Those of you from Christian homes have probably grown up hearing the phrase “turn the other cheek,” as taken from Matthew 5:39. Yet God assists in wars and even wiped out an entire army for Jehoshaphat while his army slept in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. Psalm 37:8 tells us, “Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble,” yet we see Jesus flip tables in the temple out of anger.
We look up from the Word and into our world, where we see murder, abuse, abortion, and cruel, unbearable injustices that lead so many to question if there even is a God. What are we supposed to do? How can we glorify God if we don’t fight for what is just in his sight? How can we obey him if we do?
These questions have bothered me all of my life, and while I believe there is no clear-cut solution, I think two questions can aid us in discerning the good fight: First, am I fighting for a God-honoring cause in a God-honoring way that can be clearly backed up by Scripture? Second, would my participation rescue or protect the lives of my loved ones or my country?
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17.)” The dictionary defines being just as “based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.” Our Heavenly Father has called us to seek out justice. Not only has he called us to do so, but he has also equipped us with this ability, by making us in his image, allowing us to reflect some of his attributes, and giving Scripture to guide us through our distorted views of justice.
The distortion drives children to attempt to conceal their joy when “tattling” on their siblings. The distortion drives Christians to plaster condemning verses on their car to scare people into taking a statement of faith that merely gives them a new label, rather than a new life. The distortion leads us to fight for things that too often just make us feel like good people or get us the justice we feel we deserve. However, when we look at God’s just actions, knowing that he is our ultimate example, we can see that his pursuit of justice points back to himself. Ours should point back to him, too.
The second question convicted me as I thought about the story of Alvin York. After having a rebellious past, York threw aside his old life to pursue a life for Christ, only to find himself in the middle of World War I, feeling a strong moral obligation not to kill another human. However, after witnessing the deaths of several friends who might have lived had he drawn his weapon, he realized he could honor God through fighting for his country and the people he loved.
Our Shepherd left his 99 sheep to rescue one. While observing the biblical view of justice, we must also ask ourselves if standing back while others are harmed is more honoring to God than taking a life in order to preserve one.
To conclude, when we are fighting for biblically-just causes and the preservation of life, the glory of God can be amplified and revealed to great masses, but the key lies in our desperation to seek God’s will and to act on biblical truths, rather than acting on our distorted views of justice.