Christian Pacifism:
Jesus, Peace, and violence
Christian pacifism is the most reasonable position for a Christian to hold based on the life of Jesus. Jesus’ call to love strongly out ways his call to violence. We must first define what I mean by “Christian Pacifism.”
Christian Pacifism simply means the commitment to peace, far out ways justifying violence, or using as little violence as possible. Jesus throughout the scriptures shows us that nonviolence is the answer over pulling a gun on someone, for those of us in the fellowship. Jesus call’s christians to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Jesus later ,explains that your neighbor is anyone that comes in contact with you.
We also see Jesus making the call to love our enemies. How can we be loving our enemies when they are dead? How can we rob someone of life, if we know that we are saved by grace, not knowing the extent of their heart. Jesus also shows that in the garden, when he goes to seek council from God, when peter cuts off the ear of those coming to get him. Jesus corrects Peter and heals the man’s ear.
The paradigm of the cross has changed the way we should handle ourselves in stressful situations. Christians are to be the light of the world, and if christians are taking life instead of giving life, then what makes us any different?
