Just War - Freedom and Love
Do you want to kill others for your freedom?
Do you like to kill in order to have the dignity for making self-centred decisions?
Do you want to justify your love for your ideals by killing/murdering others, even those you do not know at all?
Advocate: The Bible does depict wars of Israel against other people. The God of the Bible did command Israel to exterminate other race/people. Therefore holy war can be justified and is reasonable.
D: The wars commanded by God in the Bible were not originated by Israel. The decision to go to war was not made by any leader of God.
Israel was ordered to execute judgment of God in exact manner as told. There was no human rationale in such action.
Holy War is reasonable and can be justified as the wrath of God.
However, Holy War requires Divine intervention.
None of the wars of the advocates including the Crusade, the persecution of non-believers, the World Wars, the Gulf War, the Korean War...can be shown as following direct Divine order.
All such wars were devised and decided by men. (Jn 10v1, Jn 14v15)
There is the Legend of the Apostle Thomas, who loved the people of God so much that he sold himself to become a slave [ thus given up his personal freedom and belongings], in order to be carried to India (Roman territory) to preach the Gospel of Christ to the people far off (people he hardly knew before his journey), so that they might believe and come to know the saving grace of Christ.
Today, we can find the church originated by Thomas in India.
The Apostle freely, voluntarily gave up his freedom for the love of Christ. And you want to war and kill people for the love of Christ and for your own freedom? (Jn 13vv34-5)
The Apostle gave up his human dignity, to be a slave for the sake of Christ, so that others may be freed from sin. And you want to kill people in order that they may not come to the knowledge of the saving grace of God, but to die for your personal/human dignity? So that your sons and daughters will not be enslaved by others?
D: You think the saving power of God is so limited that He can not set you free from your enemies, while He can set your soul free from sin and grant you everlasting lives? (Jn 10v28)
D: Thomas is not the only example. Peter also loved Christ so much as to endure imprisonment (Acts 5v18,12vv1-4), even crucifixion. And Paul boasted of imprisonment ( 2Cor 11vv23-28) (preached even from the prisons and in front of judges) and accepted execution. (Jn 10v15)
Did he advocate war?
He did when he did not know the love of Christ deep enough. (Matt 26v52, Jn 18vv10-1)
Advocate: Christ did ask His disciples to have swords. Therefore Christians should prepare for war, and be able to stand firm for their position. (Luke 22v36)
Read Matt 26 v52 :
Then Jesus said to him (Peter), "Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
Does this appear to be a command for arming to war?
Do you want to perish by the sword?
Also, the term (machaira) for sword here refers to a ceremonial short sword used by eating the last supper.
Is the last supper linked to arming and the killing of other races/people?
Advocate: It is easy to talk of sacrifice, but we can not demand our people to sacrifice their freedom and dignity with/for us.
Our enemies will not be kind to us when they overcome us.
D: Is the hand of God too short to work salvation for His people?
D: Is our hope (to be with Christ in Heaven for ever more) an Earthly one?
D: Did God decree in the Bible that we should think this way, or that we should even use all possible forces to preserve our freedom and dignity on Earth?
Were Israel not set free by Pharaoh and Babylon to leave for their own kingdom and culture/civilization? Is the providence of Jehovah to be doubted?
No one forced you (except yourselves) to make Christian decision for non-Christians, or for evil doers. You chose to be in political positions to follow the orders of those who love war and hate God.
Advocate: If we do not defend ourselves we will be destroyed, both our children and our selves.
D: To obey God is better than sacrifice. Jehovah provides. (Matt10vv29-31, Luke 12vv6-7)
Historically, there are the Ana-baptists, such as the Mennonites, who followed scriptures and do not raise even a fist against their enemies and persecutors. They fled persecution/execution from country to country. (Matt5v3-12 The sermon of the Mount)
After centuries, they have not come to extinction, but are increasing in numbers, and gaining respect from the government of the countries they are residing. (Matt5v16)
There is indeed the Mennonite culture, not crushed or brainwashed by the persecutors. They survived alright. (Matt5v14) Still a peacful people; whereas you are still a wicked people. (Matt5vv19-20)
Proverbs 16 v 6:
By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,
And by the fear/reverence of the Lord ( Je ) one keeps away from evil.
This scripture teaches us that iniquity needs to be atoned for, rather than fought for.
And out of lovingkindness and truth, the elect overcome iniquity.
Lovingkindness carries the meaning of kindness and mercy; that the people of God should forgive those who wrong us.
To fear the Almighty God with obedience is the God-designed tool (rather than weapon) the chosen ones may keep evil away. Prov 8v13 - this fear is to hate evil; to the extend that christians actively seek to keep evil away, and stay away from what is wrong (as declared in the Word of God).
Proverbs 16 v 7:
When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord (Yhwh, Almighty God),
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Just any man; if his ways are according to the goodness required by God, he will be blessed on earth, right in this life.
The very peace people long for may be granted by the maker of peace, God Himself when people obey His will; when they fear Him; when they do good even to those who persecute them; when they love their enemies.
God even controls their enemies and restrain conceivable harm, and release desirable goodness. God makes; rather than man-made. Out of the control of the selfish ones; those who do not want to give all glory to God.
Victory, safety and peace are all governed and distributed by God. Nothing escaped His attention. If God is for us, who can be against us?
By being with God, doing His will and fearing Him, the sons of God are more than conquerors. They are life example/standard of goodness and peace. Displaying the kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
This is not some abstract, unattainable concept and model. This is real everlasting happiness when you subject yourselves to the sovereignty of God who is the definition of Good.
God is good. And good as accepted by some (godless ideals/bodies) is not God. Staying away and apart from goodness, one participates in evil. More than some action yet to take place, evil is already around us, surrounding the camp of the elect.
Have faith, be still, and see the salvation of God.
Advocate: If we abstain from fighting for our countries, we will be branded traitors.
D: How about being branded traitors of the Kingdom of God if you do not live up to the commandments of God? So, it is alright to murder in the name of protecting your country? More shameful being a traitor of your country than being a traitor of Christ?
The Ana-baptists who fled their countries also had earthly citizenship, and yet their countries branded them traitors to human ideals, patriotism, and persecuted them for religious cleansing. They lived for God first. They did not choose to live for ideals of earthly kingdoms prior to living up to their calling to be sons of the living God.
What profits a man if he gains (even) the whole World ( including patriotism and land ) and loses his life (soul)? ( Mk 8vv36, 37 )
Vengeance belongs to God, He will repay. ( Isa 59v18, Isa 65v6, Jer 51v56, Rom 12v19, Matt 10v28 )
The war is fought by God rather than by men. Do you believe the Almighty would act on your behalf for what He knows to be the best for you? Do you not want to trust in His Providence? ( Matt 22v37, Mk 12v30 )
Advocate: Invaders and murderers deserved death. We are Divinely chosen to judge them.
Did Christ not teach "MERCY"?
In the death of Apostle Stephen (Acts7) he did not fight back with curses and forces; but (Acts 7v60) falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice to the Lord his God not to hold this sin against those who were killing him.
This is an act by a follower of Christ, not a super-human god.
He followed the example of Christ that on the cross before He died He prayed to the Father for the forgiveness of those who caused His death/crucifixion. ( Luke 23v34 )
Advocate: Such is the act of super-human/supermen. We are common people. We are just human. We can not do that. But judging people and resisting invasion is something very human, something we can do.
We a called to follow Christ, not to follow what is very human.
How would the judges who do not (and can not) follow the example set by Christ represent Christ in judgment?
Not good enough - saying one thing and doing another. Do you not think this is what hypocrites and worldly people are made of? Yet we are called to be holy/set apart, to be like Christ. For to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Christ is depicted as the Prince of Peace; not Prince of War (Warrior Prince).
Because He (Christ) lives, I am face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know, He (Jesus) holds the future; therefore life is worth the living.
[ amended from Maranatha Music ARR UBP ICS CCLI # 063314 Copyright 1974 ]
Perfect LOVE casts out fear. ( 1John 4v18 )
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