perspectives

Defending Your Faith?

By Jesse Carey

CBN.com – During the early morning hours before Christ was brought to the cross to be crucified, He went with His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. For the disciples, this may have seemed like a relatively ordinary night. Despite Jesus’ warnings that the hour was near, they fell asleep when Jesus asked them to stay awake with Him.

But, this was no time for sleep: In the days and moments leading up to the prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus repeatedly warned them that His death was imminent: “This very night you will all fall away on account of me” (Matthew 26:31). In His last meal with the disciples, He gave them a foreboding analogy: “‘Take and eat; this is my body’ … Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 16:25-27).

When the guards arrived that night in Gethsemane, armed with clubs swords—and led by Judas, the disciple who betrayed Christ for a few pieces of silver—the rest of the disciples must have been surprised. They had heard the warnings, but Jesus was the Son of God, how could He allow this to really be happening?

Surely, He, the One who could heal the sick, who could turn water into wine, who could walk on the raging sea, could turn away a handful of officers. After all, He held the power of heaven and earth.

But as Judas approached with the heavily-armed crowd, greeting Jesus with a kiss on the cheek—a signal to the officers to make the arrest—Jesus didn’t resist. He knew they would be taking Him to His death. But here is how He responded: “Friend, do what you came for.”

Shocked and enraged, one of Jesus followers, Peter, reached for his own sword, violently striking one of the men in the arresting party. But for this, Jesus did not thank Peter for defending him. Jesus did not join in the fight. He did not encourage the act of defiance. No, Jesus immediately healed the man’s wound and reprimanded His follower:

“’Put your sword back in its place,’ Jesus said to him, ‘for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.’” (26:52).

Jesus went on to explain: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"” (26:53-54).

It was soon after that Jesus was brought before a corrupt court on trumped up charges, and was unjustly sentenced to die. Just hours later, He was executed in the most brutal way imaginable, on the cross for the sins of the world. But, the night they came to take him away, He did not put up a fight. He did not ask His followers to defend Him. He was there to accomplish the will of the Father.

For Christians, it’s easy to react like Peter when we see our faith being attacked. Out of all of the disciples, Peter had a reputation for his passion and his love for Jesus. And sometimes, in our own passion, we do the same thing that Peter did when we see Jesus being attacked. We take out our swords.

Whether it’s a perceived attack on our faith from the media or culture, government policy counter our convictions, or even other faiths that challenge what we believe—it’s all-too-easy to react just like Peter. Sometimes, like Peter, we forget that God is sovereign, and that ultimately, He is in control.

Our job isn’t to be the defender of Jesus. We are called to serve Him. We are to be His representatives to those who don’t know Him. We are to be like Christ to others—especially the ones who are attacking us. We are to show Jesus to others by acting like Him.

“You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matthew 5:38-42).

There are certainly times when we should take a stand for what we believe. But, there are also many times when we must resist our natural reaction, to draw our sword and fight (both literally and figuratively). Turning the other cheek isn’t always easy. Like Peter, we all have a sense of justice—but, in the Kingdom of God, revenge doesn’t belong to us.

Proverbs 16:32 says this: “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty.”

The challenge that this story issues to the Christian is to keep our emotions and natural reactions in check when dealing with issues that confront our faith and even make us angry. Our battles are not in flesh and blood. We should pray for those who deceitfully use us. We should love our enemies. Because standing up for what we believe, sometimes, means laying down our sword.