Ever really wondered what your position was on the issue of war? Ever really wondered what your position was on the issue of war? Below is a great extract describing the issue of a Christian's involvement in war - taken from Ethics And The Christian by RC Sproul. The issue of a Christian's involvement in war is an extension of the more primary question of capital punishment. In a certain sense war is capital punishment on a grand scale. It involves the civil magistrate's widespread use of power of the sword. Basically, there have been three foundational positions which have been taken regarding war in past Christian history: - Activism
- Pacifism
- Selectivism
Activism is a simplistic approach to war which views all wars as been permissible. It reflects the position that the subjects of the state are to give absolute obedience to the civil magistrate regardless of the situation. It reflects the simple cliché "My country, right or wrong." This is basically an uncritical approach which has little to do with the biblical ethic. Pacifism, on the other hand, says that all wars are wrong and all people's involvement in war is wrong. The pacifist view would restrict Christians from participating in any kind of war. The third variety is called selectivism, which maintains that involvement in some wars may be justifiable. It is with the context of selectivism that the basis for the just war theory has emerged in Christian history. A sophisticated argument by pacifists who are Christians is based on the ethical mandates Christ gave His people, whereby He prohibited the Christian from the use of retaliatory violence and uttered a clear prohibition against building His kingdom with the sword. The pacifist transfers these prohibitions from the sphere of the church to the sphere of the government. Here not only is the private citizen or the ecclesiastical authority forbidden the use of the sword but the state is prohibited as well. Some divide the question by admitting the the state has the power of the sword, but Christians are not to participate in the state's function. The question that is raised immediately is "On what grounds would a Christian refuse to obey a civil magistrate who calls the Christian to do something that is within the scope of righteousness?" If God commands the state to bear the sword and the state conscripts the Christian to help him with that task, on what moral grounds could the Christian possibly refuse to comply? (See Romans 13:1-7 / Below) The Swiss theologian Emil Brunner has remarked, "To deny on ethical grounds the elementary right of the state to defend itself by war simply means to deny the existence of the state itself. Pacifism of the absolutist variety is practical anarchy." Helmut Thielicke has added to his judgment that pacifism is a moral cop-out. He draws a parallel between pacifism and a situation where the Christian is a witness to murder and stands by and allows it to happen without interference. Thielicke argues that it is not only our responsibility to minister to a man who has been mutilated by robbers, such as the man going down to Jericho, but we are to love our neighbor by preventing the crime as well. Selectivism proceeds from the fundamental premise that all wars are wrong but that not everyone's involvement in a war is wrong. the particular circumstances and situations must be evaluated on each occasion to discern which side, if either, has a righteous cause to defend. The victim of a clear-cut act of aggression would have the right of self-defense to the selective view. Romans 13:1-7: Submission to the Authorities (NIV)
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
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