Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-204 (Sermon)

WHEN IS IT RIGHT TO FIGHT? (Part 1 of 4)

by Rod Benson

When is it right to fight? A Christian is a citizen of this world and of the world to come (Php 3:20; 1:27). We possess dual allegiances. When these two commitments are in conflict, as occurs from time to time, which one takes precedence? Do I follow conscience or country? Scripture or state? Christ or Caesar?

These are important questions, especially since Australia has just joined the United States’ “war against terrorism.”

War is horrific. It exacts terrible costs. Millions die; tens of thousands lose limbs, sight, livelihoods and psychological peace. Yet wars are often good for the national economies of the victors; they distract attention from domestic political issues (as we have seen in the recent federal election), and they never stop being fought.

World War I was described as “the war to end all wars,” but it served instead as the opening act to a century of brutality and bloodshed.

Every year on ANZAC Day [April 25] our nation pauses to honour the memory of those who died to secure our freedom from tyranny and peace in place of war, and to give thanks to God for the blessings of freedom and peace.

It is my observation that our attitude toward war is not usually shaped by biblical principles. Even as Christians, our attitude toward war is more often shaped by our family history, our parents’ views, our sense of national pride or patriotism, our sense of debt or duty to our country, or (sadly) a desire to engage in military combat to fuel egotism or gain personal status or glory.

How we think about war is closely linked to our view of politics, our perspective on whether a Christian may use force to bring about just changes, and whether certain teachings of Jesus were limited or absolute in their application to Christians today.

Or we simply do not think critically and carefully about ethical issues like war. I suspect that the whole question of war is an aspect of Christian ethics many followers of Jesus have never considered or explored.

Further, while I have read many fiction and non-fiction books on war, including theological and ethical treatises, I believe I have never heard a sermon on war – until today!

Thinking about war raises numerous questions, and this may be why we tend to avoid the subject. For example: is it right for a Christian to bear arms, to murder in self-defence, and to kill other people in the service of their national government?

What should I do if I am expected to shoot civilians, or drop bombs on targets I am sure contain civilians?

If armed combat is a legitimate activity in principle, where should I draw the line? What about carpet bombing, landmines, biological and chemical warfare, and nuclear weapons?

Is there a fundamental difference in ethics between a school teacher charged with discipline and punishment in the classroom, and a soldier commanded to fight to defend just principles or values on the battlefield?

How do Old Testament history and New Testament ethics fit together?

While the Bible never glorifies warfare or violence in themselves, war and violence feature regularly in its pages. Only the first two and last two chapters of the Bible fall outside the long period of human conflict.

We may instinctively think of the Old Testament as celebrating war and the New Testament as celebrating peace; or the Old Testament God as vengeful and vindictive and the New Testament God as genial and gracious.

Or we may identify war in the Old Testament as holy war, while we feel the New Testament supports pacifism, and church history after Constantine and Augustine advocates the higher good of just war.

Or within Old Testament history we may discern an early warlike ideology that gradually gives way to the more progressive and pacifist views of the eighth century prophets.

But I believe these are unbiblical generalisations. The reality is more complex. For example, Ex 20:13 declares “you shall not murder”; but Gen 9:6 seems to give clear justification for murder. Ex 14:13 articulates pacifism, but Ex 17:8-13 describes divinely approved warfare.

In Lk 3:14 John the Baptist receives some soldiers as converts to his movement. Does he instruct them to lay down their weapons and leave their posts? No – he merely asks them not to misuse their military power (in the sense, I assume, of corruption rather than combat).

In Mt 10:34 Jesus says, “Do not suppose I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Yet in Mt 26:47-52 Peter uses a sword to wound an opponent who is trying to arrest Jesus, and Jesus (in a famous saying) orders Peter to put his sword away. We will examine this passage in detail in part 2.

In Romans 12:17-21 Paul clearly teaches that a Christian should not repay evil for evil, should live at peace with everyone, and when confronted by an enemy should offer him food and drink. Yet the next seven verses (13:1-7) provide the strongest biblical support for the submission of the individual citizen to the government of the day. We will examine this passage in detail in part three.

The question remains, though, why do God’s people in the Old Testament spend so much time slaughtering and pillaging their enemies?

In the Old Testament Israel is the national people of God. They have a mandate to bring the light of God to the nations, but also to act as God’s instrument of judgment against the nations.

In the Old Testament God fights evil and upholds his justice through Israel, and fights Israel’s enemies (e.g. Ex 17:8-16; cf Dt 25:17-19; 28:7). God seems to have condoned the killing of some of Israel’s enemies because of the letter’s moral and spiritual sins (Lev 18:25), and to prevent the nations from corrupting Israel’s social and religious culture (Dt 20:16-18).

Ironically, as biblical history progresses, Israel is increasingly on the receiving end, sustaining judgment dispensed by God through the pagan nations.

Some theologians go further, arguing that God’s global redemptive purpose must override the sanctity of individual human lives.

While I understand the sincere sentiment expressed by such scholars, I distance myself from their claims – not least because their argument is used today to justify Israelis murdering Palestinians, and a whole raft of ridiculous enterprises based on the false premise that the United States (or any other contemporary nation state) is uniquely God’s nation acting in God’s behalf.

Today the world is different: God’s people today are drawn from every nation and people group. The church is multinational and supranational, and as Paul teaches, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12).

Bombs and bullets are no match for the offensive weapons launched against God’s people in spiritual warfare; not even nuclear weapons will suffice here. No national government can or will succeed in pursuing this kind of war.

That is why God calls his church to the spiritual battle, and arms us with spiritual weapons: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit – and above all the power of prayer (Eph 6:14-18).

This must be our focus if we desire to see the Great Commandment implemented and the Great Commission fulfilled in our generation, and if we desire the swift return of our King – the Prince of Peace, the increase of whose government and peace there will be no end (Isa 9:7).

—————————–

Sermon 425, Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, Australia, on Sunday November 4, 2001.

Copyright (c) 2001 Rod Benson. Reproduction in any form is permitted only with full copyright notice intact. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: New International Version (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1980).

You can contact Rev Rod Benson by e-mail at <> To subscribe direct to his weekly sermons, e-mail him with “subscribe” in the subject.