Jihad and Turning the Other Cheek

The current political, cultural, and international climate confronts the serious-minded Christian with many challenges. The Christian world view is being minimized, marginalized, and villainized. Not the least of these challenges is our response to Islam; its spread and growth. Frightening depictions of attacks and beheadings leave many understandably disturbed and uncertain what to do. It is natural to distrust those with certain ethnic features, since we tend to identify them with the violence and nefarious intentions of a growing religious radicalism. We watch as our once predominantly European nation loses its white, Anglo-Saxon heritage. What should be our attitude, and how should we respond to these changes, and what should we as Christians expect of our government in light of the dangers that some of these changes pose?

First, it is right for all Americans to expect its government to be about the business of protecting its citizens from those who would do them harm. Timidity, reticence, and uncertainty have no place in the exercise of responsibility by public servants. When these qualities which are unworthy of public trust do exist, they should be replaced with courage, decisiveness, and action. Fears of offending certain people groups or somehow exacerbating past wrongs are no excuse for indecisiveness and inaction in the face of clear and present dangers. As Christians, we should pray that our Lord will embolden our leaders to do what is necessary to protect our nation and give them the prudence to do so in the best way. Second, we must avoid the racial and ethnic bigotry that comes from an unbiblical attitude of self-righteousness and arrogance and that hinders us from taking the Gospel to all peoples. There has been a wretched tendency for those of us with white skin to see ourselves as superior. Even our evangelism has sometimes issued from condescending motives. Of this we must be careful. As I heard a preacher of the past say, we are prone to focus on the issues that divide us, like skin, when we ought to be moved by the issue that unites us, which is sin. “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his (or her) own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquities of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

So, what do we do? Pray that our Lord will bring to nothing the intentions and actions of Islamic Jihadists who fight for world domination and the elimination of those who embrace Christ. May The Lord use the leaders of this nation and others to fight this violent and merciless onslaught of hatred, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:2)

Let us also pray that God will burden our hearts for the Muslim people. Let us pray that He will use us to bring many of them to Christ, and may He give us the privilege of seeing them praise Christ’s glorious name. May He use the hatred of radical Islam to reveal the emptiness of Christless religion to all who worship idols. May the church of Jesus Christ go forth with the Gospel as it’s only sword, and may the gates of hell not prevail against it. And may we love The Lord our God with all that we are and our neighbors (all of them)as ourselves. May He use government to fulfill its biblical purpose and those of us who know Him to fulfill ours. It may be that in the process, many of us who have enjoyed the relative peace and tranquility of America will find it necessary to lay down our lives for Christ and His Gospel. If that is so or not, may our great God bring these words to pass.

Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
O let all the nations be glad and sing for joy: for You shall 
Judge the peoples righteously, and govern the nations on earth.

Selah.

Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own
God shall bless us.
God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

That in all things He might have the preeminence,

Charles Cavanaugh