Violence

                Recently, I was thinking about violence.  I have often worked with victims of domestic abuse which leads me to think about such things.  Here are some of my early thoughts.

It is through the gift of rationality that man is able to work toward his own safety and growth.  By his mind, man learns what foods are good, how to keep warm, and how to relate to others.  The drive for self-preservation is also God-given and reflects God’s value of Himself and man, whom He created.  Jesus speaks to this by telling us to love our neighbor as we love our self (see also Ephesians 5:29).[1]

These two gifts work together to help us glorify God; rationality and self-preservation.  They are designed to work in concert, however, in this sin-cursed world, other people sometimes force us to choose one or the other thereby striking at the essential integrity of our being.

Violence, or the threat of violence, whether it is physical, verbal, or emotional, places the individual in a dilemma.  He must choose to relinquish his independent thoughts and adopt those of his attacker, or risk injury to himself.  Such a decision should never be made.  To force another to make such a decision is to attack the essence of his humanity and to rob him of one aspect of God’s image.  This is why we see God opposed to violence (Genesis 6:11-13, Habakkuk 1:2-3).[2]  How great a crime is it when this choice is given in the home?  

---

[1] Eph 5:29 “for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,”

[2] Gen 6:11-13 “ Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.  God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.  Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

Hab 1:2-3 “How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear? I cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ Yet You do not save.  Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.