When at Appomattox, Robert E. Lee did not dispatch his army into the field to wage guerrilla war against the North, he chose the road less traveled. The choice of unconventional warfare would have been easy to justify on the surface - continued struggle for their righteous cause, hope that will to fight would soon crumble in the North. The colonists had engaged in it as part of the American Revolution. Instead, he chose the hard path of reunion and reconciliation. Many before and after him have chosen to fight.
When does guerrilla warfare become terrorism? It is oft quoted that one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. We certainly have modern examples in the Mideast, Northern Ireland, Somalia ... the list is endless, of causes that have degenerated from political advocacy to pure terrorism motivated by hatred. The unforeseen consequence of beginning a campaign of unconventional warfare is that most of the time it devolves. To engage in a sustained guerrilla war is to take the position that one’s cause is so important, so righteous, that everyone must be deprived of any kind of stability and social peace unless the rebels can get their way (or until they are annihilated to the last man). Rebel fighters choose this for both themselves and their enemies, but also for their own families.
It sounds simple (perhaps obvious) to say that such people have been duped by the devil. He is the ultimate source of evil. Look at the choice that he and the rest of the fallen angels made. Being in the presence of YHWH and experiencing His glory, they chose to rebel. And this knowing that the consequences would be defeat, and ultimately eternal imprisonment in the lake of fire. In the meantime, they inspire humans to follow them into ultimately futile rebellion, bringing chaos to humanity, justifying evil in the service of some “higher” cause. (Terrorists are far from the only purveyors of evil, but often the most brazen.)
How is the human condition different than the angels? Simply this. We live (for now) in time and do not know the future. We have free will and can choose good or evil and then change our mind. Evidently, because the angels knew with full certainty the consequences of rebellion and choose it anyway, they are beyond repentance and redemption. But God so loved the world that He sent His uniquely begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. We are reconciled to God not because we negotiated a peace treaty, but because He paid the price for our sins, our evil choices, and delivers us from their consequences and power, through the blood of Jesus. And we have in this life the freedom to repent and choose!
What does this mean for the current political animus in our capitol? Is reconciliation possible? If there were a revival, perhaps. If Billy Graham were to rise from the dead to hold evangelistic services at the Capitol and the White House, if the Holy Spirit were to come with power, if self-righteous pols were to repent, it might be possible. Realistically, to quote Virgil, facilis descensum Averno. Grace to the politician who proves my skepticism wrong, by revealing God’s glory.
