NON-RESISTANCE IS NOT ABSOLUTE PACIFISM

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”— Mat 10:16

Christians throughout history have wrestled with what it means to obey Jesus’ teachings about non-resistance. Some interpret His words as a call to absolute pacifism, insisting that Christians must take no form of resistance—not even to protect the innocent, prevent murder, or stop a violent assault. But this extreme is not what Jesus taught, nor is it consistent with the whole counsel of Scripture.

Biblical non-resistance refuses retaliation, vengeance, and deadly force, but it does not forbid intervention, protection, or non-lethal defense. It rejects the sword without abandoning responsibility. It forbids killing, not courageous action. It calls us to imitate Christ, who “came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Lk 9:56).

This article lays out why Christian non-resistance is not pacifism, why it is not passive, and how the people of God may protect the innocent without taking life—remaining faithful to the spirit and letter of the New Testament.

What Jesus Meant by “Resist Not Evil”

Jesus taught:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 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. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”— Mat 5:38–42

The context is key. Jesus immediately gives examples:

• a slap on the cheek (insult)

• a lawsuit for your coat (injustice)

• a Roman forcing you to carry his gear for a mile (oppression)

• an enemy persecuting you (abuse)

  
  

None of these situations involve attempted murder or physical danger. They are humiliations, inconveniences, and personal offenses.

A backhanded slap on the right cheek was the ultimate public insult in Jewish culture (cf. Mishnah, Bava Kamma 8:6–7), symbolizing loss of honor, not threat of death. Jesus is dealing with retaliation, not self-defense.

Three things are clear from the context:

1. Jesus is forbidding revenge, not responsible intervention.

2. He is prohibiting escalation, not protection of life.

3. He is addressing personal insults, not violent assault.

To “turn the other cheek” means refusing to repay insult with insult or offense with offense. It is a command to renounce retaliation, not to lay down and die.

Jesus Teaches Non-Retaliation, Not Non-Action

“And unto him that smiteth thee on one cheek offer also the other…”— Lk 6:29

Jesus’ command is primarily moral. It requires:

• restraint

• humility

• refusal to avenge

• refusal to escalate

• faith in God’s justice

But it does not command Christians to ignore danger or expose themselves to needless harm. Christ Himself fled multiple assassination plots (Jn 7:1; Lk 4:29–30). Paul fled persecution many times (Acts 9:25; Acts 17:10; 2 Cor 11:33).

Fleeing danger is biblical. Killing to escape danger is not. This distinction is crucial.

When Jesus Forbade the Sword, He Forbade Deadly Force

When Peter drew his sword to defend Jesus, the Lord rebuked him:

“Put up thy sword…for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”— Mat 26:52

Jesus is not forbidding non-lethal protection; He is forbidding lethal retaliation.

Peter’s sword strike was:

• retaliatory

• deadly

• aimed at killing

• motivated by fear and aggression

• contrary to Christ’s mission

Jesus explains the principle:

“The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”— Lk 9:56

So must His disciples.

The Christian’s Warfare Is Spiritual, Not Physical

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. Our weapons are not carnal.”— 2 Co 10:3-4

The New Testament never endorses deadly force for believers. Instead, we use:

• Truth

• Prayer

• Love

• Endurance

• Sacrifice

• The Gospel

• The Holy Spirit’s power

  
  

This does not mean Christians refuse to act—it means Christians refuse to kill.

Non-Resistance Still Protects the Innocent

Some Christians jump to the opposite extreme: “If we cannot kill, then we can do nothing.”

That is unbiblical. We cannot abandon helpless victims. The Old Testament explicitly commands us to intervene on behalf of others:

“If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”— Prov 24:11–12

Doing nothing while a child is being assaulted or a woman attacked is sinful neglect.

Biblical non-resistance:

• rescues,

• intervenes,

• restrains,

• protects,

• shields,

• disarms,

• uses non-lethal force,

• but never kills.

  
  

Christians are called to imitate the One who “laid down His life” rather than taking life.

A Damsel in Distress

For most of us, the idea of leaving another person defenseless against a deadly attacker is unthinkable—and rightly so. The notion of rescuing a "damsel in distress" from a sexual assault or otherwise aligns with biblical principles and is readily supported by Scripture. For example, Proverbs 24 provides clear guidance on our duty to rescue those in grave danger. This responsibility also extends to the head of the household, who is called to protect his wife and children from harm:

“If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain…” (Prov 24:11–12)

So how do we respond in such situations? Do we ignore the danger, turn a blind eye, and walk in a different direction? No! God forbid! Instead, we can intervene by placing ourselves between the victim and the attacker, or if necessary, use non-lethal physical force to subdue or disarm the assailant. There are times when physical intervention is the right course of action for the protection of others. However, before taking any physical steps, it is wise to pause, pray silently, and seek the Holy Spirit's guidance. Additionally, practicing spiritual warfare by binding the spirits of violence and aggression is an essential part of our response. Furthermore, there are situations when the best course of action is to simply involve law enforcement, as instructed in Romans 13.

Similarly, if a woman is attacked by a man seeking to rape her, she should first pray and take spiritual authority over the demonic presence at work. If the attacker is too close to permit escape, she should cry for help and use physical force to repel him. It is worth mentioning that a godly woman will also take precautions to avoid this type of danger. Factors such as going out unaccompanied, dressing provocatively or immodestly, and venturing into dangerous areas at inappropriate times can dramatically increase the risk of sexual assault. Sometimes, the best self-defense a Christian can practice is the practical use of these simple precautions.

What John the Baptist Really Meant by “Do Violence to No Man”

“And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”— Lk 3:14

The Greek verb sukophanteō does not mean “never use force under any circumstance”, as evidenced by the context. It means:

• do not extort,

• do not abuse power,

• do not shake people down,

• do not harm out of cruelty or corruption.

John was rebuking abusive policing, not legitimate protection. He did not tell the soldiers to abandon their posts; he told them to stop sinning within their posts—to stop extorting, intimidating, or harming civilians for personal gain. But it is important to recognize why John’s instruction took this form: he was speaking within the rubric of the Old Testament order, before the cross, before Pentecost, and before the Church entered the full light of the New Covenant dispensation. Under the Old Testament, Israel was a nation with its own civil government, military obligations, and judicial penalties—including the death penalty—administered by the state and carried out by its officials.

In contrast, the New Testament reveals a completely different calling for the people of God. Once Christ died and rose again, His followers were no longer a geopolitical nation but a heavenly people, a spiritual kingdom, and pilgrims and strangers in the world (1 Pet 2:11). The Church is never commanded to take up the sword of civil justice nor to execute the punishments of the state. Instead, Christians are called to practice forgiveness, mercy, non-retaliation, and the ministry of reconciliation (2 Co 5:18). Nowhere in the New Testament are believers encouraged to become soldiers, executioners, or civil justice enforcers such as police—roles that require the upholding of state justice, the threat of lethal force, and in some cases the administration of the death penalty.

This shift explains why John could still tell soldiers how to behave ethically under the Old Covenant, but why Jesus later told His followers, “Put up thy sword” (Mat 26:52) and declared, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight” (Jn 18:36). Under the New Testament, Christians are not called to kill, to wage war, or to enforce deadly civil penalties. We serve a Kingdom whose weapons are spiritual, not carnal, and whose King conquered not by shedding the blood of others but by shedding His own.

Real-Life Examples of Biblical Non-Resistance

Example 1 — The Home Invasion

A Christian father hears a break-in. Instead of reaching for a firearm and reacting with deadly force:

• he prays and takes spiritual authority in the name of Jesus, binding the demonic powers of violence, fear, and deadly harm,

• he gathers his family into a safe room,

• uses pepper spray or a non-lethal projectile gun,

• restrains the intruder if necessary,

• calls the police.

  
  

He protects life without taking life.

Notice also that believers must never place their trust in the arm of the flesh for deliverance. Weapons and physical means of protection are uncertain, but “the name of the LORD is a strong tower” (Prov 18:10). Those who rely on earthly power alone will ultimately be disappointed, but those who trust in the mighty God who saves will never be ashamed.

Example 2 — The Street Assault

A woman is being assaulted. A Christian man intervenes by doing one or more of the following:

• shouts loudly to disrupt,

• physically restrains the attacker,

• shields the victim,

• detains the aggressor until help arrives.

This is Prov 24:11 in action.

Example 3 — Persecution for Christ

A believer is threatened for preaching the Gospel.

He:

• flees if he can (Mat 10:23),

• stands firm if he must even unto death (martyrdom),

• never kills to save himself.

This is the spirit of Christ.

Why Christians May Die for Others, But Not Kill Others

Jesus defined the highest love:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”— Jn 15:13

But the call of Christ goes even further. We are not merely to lay down our lives for our friends—we are to do good even to our enemies. Jesus commands:

• “Love your enemies,”

• “Bless them that curse you,”

• “Do good to them that hate you,”

• “Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.”— Mat 5:44; Lk 6:27–28

  
  

This is the radical heart of Christian ethics: to repay evil with good, not retaliation; to face hatred with mercy, not harm.

Paul reminds us that this is exactly what Christ Himself did:

“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”— Rom 5:8

Notice that Jesus died for rebellious sinners—not after they repented, but while they were still in their sin and unbelief. And Scripture says, “as He is, so are we in this world” (1 Jn 4:17), meaning we are called to imitate His pattern of sacrificial love. Christ's example is unmistakable: it is laying down your own life, not taking another’s.

Selfish men preserve themselves at the expense of others. Spiritual men preserve others at the expense of themselves. This is the ethic of the Kingdom.

The Balanced Christian Position: The Narrow Road

Two extremes exist:

1. Pacifism, which refuses to protect the innocent.

2. Militant self-defense, which kills in the name of protection.

Scripture rejects both.

Christ leads us on the narrow road:

• non-retaliation,

• non-lethality,

• protection of the innocent,

• love for enemies,

• courage without cruelty,

• intervention without destruction,

• wisdom without violence,

• strength under control,

• willingness to die, not willingness to kill.

A powerful real-life example of this balance is Desmond Doss, the Seventh-day Adventist Christian medic whose story is told in the documentary “The Conscientious Objector” (see here). Doss courageously entered battlefields without a weapon, refused to take life, and yet saved the lives of 75 wounded soldiers by repeatedly running toward danger. His testimony beautifully illustrates the heart of biblical non-resistance: refusing to kill, yet refusing to abandon the suffering. He did not overcome evil with violence but with self-sacrificing love.

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Rom 12:21

This is not passivity. This is the victory of the Lamb.

Note: For a more in-depth and comprehensive study of the doctrine of non-resistance, please see my extended article on this subject by clicking here.