Why I Am a Conscientious Objector

From: Why I Am a Conscientious Objector By: C.D. Wenger

• 5 min. read • grade level: 6

In 1569 a Dutch Christian named Dirk Willems fled for his life. His pursuers were hot on his trail, not because he had committed a gross crime, but because he refused to follow the teachings of the state church.

Dirk almost escaped his captors as he fled across a frozen river. Once over the river, he turned to see one of his pursuers fall through the treacherously thin ice. Quickly he dashed across the ice, rescued his drowning enemy, and helped him back to shore.

The grateful man wanted to let Dirk go free, but the other captors refused to agree. They immediately imprisoned him and later burned him to death. Dirk refused to resist evil but, as Christ commanded, he returned good for evil.

Part 1: the Word—Its Teaching

(1) But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. -Matt. 5:39³⁹But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39).

(2) And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. -Matt. 5:41⁴¹And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. (Matthew 5:41)

(3) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. -Matt. 5:44, 45⁴⁴But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44‑45).

(4) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.... But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another. -Matt. 10:22, 23²²And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. ²³But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:22‑23).

(5) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. -Matt. 10:16¹⁶Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16).

(6) And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled. -Matt. 24:6⁶And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6).

(7) Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

-Matt. 26:52⁵²Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. (Matthew 26:52).

(8) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

-Luke 6:31³¹And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. (Luke 6:31).

(9) But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified. -Luke 21:9⁹But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. (Luke 21:9).

(10) My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. -John 18:36³⁶Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36).

(11) Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. -Rom. 12:14¹⁴Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. (Romans 12:14).

(12) Recompense to no man evil for evil. -Rom. 12:17¹⁷Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17).

(13) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. -Rom. 12:19-20¹⁹Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. ²⁰Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. (Romans 12:19‑20).

(14) Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat. -1 Cor. 4:12, 13¹²And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: ¹³Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. (1 Corinthians 4:12‑13).

(15) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. -2 Cor. 10:4⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (2 Corinthians 10:4).

(16) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood. -Eph. 6:12¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12).

(17) See that none render evil for evil unto any man. -1 Thess. 5:15¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

(18) Who [Christ], when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not.

-1 Peter 2:23²³Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (1 Peter 2:23).

(19) Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing. -1 Peter 3:9⁹Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9).

(20) He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. -Rev. 13:10¹⁰He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:10).

Part 2: the Word—Its Authority

(1) Thy word is truth. -John 17:17¹⁷Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17).

(2)In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1:1¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1).

(3) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. -Matt. 24:35³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35).

(4) If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. -John 8:31³¹Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (John 8:31).

(5) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. -John 8:32³²And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32).

(6) If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. -John 8:51⁵¹Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. (John 8:51).

(7) Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. -John 6:68⁶⁸Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68).

(8) Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

-Acts 5:29²⁹Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29).

(9) This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. -Matt. 17:5⁵While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. (Matthew 17:5).

(10) Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. -Luke 11:28²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28).

(11)He that is of God heareth God's words. -John 8:47⁴⁷He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:47).

(12) For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. -John 3:34³⁴For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. (John 3:34).

(13) The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. -John 6:63⁶³It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63).

(14) He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. -John 12:48⁴⁸He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:48).

(15) But the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. -John 12:49⁴⁹For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (John 12:49).

(16) Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. -John 18:37³⁷Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37).

(17) If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. -Matt. 19:17¹⁷And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17).

(18) For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me. -John 17:8⁸For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. (John 17:8).

(19) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:... and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:... and it fell: and great was the fall of it. -Matt. 7:24-27²⁴Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24‑27).

(20) If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. -Rev. 22:18, 19¹⁸For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18‑19).

-Compiled by C. D. Wenger

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