Meekness, Jesus, and the Martial Arts.

The book of John:

10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

There are many Christians who are opposed to war and violence. If I may be so blunt-- this is heresy. We are in Christ, but how do we get by rejecting His attributes as Sword-bearing King and just judge? Is Jesus not fully God? Even the Warrior God of the Old Testament and Revelation? Of course He is. How does a warrior walk in love? By judging justly the enemy which refuses grace and will not relent his attacks.

Jesus is King. He will return with a sword and cast His enemies into Hell. Pacifistic Christianity is a response to social pressure for the church to catch up to the so-called enlightened modern age. Several passages of the new testament are used to justify them, yet none of those passages are used in a way which reflects the character and nature of our God. Here are 2 common objections:

1) Didnt Jesus say to turn the other cheek (matthew 5:39)?

Yes. He did. He was also referencing Hamurabi's code, and God's civic law in dueteronomy 19:20-21. The slap he is referring to here is a type of insult which in latter years became an invitation to dual in the middle ages. This is not referring to physocal self-defense, but rather a conflict in which only your pride is on the line. Turn the other cheek, dont escalate the violence. My question to this argument is 'how is physical self defense needed against a mere slap?' Answer: it isn't. Christians do not fight for pride; but that doesn't mean we shouldnt fight at all.

2) Doesnt meek mean weak?

Was Jesus meek? Yes. Was Jesus weak? No. It took more strength than any mere man could posess to take the beating He did and not call down legions of angels as He could. Meekness, in this sense, merely means 'submitting one's power to God'. It is easy to abuse power. It is much more difficult to 'die to ourselves and take up our cross' when we have the power to not do so. Think, for a moment, about a horse in a chariot. That horse is a powerful creature capable of killing most animals. Yet to bridle a horse is a process called 'meeking'. The horses power is submitted to its rider. So should we submit our power to the Holy Spirit.

This meekness is what Jesus was referring to when He admonishes Peter in the quoted scripture above. Are we to live by the sword? Or by the Lord's will?

Romans 12 describes what it means to be a Christian and a peacemaker. Yet Paul does not say to live in peace at all costs. He says in verse 18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all". Therefore, this is a foundational verse for any Christian Martial Arts curriculum. The novice's first goal should be to learn the line of when they have done all they can do without resorting to violence.

In other words, to submit the power of their martial art to the Holy Spirit as it presses on their conscience.

Christian mystic martial arts -- beginner techniques

So, the beginning student in Christian Mystic Martial Arts is assumed to have a beginning theology of warfare. Therefore, until a mature theology is established (which would take longer for some students than for others), the student should be taught in mobility, parrying, evasive striking, and evasive grappling.

Training regimen:
1. Aerobics
2. Footwork
3. Fighting parries
4. Grappling escapes and counters
5. Traditional blocks and strikes for conditioning -- but not yet trained into fighting strikes; bag work only.

When I was growing up, every school I trained in did 1-steps. In these, from a traditional stance, a traditional punch would be thrown, and a partner would block tradotionally and strike traditionally. While these were goos for building technique, they were impractical for self-defense.

Therefore, in addition to normal 1-steps for conditioning, students will do Parries. In these, students will take a fighting stance, and will take turns throwing techniques and parrying. Any counter strikes will be speed strikes such as lead straight punches, trips, backfists, and pushes.

Students will not counterstrike with any power techniques on these until their theology of warfare has been approved by their mentors and instructor.

In addition, students will train in holds, throws, and takedowns for their obvious defensive tactics.

Christian mystic martial arts

Ok, so Im a martial artist. I have been for nearly 22 years, and yet Ive only been a believer for 6 years. So I think its high time Ive developed a martial arts curriculum.

But first, why? Arent there christian martial arts schools out there?

Easy answer, yes. But in reality... No. There are Christians who run martial arts schools, and they may, at best, pray with their students, do bible memorization, or discuss certain aspects of doctrine; but these practices happen in between, before, or after martial arts training. They are not related to the actual style of martial arts.

They happen in addition to the training. They do not flow out of the training. This is a problem. It is syncretistic -- that is, it melds two things together. It does not derive from a single source.

Therefore, a truly Christian martial art needs to come as a direct result of Christian doctrine, led by the Holy Spirit.

Obviously, there are health benefits to martial arts. But there are also health benefits in other nonviolent sports like swimming and tennis. Until we deal with the fact of violence, we can not deal with health.

Also, in order for a discipline to be called a spiritual discipline, it must produce the fruits of the spirit. After we deal with the fact of violence to determine if we even can make such a thing, we must then see if it is good for growing in Christian maturity.

Therefore, there are seven precepts which we must expound and explain before continuing. They are as follows:

These are the topics I will expound in later installments:

1. Meekness and turning the other cheek - what does Jesus really mean, and arent Christians supposed to be pacifist?

2. War for justice -- assuming we as Christians can engage in violence, we must then do so righteously. Is there such a thing as just violence.

3. War for defense -- does turn the other cheek mean we allow all sorts evils upon ourselves and God's people? When do we take up arms to defend ourswlves and our home?

4. War for reclaiming territory -- can violence be a tool for taking back that which evil has taken? Is this justified, or is it just an excuse for vengence?

5. Discipling the flesh -- is this practice good for producing fruits of the spirit? Does it assist in mortifying the flesh as Paul instructs us in Collosians?

6. Caring for the temple -- some styles of martial arts are desteuctive to the body while others are not. How can we be sure we are not damaging our temple while not slipping into New Age and Eastern mysticism?

7. Discipleship -- does the teaching fulfill the great comission?

My hope is to explore these ideas in depth in the upcoming weeks and months. If this proves to be true and fruitful, only than can we begin developing curriculum.