faith – The Christian Exile

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians was:

…that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
1 Thessalonians 3:13

Notice carefully: Paul did not simply pray that they might be established blameless, but that their hearts might be established blameless. The distinction matters.

The heart is where holiness begins – or where sin festers. As Jesus taught:

Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
Matthew 15:19

Outward morality without an inward holy heart is hollow. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for this very problem:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence… You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within and full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” – Matthew 23:25-28

It is possible to appear righteous while the heart is rotten. True holiness must go deeper.

How Are Hearts Established in Holiness?

Paul gives the answer just one verse earlier:

May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father.
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

The hope of a blameless heart at Christ’s coming (v. 13) is directly tied to growth in love (v. 12). Love is not optional – it is the very means by which the heart is made holy.

For Paul, love was the defining mark of Christianity. Love toward one another and toward all is how our hearts are strengthened in holiness. Growth in love is growth in holiness. Without love, we cannot expect to stand before God with a blameless heart at Christ’s return.

Christian love is thus inseparable from hope. When love increases, hope and certainty for the future increases. Without love, the certainty of our hope dries up.

What Kind of Love?

Here we must be clear: when Paul speaks of “love” he does not mean mere affection. In our day the word “love” is used flippantly to justify almost anything. “If two people love each other, how could it be wrong?” That reasoning is then used to defend fornication, adultery, and homosexuality. Yet in Paul’s prayer, love is inseparably tied to holiness.

True love does not lead into sin; it leads out of it. To drag someone deeper into sexual immorality is not to love them but to despise them. Real love seeks another’s eternal good, not their temporary pleasure. Affection that destroys the soul is not love at all, but a worthless counterfeit.

And this principle extends beyond sexual sin. If our desire to be friendly excuses sinful social activities, that is not true friendship. If our desire to be kind silences our call to righteousness, our “kindness” becomes cruelty. Love that is severed from holiness is not the kind of love Paul prayed for.

Paul’s Example of Holy Love

When Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to “increase and abound in love for one another and for all,” he adds, “as we do for you.” The kind of love Paul expected was the love he had modeled:

Renouncing his right to make authoritative demands (1 Thess. 2:6)
Laboring night and day for their sake (2:9)
Sharing not only the gospel but his very life (2:8)
Caring for them tenderly like a nursing mother cares for her children (2:7)

This is not the hollow “love” the world celebrates. It is a cross-shaped, self-denying love – love that gives itself wholly for another’s eternal good. That is the kind of love that establishes a heart in holiness.

Examining the Heart

So take some time and inspect your heart. It is good to examine your external duties – your doctrine, morality, speech, church attendance, and conduct at home. But don’t neglect the heart.

Does your external life genuinely flow from a blameless heart, or is it an act?
Are there hidden heart problems that need addressing?
Can it truly be said that you love God, love the church, and love all those you interact with?
If you’re really seeking the eternal good of others, do your actions reflect it?

If you recognize the need for your hearts to be further established in holiness, how is it strengthened? By increasing in love – the kind of love Christ displayed on the cross. A love that bears burdens, sacrifices self, and seeks not temporary happiness but eternal joy for others.

At Christ’s coming, it will not be the appearance of righteousness that matters, but whether our hearts have been established blameless in holiness.

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 4:23

In recent years, the presence of armed security teams in churches has become increasingly common, largely due to the unfortunate reality of violent attacks, including potential church shootings. However, beyond the immediate safety concerns, there are important doctrinal implications to consider as well. Does Scripture permit Christian churches to have armed security to protect them against deadly threats? On the other hand, does Scripture permit us to do nothing to protect the flock?

The aim of this article is simply to encourage us to reflect, not only on safety, but on the teachings of Scripture, particularly regarding how we as Christians should think about and treat our enemies.

On Courage and Justice

I deeply respect the courage of those who serve on church security teams, who are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to protect their Christian family from potential threats. Their courage is worthy of honor. Moreover, I believe the Bible demonstrates that murderers are justly deserving of death (Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:23-25; Lev. 24:19-20; Deut. 19:21).

However, we must remember that justice and courage are not the totality of what is necessary for an action to align with faithful discipleship. Consider when Peter attempted to defend Jesus with the sword during His arrest (Lk. 22:47-53; Jn. 18:10-11). Peter showed tremendous courage, facing a mob of soldiers to protect an innocent man from being unjustly executed. Yet, Jesus rebuked Peter, highlighting a crucial point: just because an action is both courageous and just does not mean it necessarily always aligns with Jesus’s demands for his followers. “Eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” must not be our only consideration (Mt. 5:38-42).

As Christians, our primary call is to faithfully follow Jesus as Lord, obeying his commands (Mt. 28:19-20). Therefore, our decision making regarding armed security in churches should not focus solely on what is most effective in providing safety, or even on what can be considered a “just” use of violence, but on what best reflects our commitment of faithfully obey Jesus.

On Self Defense and Protecting the Church

Paul’s words on marital love in Ephesians 5:25-29 serve as a guide for how husbands should care for their wives, mirroring Christ’s love for the church. This love is shown by “nourishing” and “cherishing” her. Similarly, in 1 Timothy 5:8 husbands are commanded to provide for the physical needs of their own households. Acts 20:28 emphasized the responsibility of elders to watch over and protect the flock. These Scriptures, and others, illustrate the necessity of protecting loved ones under our care from both spiritual and physical dangers.

Numerous New Testament passages illustrate the principle of protecting loved ones from physical harm. Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to protect Jesus from King Herod (Mt. 4:13-14). Jesus escaped harm when his life was threatened in Nazareth (Lk. 4:29-30) and hid himself from harm at the temple (Jn. 8:59). When Paul’s life was threatened at Damascus, the disciples defended his life by lowering him in a basket to escape danger (Acts 9:23-24). To protect the church and loved ones from physical threats is something we should strive to do.

While there are times when laying down one’s life for Christ may be necessary, the New Testament does not suggest passivity in the face of danger. It is, however, important to acknowledge that the imperative to protect loved ones does not justify using any means necessary for safety. For instance, just as the duty to provide for one’s household doesn’t justify stealing food to feed them, protecting the church doesn’t permit denying Jesus or violating his commands. If someone threatened violence unless we denied Jesus as Lord, we could not comply, even in the name of defending the church. We might consider other actions, but denying Jesus or breaking His commands in the name of protection is not permissible (cf. Rom. 12:17-21; 1 Pet. 3:9; Rom. 3:8).

Self-defense and protection of loved ones is a good and righteous pursuit, but faithfulness to Christ must always take precedence over physical safety (cf. Rev. 2:10; 12:11).

On Loving Enemies

Every Christian contemplating scenarios where they might be called on to kill someone, and every elder considering putting members of their flock in positions where they might be called on to use lethal force, must wrestle with the question of whether such actions faithfully align with the commands of Jesus and his apostles.

The New Testament offers clear and consistent guidance on how Christians should view and treat their enemies. We are commanded to love and pray for them (Mt. 5:44; Lk. 6:27-28 , 35), imitating the Father’s mercy and impartial kindness, even to those who don’t deserve it (Mt. 5:44-46; Lk. 6:36). We must not prioritize our love for those reciprocate it, but extend love even to our enemies (Mt .5:46-47; Lk. 6:32-35).

Not only are we commanded to love them and turn the other cheek when struck (Mt. 5:39; Lk. 6:29), but we are specifically commanded to “do good” to them (Lk. 6:27, 31, 34-35), even in those times when we expect nothing good in return as a result (Lk. 6:35). Blessing, and not cursing should characterize our desires for them (Lk. 6:28; Rom. 12:14). We are not to repay their evil with evil, but with good (Rom. 12:17; 1 Thess. 5:15), doing everything we possibly can to be at peace with them (Rom. 12:18), leaving vengeance to God (Rom. 12:19), providing for their physical needs (Rom. 12:20), overcoming their evil with good (Rom. 12:21).

Jesus demonstrated this by serving, healing, and praying for his enemies, even as they took his life (Jn. 13:1-5; Lk. 22:52; 23:34). Jesus suffered even when he had the power to crush his enemies, and this is the example we are called to follow (1 Pet. 2:21-24).

And here’s the real challenge: there’s never an exception clause. Nowhere does it say “Love your enemies, except for the really dangerous kind who threaten to kill innocent people,” or “Do good to them, unless common sense tells you their life needs to be ended.” It’s always just “love them,” period. “Do good to them,” period. “Bless them,” period.

It’s noteworthy that many early Christians who originally received these commands did in fact have to deal with the really dangerous, life-threatening kind of enemy – the kind of enemy that would drag off family members and crucify them, or feed them to the lions, or burn them alive. They understood Jesus’s teachings as requiring so much more than simply being nice to difficult people. While they took precautions, they were committed to following Jesus’s commands regarding their enemies, even at the cost of their lives.

Doesn’t the Bible Command us to Arm Ourselves?

Before his crucifixion, Jesus commanded his disciples to buy a sword (Lk. 22:36). This command was not, however, for self-defense as often assumed. Rather, it was given for the reason stated by Jesus, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’” (Lk. 22:37). Later that evening, when Peter used a sword for self-defense, he was rebuked (Lk. 22:50-51), further clarifying that Jesus’s directive was not an authorization for self-defense.

The New Testament does, however, contain several instances where Christians are encouraged to arm themselves, but not with physical weapons. Instead, we are called to arm ourselves with spiritual attributes and mindsets. In 1 Peter 4:1, Christians are told to “arm yourselves with the same way of thinking” as Christ, who endured suffering for the sake of others (1 Peter 2:21-23). Ephesians 6:13-18 instructs Christians to put on the “whole armor of God,” which includes truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the sword of the spirit. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 10:4 emphasizes arming ourselves with spiritual weapons rather than relying on fleshly means. Thus, while Christians are indeed commanded to arm themselves against evil, the weapons we are called to use are always spiritual in nature.

Should Churches Have Armed Security Teams?

The primary consideration for churches regarding armed security teams is whether our actions align with the teachings and example of Christ and his apostles. We may certainly wrestle with the teachings of Jesus and his apostles, carefully considering if we are understanding his teachings correctly, and examining how they should best be applied in various situations, but we cannot choose to ignore or disagree with difficult commandments. Only if, after humble examination, we conclude that using lethal force against our enemies is consistent with Jesus’s commands, may we carefully proceed with armed security teams.

Remember, it is not enough to ask if the enemy deserves to be killed, or if our actions will effectively save lives. We must also consider if our actions align with the teachings and example of Christ, who died for us while we were still his enemies (Rom. 5:6-10).

If we conclude that using lethal force against an enemy is inconsistent with Jesus’s commands, this does not mean that we should be careless in protecting our families and churches. Shortly after the close of the New Testament period, the early Christians even gathered in catacombs due to safety concerns.

While I don’t understand how the decision to have armed security teams can be reconciled with the teachings of Scripture, I do not question the faith of those in support of armed security teams. After all, Jesus praised the faith of a Roman Centurion (Mt. 8:5-10). Although Jesus never endorsed the Centurion’s use of violence, he still recognized his faith as praiseworthy. I simply want to encourage all my fellow Christians to prioritize faithfulness to Jesus’s teachings about loving our enemies, even if it means risking our lives for His sake.