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Jumpstarter 9 of 10

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Change of Allegiance  /  What If Jesus Meant Every Word He Said?  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 9
Dean describes reading just-war defenses and feeling alarm because Scripture was used “out of context,” and he noticed those books always include a chapter trying to “explain away the early Christians” as naïve; what does it say about the strength of a modern position if it must discredit the earliest post-apostolic Christian practice, and how much authority should early Christian consensus carry in your ethical decisions?
Another way to ask: What does it say about a modern view if it has to put down the earliest Christians to defend itself? How much should early church agreement matter when you make hard moral decisions?

Direct Answer Dean implies a position is weakened when it must dismiss both Jesus’ “easy words” and the early church’s consistent practice by calling them “naive.” In his journey, early Christian consensus isn’t equal to Scripture, but it powerfully supports a literal reading of Jesus and exposes modern arguments as tradition-driven.

Support from Transcript:

  • Dean says just-war arguments frightened him because they used “Scriptures…out of context” and didn’t apply “the Word of God properly.”
  • He observed just-war books “always have a chapter…to explain away the early Christians,” calling them “naive” or “faith wasn’t fully developed.”
  • His reaction: “I long to be one of those naive, childlike, early Christians,” suggesting their simplicity was actually faithfulness.
  • Tanya and Dean found early Christian writings “universally taught against…Christians in the military” and advocated “loving their enemies” in personal and national disputes.
  • They quote early sources (e.g., Tertullian and Justin): “We…refrain from making war even upon our enemies,” reinforcing that the topic was considered early.
Discussion Follow-ups When you disagree with early Christian practice, is it because of Scripture, or because modern life seems “different”? How do you weigh early consensus as a check against interpretations that feel convenient or culturally safe?

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