Post 6 - How Christians Should Think About War
Exploring Just War, Traditional Pacifism, and the Call to Active Nonviolence
On Saturday, the United States officially entered into armed conflict with Iran. Within hours, headlines spread, debates erupted, and tensions escalated. For many Christians, the news felt like a punch in the gut—not just because of fear or politics, but because it raises one of the hardest questions of our faith:
How should we think about war as followers of Jesus?
This post isn’t about taking a political stance. It’s about helping everyday Christians think theologically and live missionally in a world where violence too often feels like the only language people speak.
If you’re a lay leader in your church—a teacher, coach, parent, volunteer—you are already on mission. And in this moment, that mission includes showing the world what it looks like to be people of peace in a time of war.
War in the Bible: A Complicated Story
The Bible doesn’t avoid violence. From Genesis to Revelation, war is part of the story. God is called a “warrior” (Exodus 15:3), and Israel is commanded to fight in their journey toward the Promised Land.
But alongside these stories are deep tensions:
- Israel is warned not to trust in military strength (Psalm 20:7).
- Prophets envision a future without war (Isaiah 2:4).
- God grieves violence and longs for mercy (Ezekiel 33:11).
Then Jesus arrives—and everything shifts.
He tells His followers to love their enemies, not destroy them. He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war horse. He rebukes His disciples for reaching for the sword. And He wins the ultimate battle—against sin, evil, and death—not by shedding others’ blood, but by offering His own.
In Jesus, we see the clearest picture of who God is—and what God desires.
Three Christian Responses to War
Over the centuries, Christians have developed different ways of understanding war and peace. Here are three major approaches:
1. Traditional Pacifism: The Path of Non-Resistance
Traditional pacifists believe that war is incompatible with the teachings of Jesus. This view, rooted in the Sermon on the Mount, holds that Christians are called to refuse violence—even at personal cost.
This tradition:
- Was the default stance of the early church.
- Is upheld by historic peace churches (Mennonites, Quakers, Brethren).
- Emphasizes suffering love and moral witness.
Pacifists reject violence not out of weakness, but out of deep obedience to the one who prayed for His enemies and died for His executioners.
2. Just War: The Path of Moral Restraint
The Just War tradition doesn’t celebrate war—it tries to limit it.
Originally developed by church fathers like Augustine and Aquinas, it teaches that war may be justified only under specific conditions.
Criteria for a Just War (Before War Begins):
- A just cause (such as defending the innocent).
- Declared by legitimate authority.
- Last resort after peaceful options are exhausted.
- Reasonable chance of success.
- The expected good must outweigh the harm.
Guidelines for Conducting War:
- Protect civilians.
- Use proportional force.
- Treat prisoners and the wounded with dignity.
Many Christians have followed this model to navigate complex geopolitical realities. But modern warfare often stretches—or outright violates—its moral boundaries.
3. Active Nonviolence: The Way of Jesus and the Prophets
Active nonviolence shares pacifism’s refusal to kill, but emphasizes direct engagement with injustice.
This approach is not passive withdrawal. It’s courageous, creative resistance—modeled by:
- Jesus flipping tables in the temple.
- The prophets confronting corrupt kings.
- The early church defying empire through worship and witness.
- Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Desmond Tutu, who resisted injustice through nonviolent action.
Active nonviolence refuses to mimic the world’s violence but refuses also to be silent in the face of evil.
But What About the Old Testament?
The conquest of Canaan—where God commands the destruction of entire cities—remains one of the hardest parts of the Bible.
Some key insights to consider:
- The ancient world was violent. The language in Joshua reflects the military rhetoric of the time.
- Judgment, not race or conquest, is the stated reason. God’s patience with the Canaanites lasted centuries (Genesis 15:16).
- These stories are time-bound and non-repeatable. They are not permission slips for holy war.
- We interpret all Scripture through Jesus. And Jesus shows us a God who chooses mercy over destruction.
We don’t gloss over these passages—but we let the story move us toward Christ, the Lamb who was slain.
Living Sent in a Time of War
So what do we do—now that our nation is at war again?
Here are five ways you can Live Sent as a peacemaker:
Pray Prophetically
Pray not only for “our side” but for civilians, leaders, soldiers, and peacemakers on all sides. Pray for justice, mercy, and restraint.
Speak Courageously
Refuse to dehumanize. Resist propaganda. Speak the truth with love. Call out injustice wherever it appears.
Give Sacrificially
Support ministries working in war zones—serving refugees, caring for the wounded, and pursuing reconciliation.
Live Differently
Reject cycles of revenge in your everyday life. Forgive quickly. Speak gently. Model peace in your home, work, and church.
Disciple Missionally
Teach the next generation that following Jesus means more than being polite. It means living as peacemakers in a world addicted to violence.
What This War Reveals
This new war with Iran reminds us: the world still believes in the myth of redemptive violence—that evil can be conquered by greater force.
But the Gospel tells a better story.
Jesus didn’t destroy His enemies. He forgave them.
He didn’t wield a sword. He carried a cross.
He didn’t build an empire. He launched a Kingdom without walls, borders, or bombs.
Let this war be a wake-up call—not to retreat, not to rage, but to live sent.
Let us be people of peace in a world of war—bearing witness to the Prince of Peace, until swords become plowshares and nations learn war no more.