If there is one command of Jesus that separates Kingdom people from the world, it’s this:
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
— Matthew 5:44
To the early Christians, this wasn’t just a spiritual ideal—it was a test of loyalty to the King. They believed that to follow Christ meant to love like Christ, even in the face of betrayal, violence, and death. They chose to be killed rather than kill, because no earthly allegiance could override the law of love written by the hand of their King.
Radical, Not Reasonable
The world has always justified violence in the name of justice, protection, or patriotism. But the Ante-Nicene Christians rejected these arguments. They were not pacifists because they were weak—they were peacemakers because they were strong in Spirit.
They didn’t retaliate when wronged. They didn’t join the military. They didn’t hold public offices that required judging or punishing others. They chose the cross over the sword.
“It is not lawful for a Christian to bear arms for any earthly consideration.”
— Tertullian, On Idolatry 19
“We who formerly used to kill one another now not only refuse to make war upon our enemies, but gladly die confessing Christ.”
— Justin Martyr, First Apology 39
They Saw Killing as a Violation of Kingdom Allegiance
To kill—even in self-defense or war—was, to them, a denial of Christ’s commands. They believed that bearing the name of Jesus required bearing His nature. And Jesus, when threatened, was silent. When beaten, He did not resist. When crucified, He prayed for His murderers.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
— Luke 23:34
They believed that if Jesus laid down His life, they must also be willing to lay down theirs—without compromise, without retaliation.
Martyrdom Was Victory, Not Defeat
Their willingness to die without violence was not a sign of failure, but a testimony of triumph. Their blood didn’t stain their testimony—it sealed it.
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
— Tertullian, Apology 50
Pagans and Roman authorities couldn’t understand how a people could face death so calmly—praying, forgiving, singing. Their love was louder than the roar of lions. Their peace silenced the jeers of crowds. Their lives and deaths proclaimed a Kingdom not of this world.
The Modern Church Has Forgotten This Witness
Today, many Christians justify war, violence, and retaliation in the name of freedom, justice, or self-preservation. But these early believers remind us: Christ did not die so we could defend our rights—He died so we could lay ours down.
Kingdom citizenship demands radical obedience to the law of Christ: love. This is not weakness. This is warfare of a different kind—the kind that overcomes evil not by force, but by forgiveness.
What We Can Learn Today
- Enemy love is the distinguishing mark of a true disciple.
- Killing, whether in retaliation or service to empire, contradicts the command of Christ.
- Martyrdom is not the loss of a life—it is the fulfillment of one.
- We must reclaim a theology of the cross—not just as a symbol, but as a way of life.
Sources:
- The Holy Bible — Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34
- Tertullian, On Idolatry 19; Apology 50
- Justin Martyr, First Apology 39
- Origen, Against Celsus, Book 8
- The Epistle to Diognetus, c. AD 130–200
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