How do we turn the other cheek? Should we be pacifists?

What an astute question. I’m happy to take a try at this, but please understand that it is just that, a try. In my view Jesus, in telling us to turn the other cheek is in fact talking to us, and He is talking about us. That is, we are given in the Sermon on the Mount instructions for living in light of the coming of the Kingdom of God. This certainly has profound impact on how we deal with the world outside the church, but even more so with those inside the church.

It may be easy to miss this ironically, in light of how well we’ve been taught this. That is, because we have rightly been taught to see the church as a body, as a family, we are not used to seeing parts of that body as enemies. Truth be told, our own experience demonstrates that reality. We have tussles in the church all the time. Our calling, in light of that reality, is to suffer long, to rather be wronged than to take our brother to law, to turn the other cheek. When we are wronged inside the church, we are to exercise patience, and demonstrate compassion even on the brother who has wronged us.

This may, of course, spill over into our relations with those outside the kingdom. Here is an example. The state claims ownership of more than half of all that I produce. While the state surely has the right to tax me to provide those services that it is called to provide in Romans 13, to provide for defense of persons and property against aggressors foreign and domestic, it does not have a right to tax me for whatever it wishes. Note that Samuel warns Israel that the king like all the other nations that they are asking for would tax them at the rapacious rate of ten percent. What would I give to be taxed at only ten percent of my income. That said, my calling is to live as much as is possible in peace and quietness with all men. I know that my prosperity is in God’s good hands, not the state’s, and so while I may speak prophetically against it, I do not resist this evil. I quietly and peacefully render unto Caesar far more than he is due. My suffering in this regard is a trusting in the Lord.

On the other hand, this same Lord has called me to protect and defend my family. The evil-doer who breaks into my house at night isn’t a brother who is slandering me. Neither is it the state coming to tax me more. This is a man intent on harming my family unlawfully. Though both are harms to my family, I do not know if he is coming for my stereo or my child. He will meet resistance from me as God’s law requires.

Remember that within the space of two verses, in Proverbs 26, we are told first to not answer a fool according to his folly, then told to answer a fool according to his folly. Wisdom determines when to do what. In like manner Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego all fought hard to repel the armies of Nebuchadnezzer when the invasion came. And then, they faithfully served the king when the invasion triumphed. Hope that helps.

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