So, is Iraq a just war?

By John Stallings

What is a just war & what does the Bible say about war? Christians have struggled with this for centuries. I realize that reasonable people can look at the same event & see something different, but what does the Bible really say about war?

Certainly we know that God is & has always been a God of peace. The universe was created to be in complete & total peace. But the Bible isn’t silent on the subject of war which we’ll see.

The apostle Paul said in Romans12:18----If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Is there ever a time when we must draw our weapons & fight? Yes! Just as there are many references to peace in the Bible there are many references to war. The trouble with some pacifists is that they say they look to Jesus as their example but they ignore the whole council of God.

• Generally speaking, a just war permits a preemptive strike when imminent danger looms.

Let’s look at an example. If you awoke one morning & looked over toward your neighbor’s back yard & saw that he was mounting a large cannon & it was aimed right at your kitchen, what would you think? Let’s say that by the next day you observed the cannon was being encased in concrete so that it wouldn’t swivel, it would be in a fixed position & that position was aimed right at your house. What would you think then?

Now let’s say you visited with your neighbor & learned that the cannon was a working gun & when you pointed out that it was in a hardened position aimed right at you, he agreed that it was, & offered no other explanation, what would you then do?

In such a scenario, the only thing you could logically do would be to accept the fact that your neighbor was planning to wipe you & your family out & you’d have to decide if you wanted to just let it happen or take action to have that gun removed no matter what the cost. If you went to the authorities & they said there wasn’t enough proof that your neighbor was planning to do you harm, & they couldn’t be of help to you, now what would you do? You would either plan to die or take preemptive action.

• Next, generally speaking, a just war would be to remove a tyrant from power whose history proves him to be guilty of on-going war crimes.

Obviously Saddam Hussein who killed thousands of his own people was a threat to the world, was removed from leadership, tried & punished by his own people. This was as it should have been. Over the past few years we’ve killed or incarcerated thousands of terrorists. It’s a heartbreak that so many American lives have been lost but when you take in to account the avowed militant purposes of these radicals, it would seem its either us or them.

• Lastly, a just war allows a nation to act unilaterally for the defense of its citizenry.

Two questions require an answer; is war ever ordained by God & how does God feel about war?

Revelation 19:11-16 says,-- And I saw heaven opened & behold a white horse, & he that sat upon him was called faithful & true, & in righteousness he doth judge & make war.
Ex.15:2-3 says, The LORD is my strength & song, & he is become my salvation; He is my God, & I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God, & I will exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is His name.Moses, Joshua & many of the Judges were strengthened by God for war. Read Hebrews 11:32-34.

God gives us council to be wise in war. Proverbs 20:18, --Every purpose is established by council: and with good advice make war. In the Hebrew language there are two different words for murder & war, so they are seen totally different by God.


Does the sixth commandment say”--Thou shalt not kill?” No! It says: “Thou shalt not commit murder.”

Justice is a joy to the godly but it causes dismay among evil doers. God isn’t only a God of peace; He is also a God of justice.

John Stewart Mills said, -“A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares about more than his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free.”

WHEN IS WAR JUSTIFIED?

1. A time for war is when freedom is to be defended.

Throughout the book of Judges, God calls the Israelites to go to war against the Midianites & Philistines. Why? Because these nations were trying to conquer Israel. They were called to defend themselves.

The birth of our nation involved war. The freedoms our ancestors deeply felt was theirs didn’t happen without a war.

2. A time for war is when innocent people need to be defended.

Micah 6:8 says—He hath shown thee O man what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy & to walk humbly with thy God.Solomon gave this advice in Proverbs 21:15; --It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

3. A time for war is to stop the spread of evil.

Here is a reason for the Iraqi war; after we were attacked on September 11, 2001, President Bush & all of America declared war on all terrorists everywhere. There must be laws to stop those who are evil. God gave us the Ten Commandments & every good law ever written is rooted in these commandments.


WHEN WILL THE WORLD HAVE PEACE?

Will we ever have permanent peace? Isaiah 2:4 paints a beautiful picture of the peace we look forward to. The Lord will settle all international disputes permanently.

When the time is right Jesus will come again. Then all war will end. What should we do in the mean time?

1. Pray—1 Tim.2:1-2 says---I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men. And for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all Godliness & honesty.

2. Trust God—Psalm 27:1-3---The Lord is my light & my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me in this will I be confident.
3. Seek peace—Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. Rom. 12:18—NLT


4. Support each other-Galatians 6:2—Bear ye one another’s burdens & so fulfill the law of Christ.During these times we need to pull together & support one another & especially our military personnel. Their families also need our support.

Gore, Kennedy, Kerry, Clinton & a lot more who could be named should be ashamed of their rhetoric.

John