Journal 2024
I don’t get war. It’s cruel, and people suffer and die. Women have often claimed that if we ruled the world, we’d sit down over a cup of tea and work things out verbally. None of this physical violence, thank you!
In the book of I Samuel, David raids towns, kills everyone, and takes the bounty. In today’s society, we’d call that aggression, and we’d retaliate. Why did God build into man’s heart the desire to fight? I understand the decimation of evil (e.g. The Great Flood, Hitler’s regime), but God allows evil men to go to war as well.
I found some helpful thoughts on GospelCoalition.org.
“On the one hand, war is evil. But on the other, war, or at least some wars, can produce some degree of good by establishing peace, maintaining justice, and protecting the lives of innocent people.”
The Review of War: Four Christian Views, edited by Clouse
- Herman A. Hoyt – Nonresistance
“Though the use of force and going to war may be legitimate for government, it is wrong for Christians.” He argues that the “Age of Grace is qualitatively distinct from the dispensation of law in which Israel lived and fought.”
“… responsible to obey their government but only when it promotes God’s will.”
Non-combatant service is okay.
- Myron S Augsburger – Christian Pacifism (nonresistance)
“Peace is much more than the absence of war.”
“Only love can counteract the evil violence in the world.”
- Arthur Holmes – The Just War Theory
“Christians are obligated to fight in those wars which are just … love does not supersede the law of justice … justice tempered by love … love … goes the extra mile but also demands the protection of the innocent … moreover, not all evil can be avoided. Every action, no matter how pure the intentions, has some evil results … the just war theory insists that the only just cause for going to war is a defence against aggression.”
“If all parties adhere to this rule, then nobody would ever be an aggressor, and no war would ever occur.”
The Just War Theory reconciles the belief that taking life is wrong with the state’s duty to protect its people … violence is only permissible when it’s a lesser evil than the other options.
- Harold O.J. Brown – The Crusade or Preventative War
“Eager participation in war efforts which attempt to prevent or correct outrageous injustices.”
“If self-defence is justifiable, … then under some circumstances a preemptive strike must also be justifiable.”
All these theories are well and good, but how do they line up with David’s raids? God commanded Israel to wipe out the Canaanites. I Samuel 28:18 hints at the why. He said to Saul: “Since you did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalakites the Lord has done this to you today.” God was angry with the pagan, godless, Satan-worshiping nations, and He wanted Israel to cleanse the land.
What about Israel defending their land today? Or the view from the Palestinians’ side? Or the USA joining the fight against terrorism?
How do YOU justify war?
