As I ponder the attack in Paris and how Christians should think and respond to such attacks, here are three initial thoughts:

We are called to pray for our enemies.

Christ commands Christians to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43ff). While this attack appears to be less about persecuting the Church and more about a misplaced sense of grievance, Jesus’ prayer principle still applies. For the Christian these attacks should be a call to prayer for those who would destroy not only the Church but also the Western Civilization founded upon Christian moral beliefs.

Our prayers for these enemies really are one prayer: a prayer for their conversion. Final and ultimate peace is only possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ. When these enemies become brothers, through the grace of God, then this kind of warfare will cease. To that end we pray for their conversion.

Someone may say, “But, Pastor, what about justice? Shouldn’t we desire these men be brought to justice?” Of course we should. But desiring their conversion and desiring justice are not mutually exclusive. As we wish to see murderers incarcerated, we also which to see them come to Christ.

Pray for/support/consider joining missionary work among Muslims

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ,” (Romans 10:17, ESV). This verse connects conversion (faith) with hearing the Gospel. So, desiring someone’s conversion is a desire for them to hear the gospel. In the case of Muslims this means missions. Praying for my enemy, then, leads me to pray for those actively engaged in bringing the gospel to them, both at home and abroad. Along with those prayers, we should consider raising our financial support for missionaries working among Muslims as well as the possibility of joining them on the mission field.

Support the Government’s legitimate response

According to Romans 13 God gives government the power of the sword to restrain evil. In cases such as this the government is well within her mandate to use that power. Certainly she must use that sword in a moral, ethical and legal manner, but she must use it nonetheless. In the case of such attacks, then, the Christian can and should support their government in pursuing these attackers and all who aided and abetted them. While the use of that sword must be moral it must also be severe enough to deter future attackers. Government weakness in the face of such antagonism begets more attacks. Only a strong, just response will help to restrain future attacks.

Your Thoughts?