7/6/13- The Church and War

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. (Luke 22:36). 

2. It is lawful for Christians to hold public office when called to it. In such office they ought

 especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each 

commonwealth. For that purpose they may now, under the new testament, lawfully wage 

war upon just and necessary occasion.


Thoughts:  Christians especially seek to be non-violent following the example of their 

Lord, who though He could have sent myriads of angels to rescue Him from His captors 

and from this injustice, He did not.  Christians fail worse when they use the sword to force 

their way, and the basic principle should be to use force as the last resort.   Some, who 

point out the devastating effects of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) , point out that 

waiting for the last resort could be devastating.  However, hopefully we can learn a lesson 

from the first Persian Gulf War that fear of WMD may cause us to think that they are there 

when they are not.  More caution is needed before a peremptory strike is called for. 

For those who say that violence should never be used, the question might be put- if 

someone were to break into your house and threaten to shoot your children should you sit 

on your hands and just let them?  The usual answer is no.  The same may be true when 

someone is trying to burn a church with the people inside. 

Four crtieria for determining a just war are often used;

1) Is the threat real and devastating?

2) Have all peaceful and diplomatic means of ending the threat been exhausted?

3) Is there serious prospect of success in fighting against the threat? 

4) Eliminating the threat must not do greater damage than the threat itself. 


The church should be careful at encouraging offensive violence, lest the church become 

simply a tool of the state (as Hitler tried to use the church).  The balance is that we are 

to trust God even if our own safety is threatened, but to use force as only the last possible 

resort- never for selfish ends, or simply the means to an economic end. 


Prayer:  Give us the wisdom of Solomon about force, Lord.  Grant us physical as well as 

spiritual peace.