There are many instances of war in the Bible, such as in the Old Testament telling stories of David and his battles against the Philistines. The Israelites were depicted as God's army in the Old Testament, and as long as their wars were just and they were right with God, they were victorious. But one of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:13 (NIV) specifically states that the Christian is not to murder. It is important to understand that the commandment is against murder which is a pre-meditated act. Murder is different from the act of killing in wars, but many Christians are still uneasy about their participation in these conflicts. So, what should the Christian do when called to serve in a modern day war? In our modern times, there are several wars happening simultaneously, and the decisions by our leaders to go to war are out of our control. Let's look at a few of the viewpoints among Christians concerning wars.
Wars are result of the fall of mankind. Unfortunately, when Adam and Eve sinned, they brought the curse upon all mankind (Genesis chapter 3 and Romans 5:12 NIV). The Bible passage in James 4:1-3 (NIV) tells Christians the underlying provocation of war and other quarrels: coveting what others have. Think about some of the wars in history that were initiated because of hatred for a particular race, in the name of God for selfish reasons, to grab land, and to bring terror in order to further political causes. Even the return of Jesus Christ will result in the final war, known as the Battle of Armageddon, where Satan tries one last time to defeat God's Kingdom. The bottom line is that wars are provoked by Satan, and it is because of his hatred of God's creation (1 Peter 5:8 NIV).
Wars are a sign for Christians of God's plan to establish His Kingdom on this earth. Jesus tells his followers in Matthew 24:4-8 (NIV) that before His return to establish His kingdom, there will be many actual and rumored wars. Jesus also tells His audience in Luke 21:8-9 (NIV) that in the latter days there will be wars and revolutions, but that Christians should not be alarmed because it must happen prior to His return. Later in Luke 21:28, Jesus tells them that when you see these wars, along with other troubled signs, raise your heads up because you are about to be redeemed.
A viewpoint among Christians concerning war is that we are to be subject to the government. The Bible says in Romans 13:1-2 (NIV) that Christians are to be submissive to the governments that rule over them. If our governments command us to serve, then it would be a poor Christian testimony if we didn't. Of course, in the United States, the military system is voluntary; but there may come a day when young men and women will be called to serve. In the Bible, authority is described as a force against evil works.
Should Christians follow a corrupt government? Everyone knows that there are corrupt governments that are very skillful in hiding their deceit. But Christians should take what the Bible says and initially give their government the benefit of the doubt. However, military Christians must serve honorably and follow the standards of conduct, established by the Geneva Convention, as well as the moral principles specified in the Bible. Christians should not be involved in murdering innocent civilians or abusing prisoners of war at the command of his or her first-line leaders. When governments cross the line of morality, the Christian must first obey God. This is what the Apostle Paul did in the Bible passage found in Acts 5:25-30.
