Violence Is Not the Answer

 

The Way of Jesus and the Non-Aggression Principle

The world has a long history of using violence to silence opposition. Whether through governments, movements, or individuals, there has always been the assumption that the quickest way to victory is to overpower your enemies.

But if we follow Jesus, we must ask a different question: Is violence ever the way forward?

For years, I described myself as a libertarian, and one of the ideas that shaped me was the Non-Aggression Principle (NAP). Walter Block, a libertarian thinker, explained it this way:

“Libertarianism asks one and only one question: Under what conditions is the use of violence justified? And it gives one and only one answer: Violence can be used only in response, or in reaction to, a prior violation of private property rights.”

This principle continues to be one of my core principles: the proper use of violence is in defense of life and liberty. I think this principle, rather than complete pacifism, is the most compatible with Jesus’s teaching.

Jesus taught that rather than responding to people and situations that we don’t like with violence, that we respond with love and prayer.

The lessons to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38–44), are not negotiable for followers of Jesus. These lessons are how we live out the Kingdom of God in the world. On the cross, Jesus forgave those who crucified him, breaking the cycle of violence by not fighting back and surrendering in love to his enemies. His resurrection vindicated that way of life.

While I would still consider myself to be a Christian Libertarian, I lean, just like J. R. R. Tolkien, towards Christian Anarchy. 

Christian Anarchy is not chaos or lawlessness—it’s about living under the reign of King Jesus rather than trusting in the coercive power of the State. It’s about recognizing that Christ’s Kingdom does not advance through swords, guns, or political decrees, but through sacrificial love and faithful witness.

In that light, the Non-Aggression Principle is a helpful starting point, but the way of Jesus calls us to go even further. For the libertarian, violence may be justified in self-defense. For the Christian, violence is always suspect, because it puts our trust in force rather than in the cross. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for violence when it comes to protecting people, in fact I would consider it a loving act, but it does mean that our default position is not violence or “fighting fire with fire.” 

Here’s the challenge:

• If we think it’s acceptable to silence people—Nazis, communists, supremacists, or anyone else—through violence, then we are not living in the way of Jesus. 
• If we embrace coercion as a political tool, we are not protecting liberty, we are abandoning the Kingdom ethic.

Violence does not create peace; it only multiplies hostility. Coercion cannot bring freedom; it only tightens chains.

The Kingdom of God offers a better way. It grows not through domination but through service, not through aggression but through self-giving love. This is the radical alternative of Christian Anarchy: refusing to put our hope in the violent power structures of the world and instead trusting the crucified and risen King.

Violence is not the answer. Jesus is.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Loving Jesus and Bible Reading

Is it possible to love Jesus and still find the Bible hard to read?

That’s a question I pondered after I saw this quote on Facebook:

“A huge sign you lost the fire for Jesus is the Bible will be a chore to read.”

—Brent Williamson

I know what he is trying to say. He wants people to understand how important knowing Scripture is to being a disciple of Jesus, and I totally agree with that sentiment. Unfortunately, I cannot get on board with what it actually says.

Let me be honest: I hate this kind of thinking. 

I hate it, not because I doubt the speaker’s sincerity, but because it paints a misleading picture of spiritual formation. This quote suggests that if Bible reading feels like work, then something must be wrong with your faith. 

The sentiment behind the quote resonates with those people who love reading the Bible. They find the discipline of Scripture reading easy, and they routinely read through the Bible every year. 

This same thought is guilt producing for people who struggle reading or who find parts of the Bible dull or who have a busy life and anything more than a verse in a devotional book is difficult to do.

Then we have the reality that there are parts of Scripture that are a chore to read. They are hard to understand. They demand focus and effort. That doesn’t mean your fire has gone out—it might just mean you’re normal.

In fact, it might mean you’re growing.

Discipline, Not Just Emotion

Reading the Bible is a spiritual discipline. That word—discipline—implies something that takes effort, not just emotion. Our flesh resists it. The world distracts us from it. But out of love for Jesus and a desire to follow Him, we show up anyway. 

And that’s exactly what maturity looks like: showing up, even when the feelings aren’t there.

Think about other areas of your life. Doing the dishes isn’t thrilling, but you do it because you love your family. Folding laundry doesn’t light your soul on fire, but it’s an act of care. Likewise, opening your Bible when it feels hard or dry is an act of devotion. It’s a quiet “yes” to Jesus. It’s faith expressed through perseverance.

If anything, reading the Bible when it feels like a chore might be one of the clearest signs that your love for Jesus is real. Because you’re not doing it for a spiritual high. You’re doing it because He’s worth it.

Faith Isn’t Just a Feeling

One of the biggest traps we fall into is evaluating our faith based on how we feel. But faith is revealed not just by emotion—it’s revealed by action. Your commitment to read, study, and meditate on Scripture, even when it’s tough, is a beautiful expression of love and trust. Feelings matter, but they’re not the foundation. Obedience is.

This doesn’t mean Bible reading should always feel like a chore. There will be times when the words leap off the page and speak directly to your heart. But when those moments don’t come, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’re in a different part of the journey.

Remember: The Bible Was Written For Us, Not To Us

Part of what makes Scripture challenging is that it wasn’t originally written to us. It was written to people in a particular time, place, language, and culture. That means we have to work to understand it. 

Some passages don’t translate easily. 

Some metaphors don’t land clearly.

 But that doesn’t make them irrelevant—it just means they require effort.

Studying the Bible takes patience, humility, and the help of the Holy Spirit. It also helps to use resources—study Bibles, commentaries, and small groups—that bridge the gap between our world and the world of the text. That’s not unspiritual—that’s faithful study.

Fire Is Good, But Faithfulness Is Better

So let’s stop guilting people for struggling with spiritual disciplines. Let’s stop acting like feelings are the only evidence of faith. 

Let’s celebrate the quiet, faithful decisions people make each day to follow Jesus—even when it’s hard.

Fire is good. But faithfulness is better.

Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever felt guilty for not enjoying Bible reading? Where does that pressure come from?
2. What helps you stay committed to Scripture when your emotions aren’t cooperating?
3. How can you encourage others who feel stuck or discouraged in their spiritual disciplines?

📬 Want more reflections like this? Subscribe to Paul’s Ponderings and join the conversation as we explore what it means to live faithfully in a world full of noise.

Comforted

Finding Comfort in a Restless World 

A recent survey of 2,000 Americans revealed something striking: only 21% of people experienced “true comfort” in the past 24 hours. On average, we only feel comfortable for about a third of the day—roughly eight hours. And how do people chase after it? A nap. A walk outside. A spa day. Setting the thermostat to just the right temperature.

The picture is clear: most of the world is looking for temporary comfort in fleeting ways. But Scripture points us to a greater reality. There is a source of lasting, unfailing comfort—our heavenly Father. Unlike naps or spa days, His comfort is not circumstantial.

This is the same theme we saw when walking through Nahum: The Justice and Comfort of God. Nahum 1:7 reminds us, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; he cares for those who take refuge in him.” The question is: How do we experience the comfort of God?

In 2 Corinthians 1:3–7, Paul gives us the answer. His comfort is more than a temporary relief—it equips us to endure, fills us with hope, and enables us to extend comfort to others.

Background: Paul and the Corinthian Church

Paul wrote this letter during a time of both joy and tension. Many believers in Corinth had been restored to fellowship with him, but some still resisted his authority. His purpose was to encourage the faithful majority, call the minority to repentance, and defend the nature of true ministry.

And what is true ministry? Not prestige or power—but faithfulness, endurance, and blessing others, even through suffering. That’s why Paul begins his letter with praise to “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3).

Three Truths About the Comfort of God

1. The Provision of Comfort (v. 3)

Paul begins with blessing, not complaint. God is the source of compassion and “the God of all comfort.” The Greek word paraklesis speaks not of ease, but of encouragement, consolation, and strength to endure.

God draws near like a parent comforting a child. He comforts us through His Word, through prayer, through the Spirit, and through the church community.

But here’s the challenge: we must be willing to receive His comfort. Too often we isolate in silence. Sometimes God’s comfort comes in the form of a phone call, a text, or a coffee with a friend. Don’t cut yourself off from His provision. 

2. The Purpose of Comfort (vv. 4, 6)

Paul says God comforts us “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” His comfort is never meant to end with us. It’s a conduit, not a cul-de-sac.

Paul’s afflictions—his painful visits, opposition, rejection—resulted in comfort for the Corinthians. Affliction, paradoxically, becomes a channel of blessing when it teaches us how to walk alongside others.

Think of sitting by a fire on a freezing night. The warmth is too good to keep to yourself. You naturally want others to come close. That’s what God intends for our scars and valleys—that they would become testimonies, warming others with the same comfort we’ve received.

3. The Power of Comfort (vv. 5, 7)

Paul reminds us that union with Christ means we will suffer, but we will never suffer without comfort. We do not experience the wrath Christ bore for us, but we do walk in His steps of innocent suffering (1 Pet. 2:21).

God’s comfort is not fragile. It sustains, shapes, and strengthens. Paul could have despaired under persecution, rejection, and prison, but instead he discovered that God’s comfort was stronger than any hardship.

When someone clings to Christ through loss, their testimony has power. Their comfort becomes living proof that God’s promises hold true.


Living This Out 

• Receive God’s Comfort Personally – Don’t rely on temporary comforts alone. Run first to the God of all comfort. 
• Extend God’s Comfort to Others – Be intentional in reaching out, sharing, and encouraging. Don’t hoard what God has given you. 
• Trust the Power of God’s Comfort – His comfort is durable. It carries you and equips you to carry others. 

A Story of Enduring Comfort

In 1962, missionary Alan Redpath suffered a near-fatal stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He later wrote:

“There is nothing—no circumstance, no trouble, no testing—that can ever touch me until first of all it has gone past God and past Christ right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose.”

Redpath’s life became a living testimony of God’s comfort, not because his suffering disappeared, but because God’s strength and mercy carried him through.

Big Idea

God is the Father of mercies. He comforts us, equips us, and calls us to comfort others—so that His love and hope never end with us.

Challenge

This week, ask God to show you the things you tend to run to for comfort. When you feel the pull toward temporary relief, pause and turn instead to the God of all comfort. Then ask Him to show you one person who needs the same comfort you’ve received. Be His vessel of mercy and strength.

Closing Thought

The world offers comfort that fades. But our God offers comfort that endures. Receive it, share it, and let it overflow—because His comfort never runs dry.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Paul’s Radical Call to Love: Mutual Submission

Have you ever read a Bible passage and thought, That sounds a little outdated—but in the process you missed out on how revolutionary the thought was?

I think that is the case with Ephesians 5:21–33. On the surface, Paul’s words about wives submitting to husbands and husbands loving their wives can sound like they belong in another century. But if we could hear them the way the first Christians in Ephesus did, we would be stunned the new cultural standard the Apostle was setting for this group of Jesus Followers.

Paul wasn’t reinforcing the power structures of his day—he was turning them upside down.

Mutual Submission: A Shock to the System

Paul begins this section with a thought that would have stopped his readers in their tracks:

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)

In the Roman world, submission was what their culture was built on. We see this hierarchy laid out in the household code that he lays out following this sentence—slaves obeying masters, wives deferring to husbands, children doing exactly what they were told. We need to understand that the idea that everyone in the church should submit to one another was unthinkable.

If we focus on what Paul says about the roles found in marriage, he doesn’t undo them, but he reframes them. Wives are called to trust and respect their husbands “as to the Lord” (v. 22), this was not surprising. Within the larger Roman world, wives were expected to submit to their husbands. Wives submitting to their husbands was not counter cultural.

What was counter cultural is that husbands are called to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (v. 25). Paul spends time teaching husbands why this is important, because it was not assumed that husbands would love their wives. The husband’s responsibility was control. The Christian vision of marriage is that of mutual submission, and the way the husband submits to his wife is by loving her well.

It’s like a dance. The wife follows her husband’s lead, but his lead isn’t about control—it’s about sacrifice, like Jesus washing His disciples’ feet or dying on the cross.

Flipping the Household Code

In Paul’s day, philosophers like Aristotle had already written “household codes” explaining how the family should work. These codes always started with the paterfamilias—the male head of the household—who ruled over everyone. Wives, children, and servants were told to obey. The man’s job? Be in charge.

Paul starts in a way that sounds familiar—wives submit, husbands lead—but then he flips the script. Instead of telling husbands to simply “manage” their wives, he commands them to love their wives like Christ loved the church. That means sacrificial, self-emptying love. It means putting her needs ahead of his own. It means putting her needs and desires ahead of your own. It means doing what is best for the family. It means being willing to die for her.

In a culture where the man answered to no one in his household, Paul says: You submit, too. That’s not Aristotle. That’s Jesus. That is a radical and counter cultural teaching that we miss.

Why It Matters Now

We’re far removed from the Roman world, but these words still push against our instincts. Some people get stuck on “wives submit” and miss the weight of “husbands love.” Others bristle at the idea of submission entirely. But when we read Ephesians 5 through the lens of verse 21—mutual submission—it becomes clear: Paul’s vision is about love that gives, not power that takes.

Whether you’re married or not, the principle stands: In Christ, relationships aren’t about control, but about reflecting His humility. We serve each other because He served us first. We submit to one another because He laid down His life for us.

A Challenge

When you think about your relationships—marriage, friendships, church, workplace—what would change if you saw every interaction through the lens of mutual submission?

What if your first question wasn’t “How can I get my way?” but “How can I love like Christ here?”

This week, try it. In the moment when you want to win the argument, control the plan, or make the call—pause. Remember Paul’s words. Choose the path of humility.

Because in the Kingdom of God, greatness isn’t measured by how many people serve you—it’s measured by how willing you are to serve them.

Sunday Prayer: Knowing God Through Love

1 John 4:7–8 (CSB)

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Prayer:

Father of Love,

You have revealed Yourself to us through the gift of love—most clearly in the life, death, and resurrection of Your Son. Teach us to love as You love: not with words only, but with action, sacrifice, and grace.

Soften our hearts toward one another. Let the way we speak, serve, forgive, and show kindness bear witness to the truth that we know You. When we are tempted to hold grudges or withhold compassion, remind us that to truly know You is to walk in love.

Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have failed to love. Rekindle in us the desire to reflect Your heart in a world marked by division and pain. May Your Spirit shape us into a people who love without condition—because You are love, and we are Yours.

In the name of Jesus, who loved us first,

Amen.

Using Our Freedom

In today’s world, freedom is often misunderstood. Many see it as a license for individualism—a chance to chase personal desires without regard for others. Unfortunately, this self-centered view of freedom dominates modern culture, but it is a view that offers a shallow version of true freedom. 

Here is a question for you to consider: “What if real freedom isn’t about doing whatever we want, but about giving ourselves to others in love?”

It shouldn’t surprise us that the Bible offers a countercultural perspective. In Galatians 5:13, Paul writes, “For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (CSB)

In this passage the Apostle Paul challenges us to rethink freedom. The reason we have a will, the ability to choose, is not to have an excuse to indulge in every desire that comes our way, but a calling to lovingly serve others. When we do this we are reflecting God’s love and compassion to those around us. Jesus modeled this way of living perfectly. He came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45), showing that true freedom lies in the ability to choose the right thing rather than being a slave to our desires.

Author Erwin McManus captures this idea in Uprising: “Our freedom must never be about us alone. Freedom is the gift of serving others out of love… You are free to love without limit, to forgive, to be merciful, to be generous, to be compassionate, to risk, to sacrifice, to enjoy, and to live” (p. 12). McManus paints freedom as a boundless gift—one that allows us to mirror God’s character and transform how we relate the world around us.

I believe that when we exercise our freedom to serve, we align ourselves with the life God designed for us. By choosing to use our freedom to live a life of love, we glimpse the nature of the New Creation. We demonstrate the character of God, who is love (1 John 4:8). This isn’t just a feel-good idea; it’s a perspective that profoundly reshapes our lives. Jesus exemplified this freedom during his time on earth through his teachings, healing, and selfless sacrifices for others. He broke the chains of sin and death, not only to rescue us for sin and its consequences, but also so that we could join him in proclaiming the Gospel.

What does this mean for us? 

First, true freedom, as God sees it, isn’t a solitary pursuit. It’s not about seeking happiness at the expense of others. Instead, it involves using our time, resources, and energy to love those around us, reflecting God’s character. True freedom requires courage to forgive when it’s difficult, mercy when it’s undeserved, and generosity when it costs us. It’s the willingness to take risks, sacrifice, and find joy in a life dedicated to others.

Second, true freedom ultimately revolves around choosing to do the right thing, rather than being a slave to our desires. It’s impossible to love when our desires teach us to be selfish. Christian freedom comes from recognizing our ability to say “No” to our desires and choose to focus on people instead.

In a “me-first” culture, this freedom stands out. It may not be loud or flashy, but it is transformative. It doesn’t just change our lives; it changes the world. So, let’s rethink how we use our freedom today. Let’s love without boundaries, serve with open hearts, and live in a way that reflects the One who set us free.

Clarity: How Much Influence Should the Bible Have on Morality?

Part of the Clarity Series: Building a Christian Worldview

How much influence should the Bible have on our morality?

This is more than an abstract question—it shapes how we live every day. Whether we’re making personal choices, engaging in culture, or raising children, our view of right and wrong matters deeply.

In Clarity, we’re exploring key topics that shape our worldview. We’ve considered spiritual warfare, the trustworthiness of the Bible, faith and science, political identity, and the End Times. Now we turn to morality—and how Scripture forms it.

This is what I want you to remember: The Bible shapes the beliefs and behaviors of God’s people as we live as salt and light in the world.

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The Lens of Our Worldview

Imagine trying to live out every command in the Bible for a year. That’s exactly what author A.J. Jacobs attempted in The Year of Living Biblically. In a TED Talk, he shared three key takeaways: following rules reshaped his behavior and mindset, sacredness matters, and—perhaps most notably—we all pick and choose the rules we follow.

Jacobs, an agnostic, made value judgments about which biblical commands seemed helpful or harmful. But that raises a deeper question: Who gets to define what’s right and wrong?

Across cultures and religions, morality exists. But a Christian worldview begins with a foundational claim: morality flows from God, our Creator. Romans 2:14–16 reveals that even those without the Law have a moral compass—because all humans are made in God’s image. We were created to reflect His character.

If that’s true, why don’t we all share the same moral convictions? The answer is found in the story the Bible tells.

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The Bible’s Story: Our Moral Foundation

In the beginning, Adam and Eve were created to walk with God and learn from Him what is good. But in Genesis 3, they chose to define good and evil for themselves. That rebellion has echoed through human history ever since.

Still, God didn’t abandon His plan. He called Abraham and formed Israel to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5–6). They were to reflect His holiness and justice through the Law. Yet Israel, like humanity at large, often failed—choosing conformity to the world over obedience to God.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God declared Israel would be a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6). That calling was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). And now, Jesus commissions His followers to carry that light, to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13–16).

This is where our morality matters most: we are called to embody God’s character so that the world might see what love and truth look like.

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Biblical Morality Begins with Love

Morality isn’t about legalism—it’s about love. When asked to name the greatest commandment, Jesus responded by quoting Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:29–31). The Ten Commandments reflect this: the first four teach us how to love God; the last six show us how to love people.

Love is more than a feeling. It’s sacrificial, intentional, and deeply rooted in action. Jesus showed us what this love looks like by washing feet, healing the broken, and dying on the cross (John 13:34–35). Paul echoed this call in Ephesians 5:1–21, urging us to walk in love, truth, and wisdom—to live lives that reflect the light of Christ.

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The Bible’s Role in Shaping Morality

So how much influence should the Bible have on our morality? For followers of Jesus, it’s not just an influence—it’s the foundation. God’s Word reveals His will and character, forming our hearts and habits as we study, worship, and obey.

That doesn’t mean quoting Scripture will always convince others. Many reject the Bible’s authority. But we still influence the world—not by forcing moral codes, but by faithfully living as God’s people. That’s how the early church transformed the Roman Empire, and that’s how we can live as a faithful witness today.

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Living the Truth: A Challenge

This week, read Ephesians 5:1–21.

Ask God to reveal any area where your life isn’t aligned with His love and truth. Then, choose one practical way to show sacrificial love to someone around you. Let your morality shine as a reflection of God’s light in the world.

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Tying It All Together

This Clarity series helps us build a lens through which to view life.

• Spiritual warfare taught us to depend on God’s power.

• The Bible gave us a trustworthy source of truth.

• Science and faith reminded us that reason and revelation work together.

• Politics revealed our identity as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

• The End Times called us to live with purpose.

• And now, morality anchors us in love and holiness, pointing us toward the kind of life that reflects Jesus in a dark world.

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Closing Prayer

• Thank God for the wisdom and truth found in His Word.

• Confess where your morality has been shaped more by culture than by Scripture.

• Ask God to help you live as salt and light, a faithful witness of His love and truth.

If you have questions about what it means to follow Jesus—or if you sense the Holy Spirit calling you deeper—please reach out. Let’s walk this road together, living out a worldview shaped by Scripture, and shining God’s light in a world longing for clarity.