The Church and War

Church and War: Why the church must not be pacifist

(Romans 13:1-5) “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”

Paul is addressing our relationship as a Christian to our country. He is not addressing our relationship to the world, as he does in other places in the Bible. We must have a right view of our country before we can determine our relationship to it, its enactments, laws and what the Bible has to say about its nature and function. Guided by denominations, national characters and celebrities will certainly create confusion (especially listening to Sheryl Crow). Paul states that it is God who has ordained ‘government’ or the ‘powers that be’ to maintain law and order. But Paul is not saying that God has ordained a particular form of government or a specific person to hold office. This is where the British are wrong in saying God has anointed the person who sits on the throne of England. In a sarcastic manner, Bill O’Reilly and Shawn Hannity refer to our current President as the ‘anointed one.’ There are two extreme views.

Firstly, the traditional view: the Christian believes they should maintain the status quo as the Christian faith is always on the side of privilege. This dates back to 350AD where the Roman Emperor Constantine decided to take the Empire of Rome into the Christian church. Since then the church has been friends with presidents, kings, emperors, prime ministers, princes and other nobilities (not forgetting celebrities). Biblical interpretation is seen to endorse an aristocratic and hierarchical view of society and government. This means that we are urged to be content with our lot in life. Our station in life is our duty and we should not seek to change it. An extreme example would be racial prejudice. Because of a different culture, the state someone was born the place they were raised and educated, or skin color, places that person in a position of subservience. This is disgraceful and often misuses the Bible to state their case. (Deut 29:11) “…your children and your wives, and the aliens living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water.” This view states that it is wrong to change their station in life. 19th century hymn writer C.F. Alexander was wrong in her view yet her songs were sung in churches across the country. ‘The rich man in his castle, the poor man at his gate, God made them high or lowly, and ordered their state.’ If you believe God has ordained a rich man in a castle and poor man at the gate you cannot preach the Gospel of transformation. This cannot mean what Paul was saying.

Secondly, anarchy: this is the idea of democracy run wild. This is liberty with no law and order. Scripture does not support this view but tells us we are to be subject to the ‘governing powers’ that are responsible for maintaining law and order. The Christian is to be a good citizen even the best citizens, not because of the ‘powers that be’, but because of Christianity. (Romans 13:5) “…it is necessary to submit to the authorities…” The motive is because this is right for the Christian. For the non-Christian the motive is the threat of punishment. Therefore this citizen will get as near to the line as possible just short of being caught. This person is governed by fear. It is fear that makes them subject to the law. This is the difference in motive. Paul tells us the motive of the Christian is not fear. (Romans 13:5) “…because of conscience.” The Christian understands the reason for law and order because he knows what sin is and what it can do. This is why the Christian should be on the side of law and order and those who maintain it. The Christian sees the need for legislation because God has provided and ordained ‘government.’ Again, not a type of government or particular person in office but the principle of government. This is what is meant by ‘conscience.’ But there is a limit where this (submitting to God-ordained government) is not true.

Firstly, between you and God: when the ‘powers that be’ come between you and your relationship with God. Peter and John are an excellent example of this when they were arrested for preaching the Gospel and healing by the gate called Beautiful in Jerusalem. (Acts 4:18) “Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Peter and John carried on preaching and healing in Jesus name, regardless of what the ‘powers that be’ had told them to do. (Acts 5:28) “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.” How does this blatant refusal to submit to government connect with Paul’s direction to submit? (Romans 13:1) “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities…” The ‘powers that be’ or ‘government’ that is ordained by God are supposed to carry out his will. In Paul’s day the Roman Empire not only looked to the emperor as the governor and leader but they defied him and worshipped him saying ‘Caesar is Lord!’ The Christian knows that Jesus is Lord and must not say that of any man. (Can you remember the election of our current President and the statements made by citizens? Apparently ‘he himself’ was the answer to our countries challenges. I am not criticizing our President but pointing to our culture). When the Christian did not say ‘Caesar is Lord’ they were literally put to death. From 67AD for five years Nero used the most atrocious barbarities against Christianity. The British group called ‘Open Door’ state that there are 100 million Christians in the world today persecuted like Peter and John by the ‘powers that be.’ Therefore we are subject to the ‘powers that be’ until they come between you and your relationship with God. During the time of Protestant Reformation and the Puritans, frequent prohibitions were placed on Christianity but ‘conscience’ gave them liberty.

Secondly, your liberty of conscience: this must never be interpreted as ‘I am going to do what I think is right.’ This leads to anarchy, as previously mentioned, which cannot be right. Usually when a man states that he is going to obey his conscience, he is usually not a believer in liberty but license. This is the difference between law and order and lawlessness. (Romans 14:7) “For none of us lives to himself alone…” We are intended to live in community as image bearers of God. So at a certain point we have to enact according to the majority of people in the country though we may not see things as they do. I am not referring to our relationship with God or freedom to worship. What I am referring to is the city or county resolving a property line dispute (or something like that). To enact like Peter and John as a matter of conscience on something debatable or questionable is not the point. This is an abuse of what Paul is stating. This is why John Calvin and Martin Luther reacted to the Anabaptists who took the Protestant Reformation to considerable disrepute. There are many things that the individual does not like about his country but he is a Christian and a good citizen therefore has little struggle (Romans 13:1) “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities…”

Thirdly, the claim of protection: protection of the ‘powers that be’ not from them. There are some who think that the hallmark of Christianity is to deny this. Paul and Silas were dragged into the marketplace to face the magistrates. After they were unlawfully beaten and put in stocks both were thrown into jail. The next day the magistrates ordered their release because they had abused their tribunal powers. (Acts 16:37) “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” When they realized Paul was a Roman citizen they came running. Roman citizenship was not a trivial matter. On another occasion Paul asserts his citizenship (Acts 25:11) “I appeal to Caesar!” As a citizen he had the right to do this and come under the protection of the ‘powers that be.’ George Whitefield and John Wesley preached in the 18th century but they were hounded by certain people who roused a mob to break up their meetings. Wesley and Whitefield knew that these angry people were breaking the law and appealed to the Countess of Huntington who moved in government circles. They were citizens. Good citizens claiming protection of the ‘powers that be’ is what Paul is saying.

Fourthly, the question of what we ‘glory’ in: but we are not to glory in the ‘powers that be.’ We must not glory in government or any form of it. It is right to support one political party over another but to glory in it as the singular characteristic that defines them is questionable. For instance, we hear that someone in government has given their life to Jesus. We rejoice in that but not as someone who will redeem his country. We rejoice because a singular soul that has been redeemed. Democracy is the form of government in our country but we are not to glory in democracy. We are to be interested in the ‘powers that be’ we are to vote intelligently, we are to be informed and as citizens have a forum to disagree, debate and come to a resolution. But we are not to be excited by the ‘powers that be.’ This was the fallacy of the French Revolution of 1789. People went mad crying ‘liberty’ ‘equality’ and ‘fraternity.’ It was going to solve everything and put the world right. But it never has done or will do. An act of government will never put the world right. Only the reconciling power of God through Jesus can do that.

Finally, our relationship with each other: whatever your view of the ‘powers that be’ it should never affect your relationship with other Christians. It is right to have a different opinion but not to be against each other. Our relationship to our country must be as Paul states but this is temporary. (Philippians 3:20) “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” We are strangers, pilgrims, sojourners. This is the great difference between the Christian and non-Christian. We do not set our affection on this world. We have an eye to heaven. We love our country, respect it, honor it, subject to it by observing its laws, we must be the best of citizens but we are not thrilled and excited by it.

After the Civil War Memorial Day became an annual remembrance. Our country is at war. How do we reconcile all that has been said with Memorial Day? (Romans 13:4) “…he does not bear the sword for nothing.” ‘He’ refers to the ‘powers that be.’ It is the ultimate emblem of authority. This means that it has the power to take life, and this power is granted by God. Men used to be put to death for trivial matters like stealing a loaf of bread. But our laws refer to murder. The argument against this is that we should do what Jesus said and turn the other cheek. But we must not legislate the Sermon on the Mount. This was directed to the individual not the country. The individual is to turn the other cheek but the country is never asked to do that. Paul tells us that ‘the country does not bear the sword for nothing.’ How did the country come to bear the sword? Paul tells us that God gave it to the country and the country should be mindful that it represents God. Therefore, we can say confidently that the sword is the army, navy, air force, marines, coast guard, navy seals and National Guard. The branches of the sword come under the rule and laws of the ‘powers that be.’ (Romans 13:4) “For he is God’s servant to do you good.” The country has not taken the sword from God but has been given it by God. God is the giver of life. It is the greatest gift. He is the author of it. He is the sole author. God alone has the right to take a life. This illustrates the enormity of murder. This is why murder is a unique crime. To take a man’s car will get you a fine and time in jail. But his life is his greatest possession. God has given it and God can take it away, and God has given our country that sword. To take a man’s life is not vindictive. The punishment of the sword is not ‘you took a life now we will take yours’ but to vindicate God’s lordship over a country. It tells other countries that if a line is crossed (in what is right in God’s eyes) our country will bring the sword (the armed forces) against you.