The consuming political battle in our nation today centers around the war in Iraq. We are in that war but there is little agreement on whether we should get out or surge ahead.
General George Patton, a military leader in World War II, is quoted as saying “I love war…” He said war brings out the true spirit of a nation, and issues that need to be addressed receive their deserved attention. To say the least, Patton’s words and actions were often considered atypical, outside the mainstream.
Does God approve of war? Is this current war one for which God has granted His approval?
A brief search of the Bible finds the word “war” mentioned over 200 times. God authorized some of those wars. Shortly after Israel crossed the waters of the Red Sea on departure from Egypt and on their way to Canaan, the people sang a song, recorded in Exodus 15:1-18. Included are these words:
“I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.”
Yes, there have been times when God was a “man of war,” and Israel fought their battles with God by their side (See Exodus 17:8-16). And, secular governments are said to “bear not the sword in vain…a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil,” Romans 13:4.
It has long been accepted that some wars may be justified while others are not. Such decisions must be made by individuals who are authorized to do so, and their decisions will likely meet considerable disagreement.
Christians living in today’s tempestuous world are often caught up in the arguments, and the answers are also not easy to discover. There are, however, some guidelines for us to consider and to respect when the discussion opens.
While we will be called upon to fight many battles with Satan and his emissaries, we are told that our battles are not “carnal.”
“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds,” 2 Corinthians 10:4.
No, our battles do not take place on carnal fields of conflict. Nor are our weapons those that kill and destroy. Our offensive weapon is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17.
We do not wage our battles with guns or knives or bombs. We do not seek to harm or maim but to convert our opponent. We seek to bring true meaning into their lives along with the lovely, splendid eternal promises and blessings of Christ.
Perhaps the best known of David’s exploits is the occasion when he did battle with the giant Philistine, Goliath. God’s people were virtually held captive by the army of the Philistines, and no one was willing to do battle with their champion. Much of David’s success in the eyes of his people came from that battle and his valor. However, even in that victory there arose strife among the victors. King Saul of Israel, in his jealousy toward David, sought to take his life. Military conflict often eventuates in actions that harm instead of help.
When the army of the Lord goes into battle today, wielding the “sword of the Spirit,” our victory is in the best interests of the very persons with whom we have waged battle. Their souls, formerly being the “servants of sin,” Romans 6:16-18, having heard the “words of eternal life”, John 6:68, instead of having no hope, and being “without God in the world,” Ephesians 2:12, now possess the “hope of eternal life,” Titus 1:2. God’s victory does not result in defeat for the convert, but it is the only victory that is worth the battle.
Is the battle that claims today’s headlines worth the lives of those who die in that war? Perhaps time will tell. I wonder if we can bring men to the point that they will wage war against Satan. It is a war that is not only worth waging but a war that must be waged by all of us. It is the battle against Satan and his cronies, 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, and we are the ones who must do it. If not, his victims will suffer an eternity of torment, Luke 16:28.
