180. War, Should Christians Go To
180. War, Should Christians Go To
180 SHOULD CHRISTIANS GO TO WAR?
INTRODUCTION A neglected subject. Christians ought to know it then they will know how to act.
I. MEANING OF THE QUESTION 1. Not whether some wars are right .
2. Not how many of the 290 wars in the world’s history were just.
3. But should Christians become soldiers?
4. Should they fight, destroy , and kill?
5. May a Christian go to war?
6. SHOULD one go to war.
II. THE ISSUE 1. Not what Moses, Joshua or David did.
2. Not what God sanctioned or commanded them.
3. Not whether some wicked nations have been justly punished and good ones prospered by war.
4. But does Christ permit Christians to go to war?
5. Does he bind his followers to take human life?
Ill. THE LOGICAL POSITION 1. We sustain the strictly negative one.
2. We do not affirm that Christrians should not go to war 3. Those who go to war or encourage others to go have the burden of proof.
4. We deny that anyone can as a Christian .
5. The negative shows that proof of the affirmative does not prove the proposition.
IV. SOURCE OF PROOF 1. Not the laws of human government.
2. Not the need for man-power.
3. Not the righteousness of the cau se of war.
4. The Bible, especially the New Testament.
5. The Christian accepts no other evidence .
6. The New Testament reveals the spirit and teachings of Christianity.
V. NO AFFIRMATIVE PROOF IN THE BIBLE 1. Affirmative should find clear , positive command if a Christian should go to war .
2. Or find definite statement if one may go to war; no one has done this.
3. Some of their arguments (a) The centurion who came to Jesus. (Matthew 8:10.) (b) Christ paid taxes to Roman government which supported war. (Matthew 17:24.) (c) Christ commanded apostles to buy swords. (Luke 22:36 .) (d) Cornelius a Roman soldier not condemned. (Acts 10:1.) (e) War an act of the State and God commanded us to "obey the powers that be." (Romans 13:1-3.) (f) Wars of the Old Testament.
VI. WAR CONTRARY TO SPIRIT AND TEACHING OF CHRIST
1. What is war?
(a) lf it is ever right to hate, then l hate war. (b) The science by which men are trained to kill their fellows. (c) "Infantry Drill Regulations " read: "The most successful soldier is the one who kills and disables the greatest number of opponents." (d) "World War l" cost ten million lives and twenty million disabled. · (e) There are now nine million orphans and widows as a result of "World War I. " (1) Therefore, I HATE WAR!
2. What is th e nature of Christianity?
(a) Must kn ow war and Christianity, so see they are opposed to each other. (b) Its peaceful nature prophesied. (Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 60:18.) (c) It is the will of God for war to be abolished . (d) Christianity the means of doing it. (e) If church allows war, what will extirpate it.
3. What is th e teaching of Christianity?
(a) The examples of Christian-resistence. (b) Scriptures: John 18:35-36; Romans 12:19; 1 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:15;
Colossians 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:11; Titus 3:2 .
VII. THE PRACTlCE OF CHRISTlANS 1. Christ healed the only wound that his apostles made with the sword. (Luke 22:51.) 2. Do good for evil. (Romans 12:21.) 3. Pray for their enemies. (Matthew 5:44.) 4. Do good to them that persecute .
5. God holds men responsible as individuals, not as armies or nations.
6. The Golden Rule.