This is a sermon I did on Veterans day 2007...it is in the midst of the ongoing war on Terror and in Iraq.  Our country is struggling with what to do and many Christians are asking what is a biblical view of war.  This sermon is inspired to answer the question is war ever right?  The title of the sermon is "A Time for Everything even War"

SERMON - A Time for Everything 

 
Below are the main points written out:

Ultimately, as Christians we want to live and promote peace.  The only solution to war is that every nation practically apply God’s ways to their lives and national policies.  The Gospel is the cure for all sin.  However, we must be ever mindful that we live in a fallen world.  Mankind is sinful by nature.  Sin has tainted all of life.  Therefore, war is a result of the fallen state of mankind. 

HISTORICAL DEBATE:

1. Early Church History:  1-3 century…we see no records of Christians serving in the military.  It seems that a more pacificist view was favored…but the Christians lived in a totally pagan empire where the government was not promoting God’s ways.  Therefore, they did not participate in the military or government.
2. 4-5^th Century:  The Roman Empire becomes Christianized.  We have the rise of Constantine.  The church father – Augustine promotes the JUST WAR THEORY.  This theory promotes rules of warfare for a Christian.  It states that WE FIGHT TO SECURE JUSTICE AND REESTABLISH PEACE.
3. Crusades – Midevil:  Knights bring the glorification of the fighting man and the crusades begin.  It got out of control.  The acceptance of violence in God’s name became part of a Christian’s life.
4. Renaissance/Reformation:  15-16^th Century – Different positions were taken.  The battle between pacifism, Just War or Glorification of War was under debate.  The movement was to promote Christ’s Kingdom not by force, but by love and kindness.  Moved us to the position that the church is to promote Christ’s Kingdom and let the Government take care of the fighting.
5. Modern World:  There has been a movement to have forces that will work toward peace.  Despite these efforts we have seen many wars.  WWI, WWII, and many others. Even to today with the war of Terror.  The idea today is that we train for war to keep the peace and deter war, but we will bring peace through war if necessary.  Although in light of the war in Iraq there is a shift by culture, not the church, to be pacifist.

BIBLICAL DEBATE:

1. Old Testament:

• O.T. God in the Bible commissioned His people to have an Army to carry out His justice and judgment upon other nations.

2.  New Testament.

• N.T. we see that being a soldier is an honorable duty.  (Matt. 8:5, Luke 3:14, Acts 10:1-6, 34-35).
• There is no hint in the Scriptures to suggest that military duty was not a legitimate calling for a believer or follower of Christ.
• Hebrews 11:32 – 34, “And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
• These where warriors being honored in the Heroes of Faith of the Bible.

3.  Christian Life:  Christian life is often compared to being a soldier or uses the analogy of warfare.  God knows that we understand that there are times we must fight.  He uses the physical example of warfare or being a soldier to give illustrations to the life of a Christian in the spiritual aspect of life.

• Ephesians 6:11-17 - Armor of God…we are at war constantly.
• 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ To please the recruiter, no one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of everyday life.

JESUS DEBATE:

Some say Jesus was a pacificist...so was He?

1. In my opinion Christ never presented a position of pacifism or non-resistence at all costs.  Yes, Christ did submit to the cruelty of the cross.  Yes, Christ did allow Himself to be taken captive.  But only when the time was right.  The way of the cross was the will of the Father to redeem humanity.  So Christ submitted to the will of the Father, not to pacifism.

2. What about TURN THE OTHER CHEEK?  Doesn’t this mean we are to not fight back?  No.  It does not mean we can never defend ourselves or stand up against evil or protect others from harm.  It is more about when people insult you we are not to retaliate.  To be slapped in the face was like someone spitting in your face today.  Jesus is saying when they do this, do not retaliate.  Take the insult as a blessing and turn the other.  But he is not saying allow suffering, abuse, tyranny, or evil to go unchecked or unquestioned.  He is not telling us to sit back idol watching evil prevail.

3. What about “Put your sword back in place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword. Matt 26:52 (HCSB)  Jesus is saying that His Kingdom is not won by the Sword.  It is a matter of soul-winning to the Kingdom of God, not and issue of self-defense.  The duties of government and its citizens are to protect society.  Kingdom of earth will battle…there will be evil empires, their will be dictators and tyrants.  There will be times for just war to promote the goodness of society.  But God’s Kingdom can not be achieved this way.  We are obligated by God to protect society.  It is a moral obligation.  Peace should be our focus and peaceful measures need to be used up to the point that force becomes necessary is being the aggressor.  In the case of self-defense protecting and not allowing evil or unjust acts to harm others demands swift response.

4.  Jesus never tried to convert a soldier from their line of work.  In fact He demonstrates genuine respect toward them.  Matt 8:5-13  and Luke 3:14.

Some soldiers also questioned him: “What should we do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or false accusation; be satisfied with your wages.”

Luke 3:14 (HCSB)

In other words…do your duty and do it well.  It is an honorable thing.

5.  Illustrations that Jesus used do not support Him being a pacifist nor do they call us to be one either:

My kingdom is not of this world,” said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom does not have its origin here.”

John 18:36 (HCSB)

Clearly, Jesus is making a statement that His Kingdom is different than this worlds…but He is not condemning earthly Kingdoms nor is He denying the right to bear arms, have an Army, or denying self-defense and so forth.

6.  Jesus also said in numerous occasions that wars will be around through out all of history.  Matthew 24:5-7; 25:31; Mark 13:7-8.

7.  Jesus also spoke of the honor that self-defense brings…

“ No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:13 (HCSB)

Self defense can lead to and result in the greatest expression of love.  That we lay down our lives for the good of another.  We are to defend others – in doing so we are expressing love and the ultimate act of love is to lay down ones life for another.

(NEXT SLIDEJ

So there is a time for everything…even war.

War may seem contrary to the nature of God…and clearly God prefers peace, but His Word clearly demonstrates that sometimes war becomes necessary.  God’s purposes can be found even in time of war.   

God does not deprive law-abiding citizens the right to self-defense…he does not want a lawless society where chaos rules and evil prevails.  If we allow evil to prevail or chaos to rule the land then we have not honored God and allowed unrighteousness, not righteousness to guide our lives.  God has given us government that when structured correctly promotes His purposes.  Every nation has the right to have an Army for self-defense and national security.  Every community has the right to have police and law enforcers that are there to protect the good of society even by lethal force if necessary.

I believe we will always struggle with the issue of war if we have a Christ-centered conscience:  Why?  Because we hold life sacred.  Therefore, war should be a way to combat INJUSTICE and to REESTABLISH PEACE.  We have this moral obligation to society, family, ourselves and even unto God. 

Truly there is a time for everything…time for birth & death…time for peace and war!!!