"But what if a Christian lives in a non-Christian family, accustomed to
defend itself and its property by a resort to violence, and is called
upon to take part in measures of defence?" This solicitation is simply
an appeal to the Christian to fulfil the decrees of truth. A Christian
knows the truth only that he may show it to others, more especially to
his neighbors and to those who are bound to him by ties of blood and
friendship, and a Christian can show the truth only by refusing to join
in the errors of others, by taking part neither with aggressors or
defenders, but by abandoning all that he has to those who will take it
from him, thus showing by his acts that he has need of nothing save the
fulfilment of the will of God, and that he fears nothing except
disobedience to that will.
"But how, if the government will not permit a member of the society over
which it has sway, to refuse to recognize the fundamental principles of
governmental order or to decline to fulfil the duties of a citizen? The
government exacts from a Christian the oath, jury service, military
service, and his refusal to conform to these demands may be punished by
exile, imprisonment, and even by death." Then, once more, the exactions
of those in authority are only an appeal to the Christian to manifest
the truth that is in him. The exactions of those in authority are to a
Christian the exactions of those who do not know the truth.
Consequently, a Christian who knows the truth must bear witness of the
truth to those who know it not. Exile and imprisonment and death afford
to the Christian the possibility of bearing witness of the truth, not in
words, but in acts. Violence, war, brigandage, executions, are not
accomplished through the forces of unconscious nature; they are
accomplished by men who are blinded, and do not know the truth.
Consequently, the more evil these men do to Christians, the further they
are from the truth, the more unhappy they are, and the more necessary it
is that they should have knowledge of the truth. Now a Christian cannot
make known his knowledge of truth except by abstaining from the errors
that lead men into evil; he must render good for evil. This is the
life-work of a Christian, and if it is accomplished, death cannot harm
him, for the meaning of his life can never be destroyed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account