Should Christians Always Forgive Those Who Kill Them?

By Ogiri John Ogiri.

Over the years, I have pondered over this question with serious worries. I have been worried because despite showing love, gunning for peace and demonstrating charity, Christians in Nigeria have not been seen as equal in humanity with our half brothers from the other side of the foreign religious divide.

It has degenerated so bad that Nigeria has now come to be seen by many as the most dangerous place for Christians in the 21st century.

Attacks on Christians' places of worship have continued unabated with disturbing casualties. More worrisome is the disturbing but suspicious silence from the government on the whole killings. This seems to be a nod of tacit approval of the daily killings. From the Northwestern to the Northeastern Nigeria; from Owo in Ondo State to Igama, Edumoga Ehaje in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State among many others too numerous to highlight, the story follows the same pattern. It is the same story of pain, anguish and bloodletting by the killers carefully orchestrated in a pattern that purely reflects ethnic cleansing and religious persecution. My greatest concern is the government's deliberate indecision and inaction that has continued to embolden perpetrators of these genocidal crimes against humanity. No serious consequences from the government have been seen to have been faced by these militia groups. The result is that Christians have resigned to fate pitiably waiting on God to fight their battle for they are told to forgive since vengeance belongs to God.

The question however is that, should Christians continue to forgive those who have sworn to kill them at the slightest opportunity? For me, I do not intend to answer yes. That may put paid to the unwritten impression by our persecutors that being a good Christian in Nigeria is synonymous with being stupid and timid.

Let us look at a few chapters of the Bible and see if christians are to even forgive their deliberate killers at all.

In Genesis 9:6, God told Noah to kill whoever sheds another man's blood.

"He who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God was man created" 

It is very simple; whoever kills another man must be killed. If anybody comes to kill you, you commit no sin if you defend yourself by killing him.

Again, Rev. 13:9-10, John wrote " Let anyone who can hear listen. Those for captivity to captivity, those for death by the sword to death by the sword. This is why the Saints must have perseverance and faith. 

In John 18:23, Jesus Christ didn't just turn the next cheek so he could be slapped again. He demanded to know why he was slapped.

“If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"

In Matthew 26:51, it is narrated " And suddenly, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it. He struck the high priest's ears and cut it."

But Jesus asked him to put his sword back in his scabbard. Note one thing here; Jesus did not ask Peter to throw away his sword, he asked him to put his sword back in its scabbard. Reflect on this.

But when the time to use the sword came, Jesus said to his disciples " when I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything? " No, nothing," they said. He said to them " But now, if you have a purse, take it and the same with a haversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one."

 (Matthew 35-36)

Jesus forgave his killers on the Cross but remember, they did not know what they were doing. Do those killing and persecuting Christians in Nigeria not know what they are doing?

Sure they know what they are doing and they intend to continue unless they are stopped by force commensurate with what they possess.

Let me end by emphasizing that forgiveness is not an act of cowardice and so should not make anybody to surrender his or her right to life to rogue elements. Self-defence is both a right and a duty. The Bible is not an impediment to the exercise of our right to life through self-defence. From now on, let us watch while we pray.