Today is Veterans Day. That’s the case at least for my American readers. And thus it’s a good time to ask the question “What does the Bible say about war and the military?”
This blog normally publishes three posts per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — with Wednesday being a non-fiction book review and Friday being “Fiction Friday” (when we review novels, movies, and most recently, a play). However, for today, I felt it was important to break from the norm and focus on this topic – one certainly appropriate for Veterans Day.
What Does the Bible Say About Killing in the Military?
In the Old Testament, God ordered the Israelites to wage war against several tribal nations, mainly in the land of Canaan. Even after Israel had established itself within the “Promised Land,” wars continued, from the period of the judges (Samson, Gideon, etc.) through the kings (Saul, David, Hezekiah, etc.).
Some Christians argue that this was the Old Testament reality, and that Jesus swept all that aside, when he ushered in peace and non-violence.
The problem with this view is that sin was not wiped away by Jesus. The price of sin was paid for on the cross (see John 3, Romans 10, Ephesians 2, etc.), but sin itself persists in this present world.
And James writes that wars come from sin, particularly greed and lust (James 4:1). War is a reality in a sinful world.
The apostle Paul acknowledges this, when he tells the church in Rome that the civil authority “does not bear the sword in vain,” but “is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:4, NKJV).
It is, of course, true that many civil rulers do not “execute wrath” against “evil,” but are instead themselves purveyors of evil. Paul wasn’t writing that all rulers are good. Rather, he was laying out the purpose of government.
It is the purpose of government to restrain evil and protect the innocent. This is seen again in his letter to Timothy, where he urges his young protege to “pray for those in authority,” so that “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” (I Timothy 2:1-2, KJV)
In order for government to provide a “quiet and peaceable life” (I Timothy 2, KJV) for its people and to “execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13, NKJV), the government must “bear the sword” (Romans 13, KJV). The “sword” represents power, specifically the power to take life. This therefore applies to both capital punishment and war.
The Just War Theory
The government’s biblical authority to take life is not absolute. When Paul lays out the purpose of government in Romans 13, he clearly couches its mandate in the context of promoting good and punishing evil.
This premise is, in part, what inspired Augustine (A.D. 354-430) and Thomas Aquinas (A.D. 1225-1274) to develop the so-called “Just War Theory.”
The “Just War Theory” holds that wars are necessary under certain conditions, but that certain moral guidelines should be observed, among them:
- War must be waged only for a just cause.
- Peaceful means of settling the conflict should first be pursued.
- The war must not target innocent civilians.
- The war should not cause greater evil than that which it is trying to eliminate.
- The war must be waged by a legitimate (or structurally accountable) authority.
There are many variations of the Just War Theory, and this article is only providing a bare overview of its concepts. The main concept behind it is simple: The government’s authority to wage war (and thus take life) is not absolute but rather hinges on its adhering to certain moral, God-ordained principles of justice.
“A Time for War and a Time for Peace”
War and violence are never presented as good things in the Bible, even when God orchestrates or mandates such actions. They are, however, presented as necessary at times.
So long as sin is present in the world, war and violence will also remain.
Jesus himself warned that “there will be wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6, NKJV) as human history, in this age, draws to a close.
There should be no expectation that humanity can, on its own accord and strength, abolish all war. We may as well wait and hope for humanity to abolish all sin. It’s not going to happen.
Should we do our part? Absolutely.
But we must keep our expectations in check. And we must keep our focus where it needs to be.
Only God is capable of changing hearts.
Only the Prince of Peace can bring about ultimate peace.
As to whether you should serve in the military and/or in what capacity, that is a question you must prayerfully ask of God. It is He who gives us our calling, and it is He who will provide wisdom specific to our situation (James 1:5).
Be aware, however, that war is a reality this side of eternity because sin is a reality this side of eternity. And the price of living in a secure nation-state is being willing to “render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21). That means you must be willing, at least to some extent, to support the nation-state in which God has called you to live.
As for war itself, it’s never a good thing. And we should “seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14b), but the main way we do this is by calling those around us to a relationship with the Prince of Peace.
The job of the follower of Jesus isn’t to campaign against war per se, but rather to be “salt and light” (Matthew 5:13, KJV) in spreading peace and justice (and ultimately the Gospel of Christ) throughout the world.
