“To serve and to protect”.

A common mantra for law enforcement. As this is their foundational principle for their calling. However, it has taken on a different meaning for the past few days. Especially for a certain pastor.

“Then He said to them, ‘But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.’”

-Jesus, from The Gospel of Luke

Enter Pastor Tony Spell of Life Tabernacle Church in Louisiana. If you are reading this at its publication, then you are aware of the current situation. If you have stumbled upon this somewhere down the road in time, allow me a moment to bring you up to date. 

Recently Pastor Tony was caught on a neighborhood security camera (because we live in the time of One Thousand Eyes. You are ALWAYS being recorded) “attacking” a young man. The son of a couple that lives across the street from his church. This is what the eye can see. As the young man stands on the sidewalk, we can gather from his body language that he is saying something towards Pastor Tony. Maybe it is a compliment about his church? Maybe he is wishing the Pastor a great day? Or maybe he has a question about Jesus? Nonetheless, Pastor Tony storms over to the young man (early 20’s. Far from being a child) in a threatening manner. The young son throws the first punch, possibly in self defense because Pastor Tony’s body language states that confrontation is inevitable. Pastor Tony then responds with a barrage of fists. He proceeds to give the young man a beating never before seen. To be honest it was almost comical to watch.

Yet, in short time, the internet is all enraged and supportive. Some say that the young man was innocent and that Pastor Tony, representing the hypocrisy that is Christianity, was a violent bully full of toxic masculinity. This response comes from The Left and The Voice. Because not just do they hate Christianity and follow The Father of Lies, but they also favor wickedness. So we cannot put too much faith in their take on the story. Some say that he is a hero. Even the Christian Church is divided. Many are supportive and say that Pastor was acting in self defense. Many are asking the question “What happened to turning the other cheek?”, and are requesting that Pastor Tony resign because he is a brawler and is now disqualified from the pastorate, according to 1 Timothy 3:3. The question is- Who is right?

When I first saw the video, within the first moments, I was disappointed at Pastor Tony’s failure to represent the love of Christ. Then I learned of the backstory. That this young man was part of a family that lived across the street from the church. They made a concerted effort to stand across from the church and harass the parishioners. To yell racial slurs at the congregants of color. To make sexually explicit gestures towards women and children. Yelling profanities to profane the ears of the pure. Creating an atmosphere of Chaos and Hate where there should have been Peace and Love. This harassment evidently lasted for years as law enforcement turned a blind eye. Yet, on this day, their young son took it a step too far. He threatened to rape Pastor’s wife and murder his family the next time that he was away. Those were the words that prompted Pastor to walk across the street and deliver a package full of Smack Down.

Once I learned the context, I supported Pastor Tony’s response. Yet, in time, many Christians stepped forward and compared his actions to Scripture. Saying that this was not Christlike at all. Angry that not just did he respond with violence, but that his post arrest response was to mock the beating that he gave the young man. That there was no repentance. No apology offered. No seeking to be a peacemaker with the family. No witnessing before the public eye. And, as I mentioned before, no resignation. I began to see that these Christians were correct. His was most certainly a worldly and fleshly response, void of “What Would Jesus Do?” I was once again disappointed in his actions and no longer divided on the issue of what was right and what was wrong. But then I thought more about it…

On one side of the Christian debate, they proclaim that Pastor Tony was in the right because even Jesus flipped tables. True, He did flip tables. But not because He was being harassed and threatened by the money changers. It was because of the corruption of the money changers in selling the sacrifices in the house of God. Jesus even condemned and insulted The Religious Elites by calling them whitewashed tombs and a brood of vipers. However, that was not in retaliation for an insult. It was because of their hypocrisy and using man made religious laws to oppress The Jews. The other side proclaims that Pastor Tony is in the wrong because he did not turn the other cheek. However, Jesus’ intent with this teaching was to not return an insult or to retaliate. Not to allow someone to beat you to death. To not seek an eye for an eye, which in context means to not seek vengeance. Yes, the proper biblical response to the family’s years of derogatory comments would be to ignore it. Maybe to wave with a smile. Maybe to shout out over traffic “Jesus loves you!” Certainly, the best response would be to pray for the family. Maybe even to shout that over the street as well. The other side also proclaims that Pastor Tony should resign, because he was being a contentious brawler and certainly was not above reproach and lost his good standing with the community (1 Timothy 3:2).

I would side with the second group. From a biblical perspective, those verses do align better with the argument than the one of Jesus flipping tables. Which is being used out of context, by the way. However, I think that we are looking too much at The Pastor regarding how the situation is being handled. Maybe we should also include the family and their son as well. They are the missing element in this argument of passivity and justice.

The family that lives across the street from Pastor Tony’s church are Demon possessed. Just a miserable family of Demons. It is true that there are a growing number of Agnostics that say “Meh!” about God. It is true that there are a growing number of Atheists that shout that He does not exist, with passion and fervor. However, it takes an unstable mind to actively arise, step out of the house, walk to the edge of the street, and make the conscious decision to racially, sexually, and verbally harass innocent people as they mind their own business walking into church to worship God. Which, by the way, includes women and children. Did I mention that already? Yes, I did. Well, it bears repeating. I mean the effort that they put into their sick actions are more than an Atheist or Agnostic would attempt as they peer out of their living room window on a Sunday morning. Not just would a sane person not make the effort to do this, but they most certainly would not perform the perverted gestures that they do. But, above all, it takes a really sick person to shout at the pastor that they are going to rape his wife and kill his family. These are more than idle words of hatred towards Christians. This is an actual threat to human life.

Should Pastor Tony have treated this threat as idle words that deserve the turning of the cheek? No. Why? Because this family is unstable and full of malicious intent and wickedness. When a heart so black threatens your family’s life, you cannot treat it as an empty threat. You must assume that if they have proven themselves to be this sick and twisted thus far, then they very well could be capable of the absolute worst. That the conscience is so corrupt that it is incapable of holding back such an evil deed. Even if the words were an empty threat, you know that a normal functioning mind would never utter that to begin with. Without reason, obviously. And to assume that it was just talk and to let it slide for the sake of The Gospel would be foolish. Especially when you one day may bear the burden of failing to act when you enter your home to find blood splattered all over the wall.

The problem with The Redeemed and The Unredeemed’s view of Christianity is that they fail to put into view that God is a just God. Christ is viewed as a separate being from God. One that is like a hippie skipping through a field of daisies. In an effeminate voice, saying “Ahhh! Peace! Love!”. One that loves Man to the extent of not just accepting him with his flaws, but to even accept his flaws. To approve of Sin because to do otherwise would be unloving. To not offend the Unregenerate. God is viewed as a God of violence and war. One that commanded Israel to destroy the Pagan of the day. Little do we realize that they are both the same. The same God that fought battles before Israel is the same God who commanded Israel to rebuild the temple with a tool in one hand and a sword in the other. He is the same Christ that said that the time has come to purchase and carry the sword. God has fought The Enemy for His people. God has used human hands to fight The Enemy to defend His people. It is apparent, then, that God’s people are called to defend their own. That they are worthy of protection

The New Testament makes it apparent that we are not to pick fights. We are not to retaliate and seek vengeance. For it is in God’s hands to deal with that. However, we are called to protect. Protection is the reason why Christ told his disciples to take up the sword. Pastor Tony heard an evil and unstable demon possessed man say that he was going to kill his family. This was preemptive protection. A message to The Demon that there will be no more words. That there will be more punishment to come if it continues. And worse to come if it acts on its words.

But what about Pastor Tony’s position? Should he be made to resign for being a brawler? No. Because the passage in 1 Timothy 3 applies to a man that seeks to be contentious. Both within and outside of his church. Essentially an abusive pastor. It does not address his physical protection against threats to his family or even his church. The only ones that see his action as a disqualifier to his ministry are those that do not have a proper understanding of 1 Timothy 3. That do not have a proper understanding of The Christian’s calling to protect by any means necessary. Even if it is with a sword. And does serving as a Pastor remove him from being permitted to protect his family? Does being Redeemed remove us from such? Is the right to protect one’s family only reserved for the Unredeemed? Should Christian men, upon walking into violence being committed against his family by the hands of Evil, just stand there and watch? Maybe to whine “No no! Stop that now! Please stop! You’re mean! I’m gonna pray for you!”. I think that if God’s people are to allow violence to come upon their own, then the sword wielding nation of Israel has some explaining to do. Christ has to justify why He told His disciples to take up the sword as they tread upon dangerous roads.

We as Christians are not to go out looking for a street fight. We are also not to seek vengeance against those that have committed atrocities against us. However, we are permitted to protect our lives and the lives of those around us when the hands of Evil seek to harm us or to take our life. There is a difference between revenge and self defense. There is nowhere in Scripture that says that we are to lay down and allow ourselves to be destroyed. Anyone that says otherwise has no understanding of God’s Word and desire pacifism to the point of forcing it into the text.

There was an invisible line drawn in the street at Life Tabernacle Church. One that the Demonic family stood at for many years. Until one day The Demon told their son to take a step.