No less should principled Christians be aghast and opposed to the recent violent acts in Washington.  This time the violence and disruption came from those with whom many Christians are likely to share political convictions (though it appears that several groups were behind the rioting). Despite this, Christians should oppose this rioting with equal vigor as they showed when opposing the rioting that was happening over the course of the past year. Failure to do so is to be as inconsistent and unprincipled as others, who silent before, are now decrying the violence of the mob.

Political Progressives are suddenly opposed to riots. Aghast at the rioting in the US Capitol yesterday, they are inconsistent as they have allowed, encouraged, aided, abetted, and refused to condemn similar rioting all throughout our country for months. Such inconsistency demonstrates and serves a merely partisan or pragmatic spirit and not a principled spirit. Mere partisans or pragmatists do what best fits any situation. Such pragmatic partisans only condemn behavior when it does not fit their cause. Such partisans will condone the same behavior they condemn in others as it promotes their agenda.

A Christian, by definition, follows Christ. Such following is necessarily principled, that is, informed and directed by the universal principles for life that Christ has given us in his written word.  Indeed, such a principled ethic has been highly regarded and promoted even by those who do not worship Christ.  Principled people conform their actions to over-arching ideals which fit every situation: “Do not kill”, “Do not Lie”, Do not Steal”, “Honor your father and mother” are equally applicable to a variety of situations and stand as unchanging universals to be followed whether or not they serve your own personal agenda or whether or not you like it.  Principles are not plastic, able to be shaped and molded by the user, but are God-given declarations of truth, the truth that has been revealed, not personal preferences, manufactured, used, and then thrown away when they no longer fit my cause.

Principled Christians, who have witnessed the turmoil in our nation’s streets for months, are saddened, shocked, and dismayed by the wanton destruction of private and public property (stealing) the bantering of false news, inaccurate reporting, turning a blind eye to the truth (lying) and reckless violence (even the taking of life).

No less should principled Christians be aghast and opposed to the recent violent acts in Washington.  This time the violence and disruption came from those with whom many Christians are likely to share political convictions (though it appears that several groups were behind the rioting). Despite this, Christians should oppose this rioting with equal vigor as they showed when opposing the rioting that was happening over the course of the past year. Failure to do so is to be as inconsistent and unprincipled as others, who silent before, are now decrying the violence of the mob.

To protest, in principle, against certain decisions and actions of a democratically elected government is possible in our system and possible in a Christ-like manner. Surely some of the protestors gathered in Washington with that in mind. There are godly ways and means to speak the truth, to stand for the truth.  As principled followers of Christ we speak the truth in love, we do not ignore one commandment in order to advocate for another, and we recognize that Christ’s universal laws supersede all human laws. This means in some cases that national or state rights cannot be claimed or even pursued if they contradict Biblical norms (but that is a topic for another day).

As Christ calls us to be like Him in all that we do our Christ-like actions in standing for truth will often be ineffective against totalitarian regimes and institutions who ignore Christ. But ineffectiveness does not warrant departure from principles. We must not become fickle pragmatists. Therefore, we must ardently oppose the attack on the Capitol building.  Not only is such rioting inconsistent with Christ-like behavior, but it has departed from policy opposition and become opposition to a form of government, the institution itself.

Christians view all human government with a healthy dose of biblical realism.  We are a people of unclean lips: sinners form governments that sin & fall short of God’s glory.  We should not look back on the history of our country & worship our forefathers–they were sinners too.  We should not worship our political party–they are sinners too.  We should not presume that God’s plan and providence are as flat and simpleminded as we are–He is NOT a sinner & He has displayed an amazing tendency to bring good out of evil through His Covenant of Grace in this broken world!  We hold these institutions and governments lightly, expecting sinners to act like sinners.

And yet, Christ has told us that human government; be it the family, the church, or the nation is instituted by God and is, therefore, to be honored.  Wednesday’s rioters chose to attack the very center of our national democratic life. Purportedly, they were opposing an action, a particular procedure.  But in fact, they attacked the government itself. Thus, instead of pointedly resisting a decision they have chosen to attack the institution, the very form of government under which we live.

Furthermore, they ended up attacking their friends. In that building, entered illegally as the mob forced their way in, were other men and women who stood for the very things with which the mob agreed.  In that building were people who would stand beside them principally but who also had to flee, even in fear for their lives, because a mob is necessarily unfocused, unreasonable, and unprincipled. Broad-brush actions are not helpful nor is their intention clear.

This is not how Christians are called to act in the Public Square. This is not the example that we are to follow and set if we are striving to live a principled life following Christ.  We grieve, we mourn the foolishness of the fallen world. We pray and beseech our God to forgive and stop the sin (including our own). And we cautiously and carefully test all our thinking, all our actions, against the revealed truth of God.

Jesus himself said, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” If we allow, encourage, and are pleased (even secretly) by wanton rioting, the destruction of private and public property, illegal entry, and fearmongering then we are going to need to be willing to face such ourselves.  If Christians do not stand against such tactics, and instead, even advocate and engage in such, so will others, and we Christians, who are the refuse of society (1 Cor 4:13), will be the be among the first to be attacked.

Robert Davis is a Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and is Senior Pastor of Draper’s Valley PCA in Draper, Virginia.