Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Today, as never before, the whole world is preparing for war, and as never before, Christians are united behind the effort to kill their fellow man. The blood of endless wars cry out from the ground yet the only response from today’s Christians is “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Where are the peace-loving brethren, who will stand up to Christian leaders who promote war and aggression, yet claim to know Christ as their Savior and Lamb? I will not lend the least blessing to this insane wholesale approval of the butchery of men; I refuse!
War is the greatest form of human violence done to a fellow human being. We must, for conscience sake, teach all under our care and influence to hold it in the severest disgust. We must write against it, preach against it, talk against it, pray against it, and bear our testimony against it through life and in death. No demands, no threats, or tortures will turn me away from this resolve. They can make us martyrs for our faith, but never apostates or traitors! They can seize our property, bind us with chains, and drag us to prison or the noose. We will offer our necks and bare our breast to their rifles, but never will we tarnish our consciences and sacrifice our souls by adding to the work of hostility, murder, and destruction.
Such a stand, taken by the Peace Church, is unheard of today but it would, no doubt, rapidly remove the disgrace that the Church bears. Our resolve must be made known in the face of a failed and violent Christian witness who will likely demand our demise and silence as it did in days gone by.
When will the Peace Churches stand up and demand a hearing? If the time is not now then when is the time? The silent in the land needs to be silent no longer, they need to become the voice of the truth they profess.
3 replies on “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”
Thanks for the history lesson, Steve. Let’s pray that God raises up spiritual descendants of these churches today…
Steve,
I’m not sure who you refer to when you mention the Peace Church(es), but I’m guessing that it isn’t a particular group or denomination. Either way, history shows us that true reformation always occurs when God raises up a new movement outside (or departing from) the visible, organized church. I can’t envision existing structures supporting what you advocate: it’s too costly.
David
Good morning David,
The Peace Churches were historically called the Anabaptists (re-baptizers) by their enemies because they only baptized confessing believers which eliminated infants, which was the root of much of their persecution. They are called “Peace” Churches because they did not engage in war or any kind of violence. Today, many of them prefer to be called just peace Churches and reject denominational ties. But, like all initial movements they are losing that distinction. That distinction is being revitalized, not so much amongst the old Anabaptists but rather among the new Anabaptists like myself and other who are seeing the failure of the Protestant Churches who exhibit the spirit of the world in every respect.
As in the historical movement of the anabaptist I suspect that once the new movement gets traction that there will be, once again, a great persecution. Today, to be an Anabaptist with a voice means that you will be looked upon as a coward, a heretic, and anti-American for not supporting the national edifice of patriotism, flag worship, violence, and political involvement.
When our Christianity is practiced, as it was lived-out by our Lord and His Apostles, then the result will be no different than what they endured; that is what we are promised by Christ and the Apostle Paul. For worldly Christianity that “cost” is too high as you say, but for the true born again spirit filled believer it is the very least we can do for great a salvation as Paul says in Romans 12:1.
Today’s old Anabaptist are called “The quiet in the land” for a reason, they have lost their voice in the cities for fear of renewed persecution, as their own writing continuously remind them. One of their own leaders told me that he has no intention of returning to that past so the new crop will have the job of being the voice in this generation.