Imagine: It’s two in the morning and you hear an emergency signal coming through your radio. You are told that Canada just declared war on America because of irrational border disputes. You live only 30 minutes from Canada and are told to either fight or find shelter. What do you do?
I realize this is an extreme scenario, and likely to never happen. But have you ever thought about war in a Christian perspective? Many people say it is respectful to join the service and that we should “support our troops.” What does the Bible have to say about war? Doesn’t Jesus command us to “turn the other cheek?” I hope to answer these questions and more.
In the Old Testament, God commanded Israel to go to war several times. He clearly revealed to them when He was on their side and when He wasn’t. I believe God showed His power this way because it suited the time period. Nations were measured by their wealth in gold and power in war. If a nation could not defend themselves, they were considered weak. Therefore, when Israel went to battles that seemed to be completely against them, God showed how amazingly powerful He was when He struck down the other armies without breaking a sweat.
In the New Testament, we see a completely different command about war: “Turn the other cheek.” To some, this may seem like Jesus is directly contradicting how God would want it done. I would argue that this change is because of the time, the new covenant, and does not condemn all war.
When all factors are taken away, war is evil. You can sit there and point out all the reasons why it is ok, but I see only one reason to fight in war - self defense. If someone is being murdered as a punishment from an ungodly government or person, then they should glorify God by standing by His Word and dying. On the other hand, if someone is trying to kill another person simply because they hate them, I do not see anything wrong with defending yourself. Therefore, if some ungodly country was trying to murder the entire American race, I would call that a just war for the Americans.
Wars that are political maneuvers or designed to show a country’s power and wealth are wrong. Killing to look good does not look good! What are Christians to do about serving in the military then?
In the Old Testament, God did not command Israel to station soldiers in other countries. He did not tell them to have boot camps or military stations. He simply commanded them to go to war in certain instances. I believe that Christians should follow this standard for war today. Our men should be at home, providing for and leading a family. The only time they should leave to fight is if our country is being attacked. In this circumstance, they should fight to protect their friends and families.
I believe it is wrong for a young man to make a career out of the military. One should only serve in it under dire circumstances.
Does that mean we are not to respect Christians who choose to serve in the military? Should we even look at serving in the military as a respectable thing? Is praying for our troops biblical?
I once read in a book by C. S. Lewis that Christianity is like a house. There are many different rooms and hallways in this house. Some rooms have dividers in them, but all have the same basic layout. These rooms represent the different opinions and denominations within the Christian faith. All Christians should love each other equally no matter what they believe. Therefore we should still respect Christians who serve in the military even if it is wrong.
But is serving in the military even a respectable occupation? Yes, it is. You may think that this is a contradictory statement to what I just said, but it is not. Many people who serve in the military do not do it just to kill. They truly want to protect their country and do something honorable. We should look at our military with respect and pray for their safety. We should pray that they do not have to kill unjustly. Also, we should pray for their souls.
I want to add that it is wrong for women to serve in the military no matter the circumstances. Women are to be wives, mothers, and teachers to their children. No where in the Bible do you hear of women warriors. God does not condone women acting like men. Men and women have very different roles, but the same end result. They are equal, but not in the ways that the modern feminist would have you think.
In the end, we can see that war is clearly evil. Almost every war that has ever happened in human history was not just. Boys should not grow up wanting to be soldiers for their country, but for Christ. Killing is only acceptable when it is done in self defense. We should pray for our soldiers and their souls. Women have no place in the front lines. God desires peace and we must do everything we can to make it a peaceful world - not in a humanist way, but one that promotes Christ. Pray for our soldiers, peace, and God’s will to be done today.
No comments:
Post a Comment