FW: The Death of Osama Bin Laden: A Teaching Moment on the Doctrine of Vocation and the Two Kingdoms

Vocation…

 

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Posted on: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 4:33 AM
Author: Paul T. McCain
Subject: The Death of Osama Bin Laden: A Teaching Moment on the Doctrine of Vocation and the Two Kingdoms

 

I've been struck by the reactions to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. On the one extreme, we hear triumphalistic theocratic rhetoric, falling into the error of assuming, or thinking, that somehow America is "God's chosen nation." On the other extreme are the pacifistic, hand-wringing comments made, sadly, yes, even by some Lutherans who should know better. Why should they know better? Because we know and understand the doctrine of vocation and the doctrine of the two kingdoms. The doctrine of vocation teaches us that all callings and stations in life are honorable and noble, from the person who changes the bed pan in a hospital, to the person who drives a taxi cab, to the soldier who does his duty in service to country and neighbor. This is why Martin Luther wrote in his treatise, "Can Soldiers Too Be Saved? …In the same way, when I think of a soldier fulfilling his office by punishing the wicked, killing the wicked, and creating so much misery, it seems an un-Christian work completely contrary to Christian love. But when I think of how it protects the good and keeps and preserves wife and child, house and farm, property, and honor and peace, then I see how precious and godly this work is; and I observe that it amputates a leg or a hand, so that the whole body may not perish… …The office of the sword is in itself right and is a divine and useful ordinance, which God does not want us to despise, but to fear, honor, and obey, under penalty of punishment, as St. Paul says in Romans 13 [:1-5]… …Self-defense is a proper ground for fighting and therefore all laws agree that self-defense shall go unpunished; and he who kills another in self-defense is innocent in the eyes of all men… …When the battle begins…they [soldiers] should simply commend themselves to God's grace and adopt a Christian attitude…everyone should also say this exhortation in his heart or with his lips, "Heavenly Father, here I am, according to your divine will, in the external work and service of my lord, which I owe you first and then to my lord for your sake. I thank your grace and mercy that you have put me into a work which I am sure is not sin, but right and pleasing obedience to your will. But because I know and have learned from your gracious word that none of our good works can help us and that no one is saved as a soldier but only as a Christian, therefore, I will not in any way rely on my obedience and work, but place myself freely at the service of your will. I believe with all my heart that only the innocent blood of your dear Son, my Lord Jesus Christ, redeems and saves me, which he shed for me in obedience to your holy will. In this faith I will live and die, fight, and do everything else. Dear Lord God the Father, preserve and strengthen this faith in me by your Spirit. Amen." (American Edition, Vol. 46) The other doctrine to keep in mind is the doctrine of the two kingdoms. We know that God works to save souls from hell through the "right hand kingdom" that is, within and through the Church via the means of grace, given to her to proclaim the Gospel for the salvation of sinners. This is the calling of the Church, not the state. On the other hand, it is to earthly government, the "left hand kingdom" that God gives the authority to protect and defend life, by giving to it the power of the sword, as Paul explains in Romans 13. It is this duty that our government discharged in hunting down and killing Osama Bin Laden, for the sake of defending us and our families and our nation. Bin Laden has demonstrated, for many years, a clear desire and intention to do our nation harm and proved it many times over, most dramatically on Sept. 11, 2001. We do well to remember that pacifism is not a Christian teaching. The Bible does not support it, and it is therefore indefensible. Do we rejoice in the death of a wicked man, who from every human perspective, is facing now nothing but eternal torment and punishment in hell? No, of course not. Do we however rejoice that justice was carried out and a man who wished to kill us all is now dead? Yes, of course we do. This "no" and "yes" response is incapable of being understood without the doctrine of vocation and the two kingdoms clearly in view.

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