14:13
Episode 3 Summary
- When we talk about violence, it’s important to note that the Bible also has a lot of violence in it.
- But it’s also important to remember that the entirety of the Bible points to Jesus, who had much to say about violence.
- Jesus told his followers to not return violence for violence, but rather to love their enemies and help bring them to salvation, trusting in him to punish the injustice in the world.
Discussion Questions
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What do you think about Richard Dawkins' argument that God is mean and vengeful? How does this contrast with what you see in Jesus, who claims to be that very same God, but in human form?
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What do you think it looks like to love your enemy in modern times? Do you have any examples of people doing that? How can you get better at loving your enemies?
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Do you agree with Martin Luther King Jr., that violence is never, ever justified—or do you agree with C.S. Lewis, that violence is sometimes justified in order to defend the innocent? Either or neither way, why?
Diving Deeper
Psalm 11
Read Psalm 11. Here we see another verse that shares the imagery of Romans 12, you know, the one with the raining coals of fire? In the Psalm, we learn that God “hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” Spend sometime processing what it looks like for God to bring justice but also to bring grace – to forgive sins but also to “hate the wicked.” You could also spend some time praying for the Lord to reveal his heart to you.