The Sword and the Cause of Christ (2)
Russell Dykstra responds to Archie P. Jones's objection to the editorial claim that "the cause of Christ is never advanced by the sword," arguing that physical force has not genuinely furthered Christ's kingdom despite God's sovereign use of it. The article engages in careful biblical interpretation and theological reasoning about the proper relationship between Christian witness and worldly power, addressing Jones's broader interpretation of Christ's cultural mandate.
Previous article in this series: January 1, 2016, p. 149. "…the cause of Christ is never, ever advanced by the sword." The statement above (found in the November 1, 2015 issue of the Standard Bearer, in the editorial "Learning from the Medieval Church's History") is the focus of a disagreement between Mr. Archie P. Jones and myself. Mr. Jones sent in a cordial letter and position paper objecting to this view. I desire to answer in a cordial manner, but also to convey the seriousness of the...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org