War And The Christian Response Series

WHEN THINKING ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF WAR, CARL VON CLAUSEWITZ, IN HIS EPIC BOOK "ON WAR" WROTE, "WAR…IS AN ACT OF VIOLENCE INTENDED TO COMPEL OUR OPPONENT TO FULFIL OUR WILL."

TERRORISM HAS BECOME THAT NEW FORM OF VIOLENCE USED AS A WAY OF COMPELLING OTHER NATIONS INTO SUBMISSION. THE TERRORISTS CAN ONLY SUCCEED IN THIS NEW WAR TACTIC IF FREE PEOPLE COWER IN FEAR AND BEGIN TO RESTRICT THEIR TREASURED FREEDOM AND LIBERTIES.

WE SHOULD NEVER SUCCUMB TO TERRORIST-INSPIRED FEAR. WE CAN NEVER ALLOW SUCH PEOPLE TO WIN. INSTEAD, WE MUST RENEW OUR COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL LIBERTIES, BUT TO THE RULE OF LAW.

ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN RENEW THAT COMMITMENT IS TO UNDERSTAND OUR GOVERNMENTS ROLE IN DEALING WITH TERRORISM IN A JUST WAY ACCORDING TO THE RULE OF LAW.

PAUL GIVES OUR ANSWER IN VERSE 4, WHEN HE SAID, "BUT IF YOU DO WHAT IS BAD, FEAR. FOR HE DOES NOT BEAR THE SWORD IN VAIN. FOR HE IS GOD’S SERVANT, AN AVENGER WHO BRINGS WRATH ON THE ONE WHO PRACTICES WHAT IS BAD."

PAUL IS TEACHING US THAT IT WAS GOD HIMSELF WHO ESTABLISHED THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD (ACTS 17:24-28). THE AUTHORITY TO RULE THESE GOVERNMENTS ALSO COMES DIRECTLY FROM GOD.

IN OTHER WORDS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS ARE REALLY TO BE SEEN AS GOD’S SERVANTS WORKING ON HIS BEHALF TO RIGHTFULLY GOVERN THE LAWS TO ENSURE THAT GOOD IS HONORED AND EVIL IS PUNISHED.

THIS IS WHY PAUL WARNED AGAINST MOCKING OUR LEADERS AND DEFYING THE LAWS OF OUR GOVERNMENTS. WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS WE ARE REALLY MOCKING AND DEFYING GOD AND WHAT HE HAS ESTABLISHED.

UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE STILL CHOOSE TO RESIST OUR GOVERNING LAWS OF JUSTICE. BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO DO SO, RULERS MUST BEAR THE SWORD.

THIS MEANS THAT OUR GOVERNMENT LEADERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE ELECTED AND GOD-ORDAINED AUTHORITY TO ORDER PUNISHMENT, TO TAKE LIFE, AND TO REPEAL CERTAIN LIBERTIES.

WHETHER IT IS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, MILITARY ACTION OR REVOKING PERSONAL FREEDOMS, GOD ESTABLISHED HUMAN GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE HUMANITY IS SINFUL AND MUST HAVE SOME KIND OF AUTHORITY OVER IT.

SINFULNESS AND HUMAN DEPRAVITY SHOWED US WHAT IT IS CAPABLE OF ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. THIS BARBARIC ACT OF TERRORISM AGAINST THE WORLD HAS LITERALLY PLACED THE SWORD WITHIN THE HANDS OF OUR GOVERNMENT.

THE USE OF THE SWORD HAS BEEN JUSTIFIED, BUT IN WHAT WAY? YES, OUR GOVERNMENT MUST WIELD THE SWORD, BUT ONLY IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE.

AS AUGUSTINE’S JUST WAR THEORY TEACHES, ANY MILITARY ACTION MUST HAVE A REASONABLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS. IN OUR CONTEXT, THAT MEANS BEING FAIRLY CERTAIN AS TO THE IDENTITY OF THE PERPETRATORS. WE CAN’T SIMPLY STRIKE OUT FOR THE SAKE OF "DOING SOMETHING" OR START BOMBING IN A BLIND RAGE.

WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TARGETS ARE MILITARY ONES. CIVILIANS, EVEN THOSE WHO APPLAUD THE TERRORISTS’ ACTIONS, SHOULD NEVER BE TARGETED.

FINALLY, OUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATE. WE MUST RESIST THE URGE TO LASH OUT WITH EVERY WEAPON IN OUR ARSENAL. WE MUST ALSO BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET OUR RESPONSE TO THE HARM WE HAVE SUFFERED LEAD US TO COMMIT AN EVEN GREATER HARM.

EVIL MUST BE PUNISHED SO THAT GOOD CAN FLOURISH AS IT WAS INTENDED. BELIEVING THAT PRAYER CAN MOVE THE HAND OF GOD WE PRAY THAT HIS HAND WILL GUIDE OUR LEADERS TO THE RIGHT SOLUTION NOW THAT TERRORISM HAS REDEFINED OUR APPROACH TOWARDS JUSTICE.

AS A NATION, OUR RESPONSE TO TERRORISM IS TO PROPERLY INTERPRET OUR LAWS AND GOD’S WORD TO RIGHTFULLY DECLARE WAR AND USE AGGRESSION. THE PURPOSE IN DOING SO IS TO PREVENT TYRANNY, MAINTAIN JUSTICE WHILE PROTECTING THOSE WHO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

GOD SET HIS PRINCIPLES GOVERNING WARFARE IN DEUTERONOMY 20. WE ARE TO FIRST OFFER THEM A CHANCE AT PEACE.

IF THEY CHOOSE WAR, THEN AS VERSE 12-13, TELLS US, WE ARE TO USE DEADLY FORCE ONLY UPON THE ENEMY. IN DOING SO, WE MUST ENSURE THAT WOMEN, CHILDREN, LIVESTOCK AND DWELLINGS ARE NOT HARMED.

WHEN OUR GOVERNMENT RULES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE PRINCIPLES WE CAN KNOW FROM VERSE ONE THAT "WHEN [WE] GO OUT TO BATTLE AGAINST [OUR] ENEMY…[WE SHOULD] NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM; FOR THE LORD [OUR] GOD IS WITH [US]."

AS A CHURCH UNIVERSAL, CHRISTIANS SHOULD RESPOND TWO WAYS: REPENTANCE AND OBEDIENCE. OUR REPENTANCE IS GIVEN ACCORDING TO 2 CHRONICLES 7:14. WE ARE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES, SEEK THE FACE OF GOD, CONFESS OUR SINS, AND TURN FROM ALL OUR WICKED WAYS.

UNTIL WE DEAL WITH THE EVIL IN OUR OWN LIVES WE SHOULDN’T EXPECT GOD TO DEAL WITH THE SINS OF OTHERS. WE MUST CLEANSE OURSELVES THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO ALL OF GOD’S ESTABLISHED LAWS.

SECONDLY, THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAWS. ROMANS 12 OUTLINES THE BASIC PATTERN FOR HOW WE SHOULD LIVE OUR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS.