “both the Christian confessions” as “the most important factors for the maintenance of our folkdom.” Apparently Eugenio Pacelli (later known as Pope Pius XII) believed Hitler because Pacelli was instrumental in making Hitler Germany’s dictator.