Reacting Instead of Acting

Faith and Action: The Collected Articles of R. J. Rushdoony, 1965-2004 · Oct 30, 2026 · 4m

In “Reacting Instead of Acting,” Rushdoony warns that emotional outrage and vigilante responses, however understandable, are no substitute for Biblical obedience and lawful action. The tragic killing of a convicted child molester by a grieving mother exposed not only the failure of courts and judges but also the danger of Christians abandoning God’s ordained means for justice. Sympathy for the mother does not transform private vengeance into righteousness; Scripture restricts the use of lethal force to lawful authority, not reactive wrath. Rushdoony argues that much of modern Christian…