Question:

Should a Christian go to war and kill others?

One of the young men suggested that it would not be right to go to war just to kill, but it would be all right to go to war to defend one’s country.  One of the leaders asked if there were Scriptures that could help to answer the question.  Someone quoted, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).  Therefore we are to be subject to the government as well as to God.  Does the Bible ever tell us to disobey Caesar?  Yes, if the word of Caesar is in conflict with the Word of God: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

What about Israel’s war of conquest under Joshua?  In the Old Testament God’s people were a nation with a specific national territory and national government and therefore had to engage in earthly warfare (which they did at God’s direct command) in order to obtain and maintain their national territory and identity.  In the current era, the day of grace, God’s people are being called out of all nations to form a body (Ephesians 2:11-22; Colossians 3:11).  They do not have a national territory, but heavenly blessings (Philippians 3:20).  Therefore, their warfare is spiritual rather than physical (2 Corinthians 10:3,4; Ephesians 6:11,12).

God had at least three purposes in the Old Testament wars: (1) To make it possible for the children of Israel to regain the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his descendants; (2) to keep Israel from intermingling with the pagan Canaanites so the Israelites could remain pure; and (3) to cleanse the land of idolaters.  Israel was used to execute God’s judgment on the wicked Canaanites.  Matthew 5:38-48 indicates that it may have been right to resist evil and hate one’s enemies in Old Testament times (see Psalm 139:21,22); but now we are to love our enemies and pray for them.  As Christians, we are not executors of God’s judgment but messengers of His grace and forgiveness.

Can we honestly pray for the welfare and salvation of our enemies while shooting at them?  Should we enlist in the Armed Forces and put ourselves in the position of possibly having to kill people?  Romans 13:1-6 shows us that there is a difference between the functions of government and the responsibilities of individuals.

One of the leaders commented that none of those addressing the questions were trying to lay down rules for others.