When Faith Meets Impossible Choices

Imagine waking up one morning and realizing you’ve been transported back to ancient Canaan. You have a wife, children, and a small home, and you know something terrifying: the Israelites are coming, and God Himself has commanded them to destroy the Canaanites, including men, women, and children. Suddenly, your faith, conscience, and natural instincts to protect your family collide in a moral whirlwind. What do you do?

As a believing Christian, this scenario presents a profound tension. On one hand, there is the Old Testament command in Deuteronomy 20, part of God’s covenantal plan and His judgment on nations steeped in sin. On the other hand, your understanding of God’s character, revealed fully in Christ, emphasizes mercy, justice, and the sanctity of human life. How can a modern believer reconcile these seemingly conflicting moral imperatives?

The commands in Deuteronomy 20 were specific to the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land. God’s instructions to “destroy completely” the Canaanites were tied to their sinfulness and the covenantal plan to establish Israel as a holy nation. These were historical judgments, not universal, timeless mandates for all people. By contrast, the New Testament reframes our understanding of God’s justice. Jesus teaches love for enemies, mercy for the oppressed, and trust in God’s ultimate justice. Killing innocent people, even under a perceived divine command, stands in stark contrast to Christ’s teachings. Modern Christians interpret these Old Testament passages as a historical account of God’s justice, not a directive to apply in every era or personal situation.

Now consider the personal stakes. Your family is in immediate danger. Do you do nothing and let the Israelites carry out the command? This obeys the literal Old Testament command but allows innocent lives, including your family, to be destroyed. Do you fight to defend your family? This may preserve life but violates the historical command and risks moral corruption. Perhaps you try to escape or hide with your family. This preserves life without directly confronting the Israelites, requires practical wisdom, and trusts God’s protection. Or do you rely entirely on prayer, surrendering the outcome to God? That demonstrates faith but may feel passive in the face of imminent danger.

Several Christian principles guide a believer in this impossible scenario. Scripture emphasizes the sanctity of life and condemns killing innocent people (Exodus 20:13). Jesus models mercy and love even for enemies (Matthew 5:44), and the New Testament repeatedly calls Christians to repay evil with good and to trust God’s justice (Romans 12:17-21). The commands in Deuteronomy were historically specific and should be understood in that context. Our conscience, guided by the Holy Spirit, weighs the preservation of life against historical commands.

The morally and spiritually responsible path would likely be a combination of escape, defense without aggression, and prayer. Seek ways to protect your family while minimizing bloodshed. Avoid unnecessary killing or retaliation, consistent with Christ’s teachings. Pray for guidance and protection, trusting that ultimate justice lies with God. Defying a historically specific command of God does not equate to sin if your actions align with God’s eternal moral law revealed in Christ.

This thought experiment illuminates a larger truth: God’s justice, revealed through Scripture, cannot be reduced to literal obedience to historical commands without moral discernment. The Old Testament records God’s judgments in context, while the New Testament shows His character of mercy, love, and justice. A Christian in ancient Canaan would likely pursue strategies that preserve life, act mercifully, and trust God’s justice, rather than passively allowing destruction or engaging in violence contrary to God’s eternal moral law. Even in impossible situations, our responsibility is to act in ways consistent with Christ’s teachings, protecting the innocent and reflecting God’s love.








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