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Christian Enthusiasm for War by Ron McKenzie I have been surprised that a number of well-known Christian prophetic voices are supporting war with Iraq. I am not a pacifist and I believe there are situations where a nation is justified in going to war to defend its people against an attack. However, these situations have always been very rare and this is not one of them. Very few wars have ever met the biblical criteria that justify war (these are explained in "Defence and War"). In the modern world, the consequences of war are so terrible that very few wars can ever be justified. Therefore, I am surprised at the current enthusiasm for war among Christians. The reasons for supporting the war are given in the following quotations. The cup of judgment is full of Saddam Hussein…. The battle is about bringing down the strongman of Islam and breaking open the Middle East. The spirit of Allah is working to form an Arab coalition to resist in the battle. God will humiliate the spirit over Islam (Ps 83:16) (Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders). The lawlessness that is growing throughout the world would result in such chaos and destruction that things would be much worse if the United States does not become more assertive in its leadership. Now there are also major threats to us that in the United States that must be found and dealt with (Rick Joyner). The record is clear, the actions of Saddam Hussein are cruel, evasive and ungodly. His actions cannot go unchecked (Bob Jones and Paul Keith Davis). Removing Saddam Hussein is necessary – peacefully I hope, but if not, then by military means. In order to fight terrorism, we must cut off terrorists’ supplies and support. And Saddam Hussein represents both. So war against Saddam is self-defense (Chuck Colsen). These statements seem to be a variation on one theme: Saddam Hussein is evil. He is supporting and supplying terrorism He has weapons of mass destruction He is willing to use them against other nations He is oppressing the people of Iraq. There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein is an evil man, but these prophetic voices all go a step further and argue that because Saddam Hussein is evil, war to overthrow him is justified. They seem to believe that the United States should attack Iraq to overthrow evil. The problem with this argument is that evil is normal in the world until the gospel is victorious. The existence of evil is never in itself a justification for war. If it were, Christians would be permanently engaged in warfare all over the world. Spiritual Reality I could understand unbelievers wanting to use military force to destroy evil. They fear evil and the only weapons they have to fight evil are military, but we have a clearer understanding of the nature of evil. Christians know that the real source of evil is not Saddam Hussein, but the spiritual forces that are working through him. For 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). Our real struggle is not against evil men in positions of power, but against the spiritual powers working through them. The enemy is not Saddam Hussein, but the evil spiritual powers behind him. The same spiritual forces that wrestled with Daniel are now at work in Iraq. Military force cannot deal with evil in Iraq, because it is unable to deal with these spiritual powers. Even if an invasion is successful and Saddam Hussein is deposed, the same spiritual forces will remain in control of the nation. The United States may be able conquer Iraq with overwhelming military force, but it will not be able change the spiritual atmosphere. War cannot remove evil from Iraq. This is why I am surprised at Christians making the case for war against Iraq. We should never wish the horror and devastation of war on any people. The brutality of modern warfare and the pain of defeat often leaves a nation even more vulnerable to evil. Overthrowing Saddam may even result in even worse evil taking hold of the nation. Christians praying in the West can influence the spiritual forces working in Iraq, but they do not have the spiritual authority to remove them. There will always be people with spiritual authority in Iraq inviting them back. Real change will only come, when people in Iraq with spiritual authority choose to stand in the power of the Holy Spirit against these evil spiritual forces and force them out of the nation. Evil Although evil often seems to be victorious in the world, God has prepared a solution. Evil came into the world through sin. Human sin allowed the spiritual forces of evil to go to work in the world. As a result, evil rulers like Saddam Hussein have been common throughout history. The purpose of the cross was to destroy the powers of evil (Col 1:13). Therefore the best way to deal with evil is to advance the great commission. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matt 28:19). As the nations receive the gospel and are taught to obey Jesus, they will bind the evil spiritual powers and increase the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the gospel will be successful, the Kingdom of God will grow throughout the earth and evil will be greatly constrained. I suspect that part of the reason that Christians are so enthusiastic about this war is that they no longer believe in the power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit to overcome evil. Some of the strongest support for war comes from the "end-times industry". It teaches that, despite the gospel, the power of evil will increase as history progresses, and will only be overcome when Jesus returns to conquer the world using violent force (a rod of iron). This idea of Jesus forcing people to submit to his authority is not only a distortion of the gospel, but has a dangerous consequence. If God can only overcome evil using brute force, then there is some justification for the United States using force to overcome evil in this age. Thankfully, this idea is false. Christian Realism Knowing that evil will continue in the world, until this gospel task is completed, Christians should not be naive about it. The civil government has the "power of the sword" to place a restraint on evil (Rom 13:1–6). It can resist evil by punishing individuals who commit crimes. The civil government can sometimes use military force to resist an attack by an evil nation. Terrorist attacks can be resisted by all lawful means available to the civil government. Political leaders have responsibility to defend their nation from evil attack. However, Christians should also be realistic about evil. The civil government cannot provide total protection for it citizens. It cannot eliminate all crime or violence. A nation will sometimes face attack from an evil nation that it is unable to resist. Evil will sometimes spill over from other nations and affect those that do not deserve it. Even nations with vastly superior military resources will sometimes be vulnerable to the threats of terrorists. The civil government should do everything possible to keep terrorists from entering their nation, but they will not be able to eliminate every terrorist in the world, or conquer every nation that supports terrorism. The civil government should be vigilant, but it will not be able to eliminate the threat of evil until the gospel of Jesus has been effective throughout the world. Nations should do what is lawful to protect their citizens, and then trust the rest to God. The United Nations Christians should also be realistic about the United Nations. This human organisation cannot eliminate evil from the world. It has no spiritual authority, so is very limited in what it can achieve. The United Nations is just a committee of political leaders that is never united. Some are good, some are bad, and a few are evil. The decisions of its various meetings are limited to the wisdom of these men and women. They have always been a mixture; some good, some evil, but mostly bad. The United Nations has sometime provided peace-keeping forces to control volatile situations. It has sometimes provided a forum for nations to talk and resolve their differences, but is has rarely been able to resolve the underlying (often spiritual) differences between nations. It has done very little to restrain evil. The United Nations does not have the moral authority to decide between good an evil. Therefore, I have also been surprised at the number of Christians who assume that war is justified, if it is authorised by the United Nations. This human organisation does not have the moral authority to decide that a war is justified. Assigning authority to decide between good and evil to a human organisation is a dangerous mistake. Fear Christians believe that evil will be overcome by the power of the gospel. In the meantime, we should not fear evil. Although God has promised to protect his people through evil times, this does not guarantee that evil things will not happen to good people. Jesus' death on the cross proves that good people can sometime perish at the hand of evil men. However, the worst that evil men can do to us is death; and for those in Christ, death is victory. Having this hope, we do not need to fear evil. As the shepherd’s Psalm says, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4). March 8, 2003 Ron McKenzie [send him mail] is an economist in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is also a Presbyterian minister. Copyright © 2003 LewRockwell.com http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/mckenzie1.html Defense and War: A Biblical Perspective by Ron McKenzie A key responsibility of the civil government is to protect its citizens from attack by wrongdoers. This involves punishing those who break the law. It also involves defending the nation from every external attacker, including nations, other groups of people or dangerous pests and diseases. All these responsibilities are encompassed in the power of the sword (Romans 13:1- 8). Therefore, pacifism is not a Christian option. The Bible gives a nation the right of self-defence. However there are a number of principles which should control the civil government’s exercise of this authority in the fulfilment of its responsibilities. War is only justified for defence (Romans 13:1-8). It should not be used to expand a nation's boundaries, or to take control of another nation, or to extract trade advantages. This is a fundamental principle. A nation should never need to establish military domination in another region or nation. The idea of a Christian Holy War has no basis in Scriptures. The nation of Israel conquered and destroyed the Canaanite nations. This was only done after a specific and direct command from God (Deut 7:1,2). This was a special case where God had a specific purpose in terms of the salvation he planned for Israel. It is not an example that can be followed by Christians or a Christian nation. We should not use war to win people for the gospel. (We should be honest and admit that the crusades were a mistake, however well-intentioned the crusaders may have been). A Christian nation must not have a large "standing army"(Deut 17:16; 1 Kings 10:26-29). An army that is constantly training for war is dangerous, because it will be tempted to find a situation where it can use its skills. The military should not be given too much political power, as they will have a tendency to use war to solve all problems. The defence force should take the form of a part-time local militia. The central command structure may be full-time professional so that the defence of the nation can be well organised (Deut 20:5). However, most of the soldiers will be trained civilians who can be called up when a defence force is needed. As they have other interests there will be no danger of them becoming over militant and fighting unnecessary wars. However, because they will be defending their families and friends they will be highly motivated if they are needed. They will be well prepared, but they will be only rarely called upon to fight. The militia should be up made of volunteers. Anyone who is faint-hearted or afraid should not be forced to fight (Deut 20:5- 9). People who are at a critical stage in their lives should not be forced into military service. For example, men who have recently married, started building a house or started a business should be freed from service, because they would not be focused on the battle. The army of a Christian nation will not have offensive weapons (Deut 17:16). God forbade the king from acquiring great numbers of horses for himself. The reason for this was that horses and chariots, at that time, were offensive weapons used for attacking other nations. The defence of the nation would not need large numbers of them. A modern defence force should choose weapons that are best for defensive purposes. Only the civil government has authority to declare war. Individuals or companies do not have the authority to commit a nation to war. Any declaration of war must be in accordance with correct legal processes (Deut 20:10). War should always be the last resort. Before declaring war, the civil government should try every means possible to obtain peace (Deut 20:10). We should never forget the horror of war. It is always costly in terms of human suffering. Christians should never glorify war. While it is an honour for a man to give his life to defend his family and community, war is never an ideal solution. A Christian government should be prepared for war, if it is attacked, but it should also hope that it would never have to fight. A Christian nation should always seek God’s will before declaring war. A nation going to war, because it thinks it is right, is being presumptuous (Deut 1:41-44). Presumption is a terrible sin. If the war has God’s blessing, the army is more likely to have success. A Christian government should only declare war if it thinks it has a reasonable chance of success. Jesus said that before a king goes to war, he should sit down and consider whether he can match the army that is coming against him. If not he will send a delegation to ask for terms of peace (Luke 14:31-32), even if this involves a loss of freedom. For Christians freedom is not an absolute value. It may be better to lose freedom to govern, than to lose a large number of lives in an unsuccessful defence. In fact, because Jesus has set us free, we cannot lose our freedom. Two things should always be remembered, Christianity can survive under extremely hostile environments. It was born in the hostile world of the Roman Empire. In our own time, Christianity has blossomed under the hostility of both the Soviet Union and Communist China. Therefore, Christianity will never be dependent on winning a war for its survival. If a Christian government has no hope of defending against attack, it should surrender, knowing that Christianity will survive. It is God who determines the appointed times of the nations and the boundaries of there habitations. (Acts 17:26, cf Job 12:23, Deut 32:8) If a nation is invaded by another and this is not God’s will, he will not allow the situation to last long. For example, after the Second World War, the Russian Empire took control of most of Eastern Europe. However, because this was contrary to God’s will, that empire had collapsed within fifty years. If a nation is unable to defend itself, all is not lost; God will have his way in the end. Counting the cost of war, is not just a matter of estimating how many soldiers will be lost. The full cost of the war should be counted. There are generally very few winners in war. The cost for the families of those who die is enormous. For the soldiers who survive the cost can also be high. Many will have injuries that blight their lives. Worse still, war has a desensitising effect on its participants, and good men can be drawn into doing great evil. They will have to live with there consciences. War is also an enormous waste of economic resources. There are actually very few situations serious enough to justify the enormous costs of war. Deut 20:1-5 declares that a small army with God on its side can beat a large well-armed one. A good example of this is Gideon, who defeated a large Midianite army with 300 unarmed men (Judges 7). However, this promise should not be used as a justification for foolish wars. Total war, as it has been practised in this last century, is prohibited by the Bible. Those engaged in war are prohibited from attacking and damaging the land (Deut 20). The same protection would apply to women and children. Non-combatants should also be protected. This prohibition makes nuclear war unacceptable. Nuclear weapons would harm the land and non-combatants. The same principle would rule out many modern weapons. Only weapons which can be targeted at combatants or other weapons can be used by a Christian nation. On the other hand, anti-ballistic missile defence systems may be justified, because they are defensive. Military alliances are common in the modern world. However these are forbidden over and over again in the Bible. A Christian nation has a covenant with God. It cannot be totally committed to God, and place its faith in another nation for defence (Is 31:1-3). Therefore, defence alliances are not an option for a Christian nation. God determines the appointed times of the nations and the timing of their rule. (Acts 17:26). No nation has the authority to invade another nation to change its government (even if it is evil). A nation cannot even be invaded to establish democracy. (Democracy must come from the hearts of the people, it cannot be enforced from the outside.) Most attempts by great powers to establish "better" government by force in other nations have failed, because the spiritual forces that control the nation have not been defeated (Dan 10:13). The principles outlined here allow a nation to defend itself, but there are very severe restrictions on which methods may be used. Likewise there are very strict conditions which must be fulfilled before war may be justified. Almost all modern conflicts would fail to meet these conditions. The Bible recognises the horror of war. There are probably very few situations that would justify the cost of war. It should be an extremely rare event. The current war in Afghanistan does not fit with these principles. The people who organised the attack on the World Trade Centre, committed a dreadful crime and should be punished as criminals. However, the nation of Afghanistan did not attack the United States. The Taliban did not attack the United States. Afghanistan may be harbouring the criminals who organised the attack, but that is not a justification for war. We may dislike the Taliban intensely, but that does not justify war against them. The United States does not have the right to determine who should govern Afghanistan. (The Taliban gained power through victory in a civil war. This is the same way that the current federal system in the United States was established). The United States is not defending itself against an attack by Afghanistan, so it is not justified in attacking Afghanistan. The methods of warfare being used in Afghanistan cannot be justified either. Bombs that destroy the land and can kill and maim civilians are forbidden by Deuteronomy 20. The alliance with the ungodly men of the Northern Alliance is also contrary to the Scriptures. November 23, 2001 Ron McKenzie [send him mail] is an economist in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is also a Presbyterian minister. Copyright © 2001 LewRockwell.com Forwarded for your information. The text and intent of the article have to stand on their own merits. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe simply because it has been handed down for many genera- tions. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of teachers, elders or wise men. 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