What Does The Bible Say About War?: Romans Series #20
What is the Christian position concerning war? Where are we going to get the answers? Are we going to get the answer from the pacifists, who believe there should be no war whatsoever? Are we going to get the answer from a conscientious objector? Conscientious he or she may be, but he or she refuses to go to war.
Are we going to get the answers from those whose hearts ache when they think of the pain of sending a son, a daughter, into harm’s way? Or are we going to get the answer from those who want war, the warmongers, those who think in a twisted way that perhaps they will somehow profit from a war? Where will we get the answer?
We’re not going to get it from the doves who refuse war. We’re not going to discover the answer from the hawks who desire war. We’re not going to learn the answer from the owls who philosophize about war. We’re not going to get the answer from the sparrows who are afraid of war. We will get our answer from the Word of God.
I. We Need to Realize the Pain of War
In Romans 13:3 we read, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou, then, not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.”
There is a terrifying aspect to war. No one should love war, desire war, or glorify war. The only person who would do that is either insane or evil. A Christian, by nature, is a peacemaker. The Bible exhorts us to pray for peace, to seek peace, to pursue peace, and to hope for peace. Our Savior said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
However, there are those who declare that war is always wrong. They would like to bring us to unilateral disarmament, have us destroy all of our arms. Yet, this approach would increase, rather than decrease, the threat of war. These people don’t understand the depravity of human hearts.
Where do wars come from? James 4:1–2, explains “From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
People who know how to fight rather than how to pray, people who have inordinate, unsatisfied desires, who lust after what belongs to other people. These are the reasons for war. All war originates in the evil hearts of men.
People, by nature, are depraved. Men and women, by nature, are rebellious. Men, by nature, are proud and selfish. And therefore, war is an unpleasant task. While it is foolish and wicked to glorify war, it is also foolish to ignore the wickedness in human hearts. War comes because we live in a world that is plagued with wicked people.
II. We Need to Remember the Persistence of War
War has been with us, and will be with us, till the end of time.
In Romans 13:3, we read, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.” We have evil with us always, and mankind is not getting better but becoming worse. Our Commander and Chief, Prophet and King, the Lord Jesus Christ, said that wars will be with us to the end of the age.
There are some leaders who talk about a war to end all wars, but there will be no war to end all wars until the battle of Armageddon.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:6–7, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”
2 Timothy 3:13, says, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” We will be disappointed if we think somehow we’re going to bring in, usher in utopia.
If you think the United Nations is going to bring peace to this world, you are gravely mistaken. Education is not the answer. The more we learn, the deeper we sink. Our politicians are not nearly as smart as our bombs.
III. We Need to Reflect on the Perplexities of War
In Romans 13:1–2 we read, “Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.” Now when he says “higher powers” here, he’s referring to governmental authorities. “For there is no power [that is, no authority] but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”
Is it ever right for a nation to go to war?
We need to understand that human government is ordained of God. It is not correct to conclude that the government is from God based upon whether it is a good one or not a good one. All government is ordained of God.
In Daniel 2:21, we read, “He changeth the times and seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings.” It is God who removed kings. It is God who puts kings in their place.
The ancient ruler of Babylon was King Nebuchanezzar. How did King Nebuchadnezzar get to be the king? By the divine will. In Daniel 2:37–38, Prophet Daniel, by divine inspiration, said to King Nebuchadnezzar:
“Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.”
Pharaoh was a wicked king, but God made him a king. In Romans 9:17 we read, “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.” God raised him up to judge him.
Does God approve of these kings? Absolutely not. Pilate, who adjudicated Jesus worthy of crucifixion and allowed what buttered his bread to determine his conduct, at least tried to wash his hands of the crucifixion of Jesus and allowed it to take place. Yet, Pilate’s power and authority came from God.
We may not be able to understand it, but Jesus did. In John 19:11 we read, “Jesus answered, Thou could not have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”
Now put this in your heart and in your mind—human government, whether it be good or bad, is from God. Whether it comes as a judgment upon people or a blessing to people, God gives us the kind of government that we deserve.
All government is from God. Sometimes government must act for God in bearing the sword and taking human life. A sword is an instrument of death. In Romans 13:4 we read, “For he [the magistrate] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
Sometimes a government acts for God. The magistrate is a minister of God. The sword is the tool of God. All killing is not murder. The Bible says in Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt not kill.” God does not allow personal vengeance or retaliation, even if somebody has done you wrong. However, God does allow you to defend yourself and your family and your home, even if someone’s life is taken while you are defending your property and your loved ones.
In Exodus 22:2–3, we read, “If a thief be found breaking up [that is, breaking into your house, or forced entry] and be smitten that he die [that is, if he’s killed while he’s breaking into your house], there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him [that is, if it’s nighttime and you don’t know what’s about to happen and he’s killed while breaking into your house, God holds you innocent. But if it’s in the daylight and you understand, and his life can be spared, there shall be blood shed for him]; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft [he’ll be put into the debtor’s prison].”
If you’re at home, at night, with your family, your wife, and your babies, and someone comes breaking into your house, you have the right to defend them. Now all murder is killing, but all killing is not murder. God has ordained human government to bear the sword for Him.
The Bible teaches capital punishment. I know we have some people today who think that it’s unchristian to believe in capital punishment. In Genesis 9:6 we read, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
In Romans 13:4 we read about the governmental authority bears the sword. In Exodus 21:12 we read, “He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.” Now that’s a command of God. The God who gives life has the right to take life.
Well, how does He do it? Through ordained government. The ordained government is the minister of God to execute wrath. Somebody may say, “This is cruel.” It is not cruel. The coddling of the murderer is cruelty to the community. We must not believe we are wiser than God or more merciful than Him.
God is a righteous God and God is a holy God. Did you know that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered capital punishment? He died on the cross at the hands of God. It pleased the Lord to bruise Him because He took the sinner’s place and He took the capital punishment that I deserve and that you deserve.
Therefore, if a government is ordained of God, and the government must bear the sword, then it follows as night follows day that the government must sometimes go to war. Pacifism is not always more noble than war.
Is it wrong to oppose cruelty? Is it wrong to oppose tyranny? Is it wrong to oppose aggression? Is it wrong to oppose inhumanity? Was it wrong to stand up against Adolf Hitler? Was it wrong to stop Saddam Hussien? Was it wrong to kill Osama bin Laden? Was it wrong to kill Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
Think about it. Hitler slaughtered millions. Hussien gouged out the eyes of thousands and allowed and encouraged the rape of innocent women, the looting, the pillage, and the poisoning by gas of his own people. Bin Laden developed biological warfare of horrific proportions. Khamenei was endeavoring to create an atomic bomb that he might use in his self-aggrandizement.
Is it wrong for a nation to stand against national wickedness? Then if that is wrong for a nation to do it, correspondingly, it would be wrong at any level. If you were walking down the street and saw some bully boys picking on a two-year-old child, kicking that child, abusing that child, would you step in, or would you walk on by and let the child be abused? If someone broke into your house to rape your wife or to abuse your children, would you walk away? Would you be a pacifist, or would you rise up to defend your family? Would you want to live in a city without a police force?
If you don’t believe in war, you don’t believe in a police force, because a police force is but a small army. They are there to restrain evil, and you would not want to live in a city without it. War is not the anthesis of love. Sometimes it is an expression of love.
IV. We Need to Rely on the Principles of War
In Romans 13:3, we read, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.”
Now how can rulers be a terror to evil? I want to share some principles of just war.
First, the cause of war must be just. It must be for defensive or protective reasons; never for self-aggrandizement or imperialism.
Second, the contemplation of war must be noble. What is the intention? Peace, freedom, and safety. It cannot be for selfish or greedy reasons, or even for revenge.
Third, there should be the control of war and be the last resort after all other methods of regress have been reasonably exhausted. There comes a time when war is the last resort.
Fourth, there should be the constraint of war through limited objectives. Deliverance, freedom, specific targets; not total devastation.
Fifth, there should be the confine of war through limited means. John MacArthur said this: “Our use of force must be limited to our objectives. It would not be honorable to wipe out a civilian population to put down an evil ruler, or to use weapons that inflict wanton death and devastation when conventional and tactical weapons would accomplish the needed goal.” Just because we have the power to devastate does not mean that we will devastate.
You may ask, “Are we not supposed to love our enemies?” Indeed, we are to love our enemies. We are to love our enemies, but doing what is right and coming against an aggressor is not antithetical to love. A judge who sits on the bench to rule over a courtroom to mete our sentence, does that judge have to be unloving to do that?
Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” Do you see it? Your first desire is not war; it is peace. “If it be possible. . . . ” What is the inference?
In Romans 12:19 we read, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. . . . ” You are never to take revenge. You are never to appoint yourself as a vigilante. “ . . . avenge not yourselves but, rather, give place unto wrath for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
God says, “You leave that to Me. I’ll take care of it.” “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20–21).
At this point some people will say, “The Bible teaches pacifists.” Paul at this point is talking about individuals. This is talking about one individual dealing with another individual. God is saying that you are not to take revenge; leave it to God. Yet, how is God going to do it? In Romans 13:1–4 we read,
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: and the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For [listen] he [the magistrate] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, an revenger to execute wrath.”
In Romans 12:19, God said, “Revenge is mine, I will repay.” How is God going to do it? God does it through human government.
Now that brings up other questions: Should we always obey our government? What if we have a wicked, ungodly government? What if our government commands us to do something contrary to the Word of God? Should we always obey the government? The answer is emphatically no, we should not always obey. When the command of the government contradicts a command of Almighty God, then we must always obey God.
In Acts 5:29 we read, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” The government has divine authority that can only be resisted by divine authority, and the law of God always takes precedence over the law of the state. However, to oppose the state without the authority of God is a sin. Only when the state forbids what God commands, or commands what God forbids, should we say then we’re going to obey God rather than man and take the consequences.
What should we do as Christians?
First, we should pray and work for peace. We read in 1 Timothy 2:1–3: “I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”
Second, we must keep our nation strong. The Scripture here speaks of the sword. What good is a magistrate without a sword? A law without penalty is only advice. We need to keep the sword sharp. “Peace through Strength.”
Third, refuse to trust in armaments or in the power of war. We read in Psalm 20:7, “Some trust in chariots, some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
Fourth, never rejoice at the downfall of a foe. We read in Proverbs 24:17–18, “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.”
Fifth, remember that it is our duty to endeavor to bring our nation to righteousness and peace through Jesus Christ. Proverbs 14:34 reminds us, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Sixth, we need to do all that we can do in these desperate days to bring souls—men, women, boys, and girls—to faith in Jesus Christ. This world is coming to an untimely end. The wisest things that we can do in these days is to introduce people to Jesus Christ and to build faith into our children.
Seventh, we need to pray for God’s Kingdom to come, as our Lord taught us to pray: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). There is coming a time, a blessed time, when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as waters that cover the sea. There is coming a time when the meek will inherit the earth. There is coming a time when men will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. There is coming a time when the lion and the lamb will lie down together.
One of these days, our Lord is going to issue a summons from heaven and call His nationals home and then prepare for war, the battle of Armageddon. Our Lord is going to bring peace to this earth.
In 1 Timothy 6:15, speaking of Jesus, we read, “Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords.”
Eighth, we should give honor to, and pray for, our national leaders. In 1 Peter 2:17, we are instructed, “Honor the king.” Even though we do not have a king in America, we are to pray for our president. This man is our leader and we’re to pray for our leaders and those who surround him.
The greatest war that is taking place is a war for the souls of men and women. And this war is not external but internal. Do you know what sin is? Sin is rebellion against heaven’s King. Sin is a clenched fist in the face of God. The sinner is at war with God, and it’s a war he/she will never possibly win on his or her own.
The Bible says of the Lord Jesus Christ, that Christ made peace through the blood of His cross, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Do you have peace with God? In these days, when life is so fragile and history is so ominous, the best thing, the wisest thing you could do would be to give your heart to Jesus Christ, and no matter what happens, you will have the peace of God that passes understanding in your heart.
Back To Blog
