Understanding Christian Martial Arts

But I say, don’t resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too, (Matthew 5:39). The teaching in Matthew 5:39 is not about protecting lives, it’s about reacting to insults. It’s not a major threat to anyone’s physical or emotional well-being to get slapped across the face or insulted. The Bible teaches us that when we are insulted, we should not react out of anger, rather we should react out of love. If someone insults another and he or she punches him or her then they are not using the moment to demonstrate God’s love, they are not being self-controlled as Christian Karate-Do advocates and they are not giving Christians a very good reputation either.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance, (1st Corinthians 13:7). In 1st Corinthians 13:7, the Bible tells us that love protects and beareth. The original Greek word used in the New Testament is stego. Stego means to keep or protect by covering, to shield from something that threatens. The Bible also tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God and our neighbors as ourselves.

Bless the Lord, who is my rock. He gives me strength for war and skill for battle, (Psalms 144:1). The Bible is full of battles and wars led by great men of God. When common laborers were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, they worked with one hand and the other hand held a weapon, all the builders had swords attached to their belts.

When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows and coats of mail. The officers stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. The common laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm, (Nehemiah 4:15-18).

When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you safely out of Egypt, is with you, (Deuteronomy 20:1)! Dear friends, never avenge you. Leave that to God. For it is written, I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it, says the Lord. Instead, do what the Scriptures say. If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you. Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing well, (Romans 12:19-21). Trained Karate-ka knows that reacting to insults in a gentle way softens our enemies’ hearts and puts us in a advantageous position. The wisdom of reacting gently rather than reacting out of hurtful feelings or furiously heated moments.