Christian Living

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Love as Means for War

Love is a Verb
If war is a result of last possible means of solving conflict or defending life and liberty, it can be rightly asserted that a just war is of sound Christian doctrine based on the act of love that Jesus himself taught in the Gospels.
Love as defined by Christ is a verb. Second only to loving God, Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as much as and as passionately as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV) . Is loving our neighbor standing passively, on the sidelines, watching another country forcefully conquer land, people or property? Can one correctly assert Jesus as an advocate of passivism simply because he laid down his life, resisted force and crucified?
However unavoidable war may be, the dilemma for Christians is the question of participation and support. Should Christians support all wars? Object to all wars, or just some? Before any Christian decides on an answer, they must first observe several aspects of war that the Bible teaches as the authoritative Word of God.

Biblical War
Throughout much of history war has played a significant role, shaping and reshaping countries, cultures, and religions. All of recorded time is tarnished with the blood of war and its devastation. The Israelites fought for their land for hundreds of years. The most publicized of the many war efforts in the Old Testament is Joshua’s battle and victory of Jericho . Three hundred years after Christ, Christians were forced westward by Muslim threat marking the second and third century crusades . Even today, the United States enjoys much of their freedoms as a result of the Revolutionary War to end English rule.
There are many Christians that perceive war to be a negative impact on society and the values that as Christians we are trying so desperately to spread to others via the love of Jesus Christ. The pacifist maintains a focus on the immorality of war. Believers dive into the Bible, twisting Scripture to prove a perspective of what is believed to be “moral.” The questions of morality in war and violence can be addressed, in my opinion, upon the basics of Christian moral life and the teachings of Jesus.
Passive Christians apply the belief of do as Jesus did to the conduct of war; never take part in war regardless of the consequences and allow God’s hand to conquer oppression. Advocates of this type of pacifism argue that Jesus’ death on the cross signifies the passive, loving nature Christians should practice. This view, of course, needs to be reconciled to the clear Biblical evidence that God, throughout much of the Old Testament, used war and massive violence to advance the chosen nation of Israel. God used war to punish, protect, and reward Israel for more than 450 years.

Pacifists and War
It appears from the surface, the Christian thing to do, is to object to war and violence of any kind. The most basic of the teachings of Christ are humility, servant leadership, kind and loving to all. Many consider the New Testament to be the law of love. Naturally one could connect love as the opposite or opposing force of war; if love is good and kind, than war must be evil and wrong. The pacifist, holds this idea of war in a general sense. However, the varying discernments of pacifism define the degree of the tolerability of war and violence. On one end, to a Universalistic Pacifists, killing is always wrong; on the other, a Private Pacifist see only personal violence wrong, whereas a corporate killing, such as war, can be justified. Lastly, Antiwar Pacifist war is always wrong, whereas some personal justified killing can be rightly justified (i.e. self defense).
Christian advocates of pacifism (speaking as a general argument) rally around six significant arguments . The ethical teachings of Jesus, citing Scriptural statements such as; “Put your sword back in place…for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” A second argument is the Sermon on the Mount, as a blueprint for Christian conduct. Christians are responsible for nothing else except devoting their lives to Christ, part in parcel to citizenship in the kingdom of God.
Thirdly, pacifist rely on the suffering of Jesus as the perfect example of ultimate suffering; he never fought back, yet simply took what was given him, dying on the cross for the sin of mankind. In the view of the pacifist killing another denies the opportunity to accept Christ as savior for the suffering he endured. Fifthly, as a result of Christ’s death a global community has been created where all believers around the world are of one nation, that is, of Christ. The question that arises for many pacifists is the question of believers fighting other believers for a cause not consistent with the work of Christ.
Possessions for material things raise a final objection to war for pacifist Christians. Wars are largely fought to gain or protect land or possessions, including power and money. That very idea is inconsistent with basic Christian teachings. Jesus warns believers about treasures on earth. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “For where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV) Acceptance in the kingdom of heaven has nothing to do with how much stuff a person can acquire.

War as an Act of Love
Is there any violence, wars, conflicts, killing, etc. that can be considered moral or just from a Christian worldview? I would argue yes there is, and plenty of it. I wish to make clear, however that I do not advocate war. My advocacy, lies in the just use of force for a moral purpose as an act of love for ones neighbor.

The famous American Civil War General, Robert E. Lee said that it is good that war is so terrible, lest we become too fond of it. War has evolved in many ways over thousands of years of history, becoming more brutal and with greater degrees of force. The one constant, however is the massive loss of life and destruction. Could justification of those wars be proved if it could be deemed that the wars prevented an even greater evil from harming the world? Imagine the world for many Jews if the nations of the world did not rise up against and defeat Hitler. A man that is in complete lack of moral values for the rest of humanity, using force to overtake a smaller enemy can only be eradicated via force. The correct question to ask many pacifists claiming war is never justified; does that view change when someone is knocking at your door forcing freedom away from you?
Superpower countries have the ability, and I believe the responsibility, to step in and take care of the weaker brother. It is just as immoral not intervene when necessary as it is immoral to shoot someone randomly . Both actions hurt someone, not helping anyone. Pacifists are correct. God’s hand lay upon all of history and the future. In so doing, He has entrusted His people as stewards of His creation. Throughout Biblical history and long after, believers have witness the divine intervention of history; God illustrating His sovereignty among His people. Countries can not wait for a clear answer from God about who to go to war with and who not. Based on solid Scriptural teaching each instance must be evaluated on its own merit. “We don’t need God’s permission when he has already commanded us to protect the innocent in the Bible.” The Apostle Paul instructs the Romans that the government is to be obeyed, as well as ordained by God. Man’s law is God’s law, unless man’s law breaks God’s law.
It is one thing to go to war; another is how it is done. Not every war is good, or moral, or that every unjust act needs attention. The reality of this world does not provide that possibility. A Christian world view on war is one that does what is possible by the grace of God, to assist a weaker Christian neighbor and to exemplify the love of Christ for non-believers.
This view of war could fall under just war theory. Recognition of evil and the threat is posses to society. Pointing to, not war as good, but unavoidable, and in those particular cases can it be conducted in a just way.
Jesus is the Christian’s example of love. He tells to love our neighbors as ourselves. He let himself be beaten to near death, hung on a cross to await death, because of sin, our problem, not his. How, then, can it be wrong to risk my life so that another may have life? What better way to show love. The love Jesus describes is not the warm and fuzzy feeling that someone gets after a first date. It is the self sacrificing, painful, life threatening acts that define Christians as followers of Christ.

For Further Study:

Brown, Dale W. Biblical Pacifism, Second Edition. Evangel Publishing House, 2003.

Cahill, Lisa. Love Your Enemies: Discipleship, Pacifism, and Just War Theory.
Augsburg/Fortress, 1993.

Charles, J. Daryl. Between Pacifism and Jihad: Just War and Christian Tradition.
Intervarsity Press, 2005.

Thomas F. Madden, “The Real History of the Crusades,” notes for 462, Contemporary
Issues in Church and Society Plymouth, MI: Michigan Theological Seminary, 2006.

Koukl, Gregory. “Policing the World.” . 1992.

Koukl, Gregory. “War with Iraq.” . 2003.

Witmer, John A. In The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, ed. John F.
Walvoord, and Roy B. Zuck. Colorado Springs, Cook Communications Ministries, 1983.

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