In his sermon “When is it right to fight?� Rick Warren uncovers some alarming statistics about war. He points out that, “In the last 3,421 years there have only been 268 years that have seen no war. During the last 5,560 years there have been 14,531 wars averaging a little over 2.6 wars each year. In the history of 185 generations, only ten of those generations have experienced unbroken peace.� These numbers give weight to the words of Christ when he said that there would be wars and rumors of wars. We pray for peace on earth and goodwill toward men but the reality that we live in contains war.

Although it seems inevitable that war will continue, we should still pursue and seek peace. However, Romans 12:18 suggests that are situations in which peace is not possible. Jerram Barrs adds that, “Peace cannot come unless, and until, there is justice. This is why there are far more prayers for justice in the Bible than there are prayers for peace.� Ecclesiastes 3:8 says, “There is a time for war and a time for peace.� So until the Prince of Peace comes to settle disputes, Christians must struggle with the question, “Should Christians go to war?�

The issue of war is complex because it is difficult to see how the biblical principles of forgiveness and love are consistent with the idea of war. It is also difficult to grasp that idea that the Jesus that humbly took the cross is the same Jesus that many believe gives us permission to engage in war. Fast-forward from biblical to modern times and we see the success of the non-violent movement of Martin Luther King Jr. and the practicality of the non-violent teachings of Gandhi. On the other hand, was it wrong for the world to use force against Hitler? Or when the World Trade Center was attacked, should the U.S. have responded by sending him the Sears Tower as well?
What follows in this two part series, is my defense of the just war theory and how it relates to the instructions of Christ to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. The just war theory supports the right of a military to engage in wars that have just cause, namely, to stop the spread of evil, self-defense, and the punishment of individuals or nations who have committed unjust acts of war against one’s country.

Islam and the ethics of war

Islamic ethics of war parallels the just war theory that many Christians hold. Islam allows war in self-defense (Qur’an 22:39), to defend Islam, to protect those who have been removed from their homes by force because they are Muslims (Qur’an 22:40), and to protect the innocent who are being oppressed (Qur’an 4:75). When war is conducted it should be done in a disciplined way to avoid injuring non-combatants, with the minimum necessary force, without anger, and with humane treatment towards prisoners of war. There are other rules for war that Islam subscribes to and for the most part it resembles the just war theory.
Jesus allows military service

In Matthew 8:5 Jesus heals the servant of the Centurion and tells him that he has not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Jesus doesn’t tell the Centurion to leave his position of leading soldiers, nor does Jesus tell any Roman soldier to leave the army. In Luke 3:14 soldiers approached John the Baptist and asked him, “And what about us, what shall we do? And he said to them, ‘Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.� Like Jesus, John did not tell the soldiers to leave the army, but gives them instructions of conduct. Since it is possible to live a godly life and serve in the military, it is acceptable for a soldier to carry out his or her duties as a soldier. These duties may include going to war.

God gives governments the right to use force

It is important to understand that justice and vengeance are not synonymous. While vengeance belongs to the Lord, Romans 13:3-4 explains that justice is a God-given responsibility of governments. In Romans 13:3-4 Paul writes, “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.�

In this text Paul argues that the government has a God-given right to use force and seek justice against evildoers. In no way does Paul give governments the right to abuse their power for unjust reasons, but he says the government “does not bear the sword for nothing.� The two reasons this text gives to using force are: to restrain evil and punish evil. When a government uses force for these reasons it is functioning as a “minister of God.�

In the context of the teaching of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, I believe the government should still exercise the right to use force as opposed to turning the other cheek on those who commit crime. If pacifism were to be consistently practiced the police as well as the military would be eliminated. This would give the wicked free reign to do as they wished. Going back to the justice issue, I believe that the government is given the right to use force in order to seek justice and prevent evil.

Stay tuned for Part 2 in the next issue of Prodigal Son magazine

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