Can anyone give me a Biblical argument against hyper-pacifism? My readings of Scripture seem to suggest that self-defense and war are a form of vanity, and judgement upon sinners should be left to God and God alone, even if it costs you your life.
I understand there are people in the Old Testament (such as King David and Abraham) who killed their enemies, but these seem to be justified only because they were explicitly commanded by God, which rarely if ever happens in the modern era. Stories of those who are not chosen for vindication, like Samson's suicidal retribution, are punished for their violence.
The recent situation with Kyle Rittenhouse reminds me of when Judas and the Roman guards arrest Jesus, which Jesus knows will result in his death. Jesus's disciples attempt to defend Jesus and attack the guards, but Jesus commands them to stop and heals a guard's ear. If Jesus allowed himself to be killed by forces of evil, was it wrong for Kyle not to do the same? Even though he surrenders himself to fulfill Biblical prophesy, would he have done anything different if nothing was written about his coming?
Many point to the verse where Jesus says to sell your garments and buy a sword, yet when his disciples use the weapons Jesus commands them to stop. It seems that Jesus only told them to do so in order to make them appear as criminals and zealots, ensuring his arrest and fulfillment of prophesy. Hence why he tells them that two swords are enough.
I believe that all judgements of life and death should be reserved for God, even if that means the death of my kin and survival of Satanic enemies. Life appears to be a test built atop many, many layers of abstraction. And though though a sin may seem justified and beneficial to the world's overall wellbeing, it is still wrong and fails the ultimate test. Take the story of when the Devil offered Jesus control of the entire world in exchange for one act of Satanic worship. Despite the millions of lives Jesus could've saved and improved, he declined.
This is where I have ended up so far in my reading, and I would much appreciate if anyone has any refutes to the idea of Christian pacifism. Thanks for your time.