Scripture: Matthew 8:8-9 – “The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me, and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and the slave does it.” (NRSVue)
Should we use military language to speak about God or the church? On one hand, Jesus was a pacifist who commanded us to turn the other cheek when struck and who allowed crucifixion rather than violent resistance from his followers. Jesus has been the model for non-violent resistance for centuries. On the other hand, Paul used language about fighting the good fight and donning the armor of God. Later theologians used military language and allowed for “just war” to be fought under Christian principles. Some of our favorite hymns use military language, including “Onward Christian Soldiers”.
In recent years, that military language in the church has been seen as dangerous, which is why “Onward Christian Soldiers” has been replaced by “Forward through the Ages” in places like The New Century Hymnal. If we see discipleship to God as a battle, we are more likely to see people rather than systems like poverty as our enemies, which is antithetical to the teachings of Christ.
But even from the beginning, Jesus began attracting soldiers to his cause, beginning with a centurion who likely heard the Sermon on the Mount, the very sermon which told people to turn the other cheek. The soldier recognized Jesus’ authority. He thought that just as a centurion commands his soldiers to do something and they do it, Jesus could command a body to be healed or a demon to be exorcised just by his command. Jesus was delighted by his faith, and wished his Jewish brothers could be as trusting.
Should Christians follow a chain of command like that in the army? We should obey the teachings of Jesus, but should we have a hierarchy of religious leaders? Should we primarily be about telling people what to do, or building relationships? These are hard questions, because while we want things to be done and recognize the Lordship of God, people need to be persuaded rather than coerced into faith and charity. We should strive for obedience, commitment, and courage in all we do for God, but we cannot let impatience over the evils of the world lead us to treat others as enemies unworthy of God’s love.
So how will you follow the orders of Jesus? And how will you obey those orders through humility, service, and strengthening of relationships? It can be tricky to been soldiers in Christ’s army who never use military tactics, but no one ever said love was easy. That’s why we need faith. Find it and spread love today.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you command the forces of heaven and earth. Command us today to love and serve. Amen.
Comments