Is it a sin for Christians to defend themselves? We are supposed to turn the other cheek, right? Fighting fire with fire, retaliation, or vengeance is more in line with what Jesus said in Matt 5:38-42 when he said to “turn the other cheek”. Defending oneself against both slander and physical assault is acceptable. Jesus even told his disciples to take two swords with them for the time after his ascension (Luke 22:35-38). Throughout the Bible, God instructed Israel to go to war to defend themselves; Jesus didn’t change that.
Continue readingTag Archives: turn
An Eye for an Eye vs Turn the Other Cheek
In Leviticus 24:19-20, Exodus 21:23-24, and Deuteronomy 19:21, there is a system where a person can return an injury for an equal injury from another person, often referenced as “an eye for an eye”. This is the opposite of what Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-48 about turning the other cheek and loving your enemy. Did Jesus contradict the law?
Continue reading