Being Violent is An Act Of Self-Will
“Don't be envious of evil men; neither desire to be with them for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about mischief” (Proverbs 24:1-2 WEB).
Short Vision On South Africa's next Leader, you may find it here.
We will be brief in this article and it is intended to serve as a reminder that violent Christians displeases the Lord. Also, we formally wrote an article as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ about ‘fighting’, and this was not widely welcomed by some Christians. Some wrote to us asking how they are supposed to defend themselves and their families if they are not allowed to fight in self-defence. Brethren, we can only report to what the Lord commands, and from our own experiences with the Lord and we can recall that He warned some of us not to behave violently in any manner (Malachi 2:16).
It is common knowledge that a Christian who responds violently to any given situation acts out of anger and malice (Ephesians 4:31) and as a result no good is being achieved when the force of anger is being used to settle matters, instead it creates ill feelings, disunity and an ungodly appetite for revenge. The motive does not issue not from love (Matthew 5:44) as we are being commanded, but from anger and self-will and when we responds from self-will we are not being submissive to Christ (James 4:7). Scripturally, we are being warned not to sin purposely (1 John 3:9) while bearing the Christian name, this is shameful to what the Lord Himself stood for and His followers are to imitate Him (1 John 2:6).
How The Lord Rebuked And Punished A Violent Tempered Brother
In an experience a brother had with someone else some time ago, the brother reported that he was verbally attacked by someone very close to him and without thinking he reacted violently and with evil intentions attacking his verbal abuser. We can tell you, this behaviour did not please the Lord at all, the brother was sternly rebuked and the Lord Himself issued the brother with a shameful punishment. Let me tell you, the Lord said as much as he (the brother) wanted to humiliate the other instead of obeying and forgiving like He did (1 Peter 4:14, Romans 15:3), He was going to give the brother a humbling punishment and He did as we have seen from the things the brother went through.
Like we reported elsewhere on this website and above, some Christians think that the Lord will leave them without punishment for deliberate sinning (Hebrews 10:26; 12:6) and the punishment is not always easy to bear (Genesis 4:13), but we have a sinful defect to learn from and not repeat. The application of violent force onto another person is out right humiliating and the person doing it expresses disrespectfulness and a form of dominance over the other and for this God will not leave you unpunished.
Furthermore, we know that the Lord Himself was often threatened with violence yet He never threatened back (John 8:59; 10:31). In a gesture of evil, His opponents finally brutalised His body in a show of force (John 19:1; Matthew 27:32-56) to quench their evil hate for the Lord and yet they were forgiven (Luke 23:34).
In conclusion, brethren acting violently when we are being insulted or provoked only displays the weaknesses within us, and those weaknesses exposes the deep rooted evil of Unforgiveness, grudges and hate within us (1 Peter 2:1; Ephesians 4:31). It is a fact, there are some Christians who are out right violent. And while they hide behind the legal principle of self-defence which is often legally permissible, but not Godly acceptable (1 Corinthians 10:23), our Lord commands us to refrain from all forms of violence which is often rooted in evil retribution (Colossians 3:8; Ephesians 4:30-31). I have heard many times how some Christian brethren confessed saying that if they were not Christian they would have attacked someone, what an appetite for violence and how ungodly instead of just saying, ‘I forgive you’ and act forgivingly. This actually reminds me of a situation in which a certain brethren in the Lord confessed that she forgave a certain brother for something he did, but she used that same offence the brother committed to voice her hurt, and clearly there was no forgiveness if there was, love would have been present instead of avoiding the brother who offended you. The lord said that Christians who are in such bondage will not see His Kingdom for no sin will ever be justified despite the offence, love must take over (1 Peter 4:8).
Now Brethren if you have a violent heart, stop watching violent movies that promotes a spirit of grudges and evil feelings of hatred, we encourage you to REPENT! As Christians, let us love, (John 13:34) let us forgive, let us share with our offenders (Christian or non-Christian) and this will be an expression of our true Godly love (Proverbs 25:22) and this will free us from God’s coming wrath against such offenders (John 8:32; Philippians 2:15). The price of our salvation is very high, purity and a blameless mind (Ephesians 5:27).
For those who are not saved yet, If you are willing to turn your life over to God, please start by praying this
For questions or comments on this article or our ministry, please contact us.
Blessed Grace in Peace
Brother Glenn
