Martin Luther was no coward.
He said:
“Contempt of the word [of God] is a sin so terrible that a country and its people must finally be destroyed because of it; for since it remains unrecognized, no repentance, forgiveness, or improvement can follow. This is what happened to Jerusalem, Rome, Greece, and other kingdoms.”
The implications of such a conviction are obvious, are they not? Do we share such a biblical message — somehow, someway — or do we keep quiet?
If many in America today are increasingly afraid of Christians, many Christians are also increasingly afraid of their fellow Americans as well. Or are at least, conflict-averse to ludicrous degrees. I, for one, am guilty as charged.
Allow a few moments of extended personal confession. In recent months, I have become ever more aware of my own persistent and besetting problem with cowardice, a constant shrinking from the fight. I might admire the Apostle Paul when he speaks of being willing to go to hell for his brothers according to the flesh (Romans 9:1-5), but I truly, truly, don’t want to experience the pains of death, much less go to hell, even if for my own family! I might admire and look up to, for example, a friend from seminary who was a military chaplain, participated as a spiritual presence in the Canadian trucker protest (the “Freedom Convoy”) at great cost to himself, and who is in fact a bona fide Lutheran exorcist who recently served as a missionary in Africa. Still, that kind of sacrifice, that kind of potential risk of pain and danger, is something that I find hard to imagine involving myself in.
I am a simple husband and father whose greatest joy is passing the time with my loved ones, receiving with them all the gifts of God’s creation in joy and worship. Oh, and reading good articles and books, which I don’t get to do very much of these days! So when I pray “lead us not into temptation”, for example, I really do mean “keep the Evil one, his lies, and his evil designs as far away from me as possible!” Because I deeply fear destruction-and-death-loving entities such as the devil and his demons or even just the twisted politicians who might send me and my sons into senseless or even grossly immoral wars. To say the least, I am conflict averse – and that means when it comes to both heavenly and earthly matters.
And frankly, I don’t even like just disagreeing with people either. And here’s the rub: How wrong really is that orientation? After all, were we really made for violent conflict or even just bitter argument instead of unity, fellowship and joy? Wasn’t Dietrich Bonhoeffer right, when, seeing the dark clouds on the horizon, he felt led to confess: “[s]truggle is not the basic principle of the original creation, and a fighting attitude is therefore not a commandment by God established by the original creation”? Really, were we originally built for – were we originally intended to be – those for whom the matter of physical survival looms large? When the Apostle Paul tells us love is not self-seeking or “does not seek its own way” doesn’t this assume an overall environment of love that would, in part, make this lack of self-concern possible? To say the least, when he says:
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (I Cor. 10:31-33).
…I can only say “Amen” to italicized portion here and in all the other places he says similar things. And not only because there is perhaps something good in that kind of orientation, and because this kind of behavior that Paul recommends is indeed appropriate at most times. Rather because, honestly, the idea of pleasing everyone in every way deeply appeals to my fallen nature.
Unlike the great Apostle Paul, I am sure that I can deeply defend my aversion to all conflict, my sheer cowardice – all under the auspices of doing God’s will – in innumerable ways. So yes, I must confess that, deep down, I know I have been a rather fearful, cowardly, and lazy fellow when it comes to recognizing and living my Luther’s hard words about, among other things, our responsibility to make clear that government must respect God’s laws…
theology like a child 
Delwyn Xavier Campbell Sr.
April 9, 2024 at 10:52 pm
On the one hand, living under a democracy and a federal republic, we have the ability to influence and direct our governance by voting and by communicating with our elected leaders. At the same time, our government is constructed in such a way that we cannot claim authority based upon Scripture to overrule the laws and ordinances of the community, state or federal levels of government. In other words, a Christian cannot place a mayor, governor, or president under arrest for committing adultery, for example, even though that violates the 6th Commandment.
So what can we do when a level of our elected government or one of its agencies does something that we understand to be contrary to the 10 Commandments or to the New Commandment, “Love one another?” We can preach the Law in all of its harshness, and we can exhort those within our fellowship not to support the offending individual’s continued place in office. We can provide alternatives to the programs that are being promoted by the governing authorities if those programs require the recipients to act in ways that are contrary to Scripture, say, for example, regarding the maintaining of the family unit. Above all, we can encourage our fellow Christians to live in such a God-pleasing way that those around them “see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
None of these thing require that you pursue conflict with your neighbor, or act in ways that lead the Law Enforcement arm to have to act against you, bringing you under the agency of the criminal justice system. If the governing authorities deploys the sword against you wrongfully, you have the ability to contest those actions in court, and if the court rules against you, appeal. During that process, you may not break the laws of the land by fleeing, raising an insurrection, or otherwise engaging in what are normally unlawful acts.
Now, this is all just my opinion. You might agree or disagree. I’m ok with that, “for we know in part and we prophesy in part.” “You may be right; I may be crazy,” as the Prophet Billy Joel once sang. I think that you will find that my comment here, filled with grace and seasoned with salt, is in accordance with Scripture and our Confessions. May the peace of the Lord be with you.
Infanttheology
April 10, 2024 at 5:13 pm
I thank you for your reply Pastor Cambell. It is exactly what I would expect you to say because we have a lot in common and everything you say above I want to agree with and I want to be true. The great Matt Cochran wrote a wonderful piece saying that we needed Christian Nationalism back in 2019 for the Federalist. I think, if you take a look at it, that you will find that it is wholly compatible with what you have written above…