Introduction: In the 21st century, there is great confusion about the meaning of the term "Christian." I define a Christian as a person who has repented of his/her sins, and who has personally received Jesus Christ as his/her Savior. A genuine Christian acknowledges that the Bible is the Word of God, and seeks to order his/her thoughts and actions on what God says in Scripture.
A Christian view of war will be one which expresses the teachings of the Bible. If it contradicts the Bible, then it is not a Christian view. If it builds on one verse in the Bible, and glosses over the rest, it is not an adequate Christian view. A Christian view will also recognize the unity of God in the Old and New Testaments. The entire Bible is God's Word. The New Testament is an addition, not a replacement for the Old Testament. The God of the Old Testament is also the God of the New Testament, and He never changes.
Jesus never contradicts the God of the Old Testament, because Jesus IS the God of the Old Testament. Jesus is the third Person of the Trinity. He is the eternal God. Therefore, the Christian will recognize no contradictions between Jesus' teachings and the teachings of the Old Testament. The whole Bible is the Word of the Triune God.
CERTAIN FACTS STAND OUT AS WE CONSIDER THE TOPIC OF WAR IN THE BIBLE:
I. PACIFISM IS NOT A THE CHRISTIAN VIEW.
A. A pacifist is a person who refuses to physically fight in any circumstance. Some denominations and Christians teach that Jesus was a pacifist, and that Christians should never fight, but always turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39-41). Please note that Jesus is giving directions here about how to handle minor personal offenses. He is not addressing serious criminal activity, nor warfare. These verses should not be mis-applied.
B. Christian Pacifists have been in the news lately about our war with Iraq. In September 2002, Jim Winkler, United Methodist Board of Church and Society Director said "it is inconceivable that Jesus Christ would support an attack on Iraq." The Methodist Bishops sent a letter to Bush stating: "A pre-emptive war by the US against a nation like Iraq goes against the very grain of our understanding of the Gospel, our church's teachings, and our conscience." Frank Griswold, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church said of the US: "We are loathed, and I think the world has every right to loath us. I'd like to be able to go somewhere in the world and not have to apologize for being from the United States. In February of this year there was a million person anti-war demonstration in London, where they carried signs saying "A good Christian will never kill."
C. The Bible tells us that God sometimes approves of war.
1. Numbers 31:1-3 says:
The LORD said to Moses, "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people." So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the Lord's vengeance on them."
2. Deuteronomy 20:1-4 says:
When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army. He shall say: "Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
3. Psalm 144:1 says:
"Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:"
4. Psalm 18 says:
"It is God that girdeth me with strength...He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms...I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed."
II. ON THE OTHER HAND, PEACE IS THE IDEAL SITUATION. Christians should strive for peace as individuals, and in the nation.
1. In Deuteronomy 2:9 the Bible says:
Then the LORD said to me (Moses), "Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land. I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession."
2. Psalm 55:21 describes an evil man as secretly planning war:
His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
3. The Psalmist (probably David) also wrote: "I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war." (Psalm 120:7)
4. David wrote again in Psalm 140:1-2 "Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day."
The prophet Isaiah wrote of a future time of peace: "He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)
5. Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers." Unfortunately, when the enemy is attacking, the only way to have peace is to go to war.
III. THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A JUST WAR.
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:8:
"There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."
Some wars are unjust. They are wrong. For example: War to steal land or wealth from another nation. War for the sake of power. War to acquire slaves. War to spread religion (as the Muslim Jihad, and as the Christian Crusades).
So, what is a just war? On what conditions must Christians go to war? Are Christians ever required to take up arms? According to the Bible, there are two basic situations that justify and compel us to warfare.
A. JUST WAR SITUATION NUMBER ONE -- DEFENSIVE WAR
1. Individuals may take up arms and even kill in order to defend themselves and their homes. The sixth commandment does not prohibit killing, but murder, as the modern translations have it.
Exodus 22:2 "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed..."
This verse directly applies to an individual defending himself and his home, but by extension it would also apply to a nation defending itself against an invading army.
2. There are many examples of defensive wars in the Bible, fought with God's help and approval. One example is I Samuel 23:1-5. Here David fights with the Philistines who invaded the Israeli village of Keilah, which was just a few miles East of Philistia. David's earlier fight against Goliath was also a battle against Philistine invaders, deep in Israeli territory.
3. All the peoples of the world have a God-given right to protect themselves against invaders. This would be a just war, on their side.
B. JUST WAR SITUATION NUMBER TWO -- A WAR TO RESCUE THE OPPRESSED
1. In Psalm 72:1-4, Solomon asks God for strength to rescue the oppressed:
"Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor."
2. In Psalm 82:3-4 we are commanded by God:
"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
3. Proverbs 31:8-9 says:
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
4. The Westminster Larger Catechism says in its answer to Question 135 "What are the duties required in the sixth commandment," that it is the Christian's duty to preserve the life of others, to make a just defense against violence, to comfort and succor the distressed, and to protect and defend the innocent.
5. If you know that your neighbor is a serial killer, it is your duty to call the police and capture him. If you know that your neighbor is beating his children and his wife, it is also your duty to call the police, and make him stop. If the police are not available, it is your duty to personally go to the rescue.
6. Likewise, if we know of a nation which is jailing, torturing, killing and otherwise wreaking havoc on its own citizens, how can we excuse ourselves from going to the rescue of these oppressed men, women and children? For example, is it not to the shame of the civilized nations of the world that they did not step in to Hitler's Germany at the very beginning of his dictatorship, and put a stop to his evil deeds, before he was able to kill six million Jews?
7. In Romans 13:1-4 the Bible says that God ordained human government to support citizens who are doing good, and to terrorize with the sword those who do evil.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Is it not then the duty of all civilized nations to depose evil tyrants around the world? Surely a war to set free the captives is a just war.
Summary:
1. The Bible does not support a pacifist sort of Christianity.
2. We should seek peace. We should pray for peace. We should not create conflicts. We should not launch unjust wars.
3. But if we are attacked, we have a God-given right to self-defense.
4. And if we see the weak being attacked by wicked oppressors, it then becomes our God-given duty to go to the defense of the weak.
May God bless us and our nation, as we seek to bring a true and lasting peace in the world, as we fight against those who are evil, and who oppress and kill the weak. Amen.