Page:Chelčický, Molnar - The Net of Faith.djvu/144

 the son of Solomon wanted to go to war against the ten tribes, and a prophet of God said to them:

Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your kinsmen. Return every man to his house.[504]

Therefore, if the Christians war among themselves they transgress not only against the perfect law of Christ but also against the law of the Jews…

The Christians, partaking of the same faith and having been redeemed by the same blood of Christ – thus united to him by the bond of grace – are bound to die one for another; therefore, if they kill they secede from this bond of brotherly grace and from the union of Christ’s blood. They disgrace the blood of Christ…

The pagans are less evil than the Christians when they make wars among themselves because they have not known God… There is nothing more abhorrent to the sacrifice of Christ than this: to kill in anger and hatred a brother for whom Christ died in his great love.

CHAPTER 84

MILITARISM CONTRARY TO THE LAW OF CHRIST (CONTINUED)

And if there are some who object saying, “We have nothing to do with spiritual things and we cannot understand religious matters; we are plenty busy with this world and our military calling – how could we understand religious problems and enquire after them?” there is a short answer for them: if one is a Christian and takes interest in the things of this world, he is abandoning Christ and cannot understand the benefits of Christ’s religion. His faith is of no avail, his baptism is of no use, and his belief in purgatory is in vain… Therefore, with their shameful sins they deny Jesus Christ. They add their cruelties to his wounds…

CHAPTER 85

MILITARISM CONTRARY TO THE LAW OF CHRIST (CONCLUSION)

[ Wars among Christians are un-Christian. They are contrary to the teachings of Christ. His whole message is based on love and on not resisting evil. For a Christian to fight is a disgrace and shame since he should not be concerned about personal safety. ]

The Christians who are of the world are also called the Holy Church; and because the Church is of the world, which does not accept (spiritual laws) that would spell death to the mundane (way of living), it is becoming corrupted; its end is not salvation but damnation.