Today I like to share some insight on the New Testament perspective on war!

  II   A New Testament perspective on war
    1. Demonic forces are behind war
War is in the NT presented as something belonging to this present evil age, and we wonder not when we find such a cruel thing as war in a world that has turned away from God and lies in the wicked one. People living in the flesh do not know the way of peace. Jesus prepared the disciples for wars and rumours of wars, as something that would come to pass, but that was not the end. (Matt.24:6)
Only Jesus is our peace, (Ef.2:14) but he is rejected by this world (Joh.1:11 1 Cor.1:23). Therefore nations will rise against nations and kingdom against kingdom (Matt.24:7) Behind war you will find demonic forces (Rev.16:14), that influence the people living in the flesh (Ef.2:2) The nature of war has a connection point in the nature of flesh. (Jas.4:1)

  2. Military service is not explicitely condemned.
NT gives us several examples of God-fearing military persons. (Matt.8:5-13 Acts 10:1-2) When the soldiers asked John: "What shall we do?" He just told them: "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." Soldiers are spoken of in a neutral way, (Matt.27:65 Acts 5:26; 12:4,6,18; 27:31) sometimes they are cruel (John 19:2-3; Luke 23:11,36) and sometimes they protect the Christians (Acts 21:32; 23:10,23). Doing military service is not explicitly condemned in the New Testament, neither is slavery, polygami, being baptised for the dead etc.. This absence of condemnation does not mean that the NT back up these practises.  NT does not encourage Christians to become part of the army and do military service either, but warn them to not use the sword. (Rev.13:10; Matt.26:52)

  3.Christians are to submit to the authority of the state.
NT tells Christians to submit and obey all authority among men and all ordinances of men, whether to the king or to governors who are sent for the punishment of evildoers. (1.Pet.2:13-14) It seems to me that NT never encourages rebellion or violent resistance to any authority no matter how cruel this authority may be. At the same time NT makes it very clear that the Lord has limited the authority of the king etc. to do good for the people, to punish evil-doers and praise those who do good. (Rom.13:1-7) It is strange to discover that the words that Paul wrote to Christians to submit to the cruel Caesar to prevent them from rebellion and revolution, nowadays are used to justify the Christians right to do military service and to kill on behalf of a secular government. (Rome never expected military service from its citizens. There was no compulsory military service, it was seen as an inherited profession.)  As Christians we have to obey God rather than men. Rom.13:1-7 must be understood in accordance with Acts 5:29.

  4. Christians must be prepared to suffer injustice  and harassment
Jesus and the apostles taught Christians not to fight for their own rights, but to go the other mile. We are told to love our enemies, not kill them. We are told to bless our persecutors, not to curse them. We are told to repay no evil for evil. We are told to not avenge ourselves, but leave the vengeance to the Lord. (Rom.12:14,17,19; Matt.5:38-48) The old principle of a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye, does no longer apply in that way. Jesus has introduced a better way, the way of the cross; to say no to oneself and to suffer and not threaten. (1.Pet.2:18-24; 3:13-17)
Jesus told the disciples not to defend him with their sword, because they would be killed by sword. (Matt.26:52) John in seeing the beast that make war and persecute the Christians say the same thing: "He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." (Rev.13:10; 14:12)
  5. War and the Kingdom of God
  A. Jesus rejects the use of force to spread his Kingdom
In the OT the rule of God was related to a special nation, Israel. But in the NT there is no national people of earthly nation at all in question. The Kingdom of God is open to people from all nations that repent and believe. This viewpoint is of great importance for our attitude to war.
The Jewish conception of Messiah and their expectations became more and more political loaded. The jews expected Messiah to be their leader to free them from the Roman yoke and lead them to world-dominion.
Jesus took a strange position. On the one side he admitted that he – Messiah – had arrived, not to bring peace, but sword. He was a cause of war – controversy – among men. But on the other hand he rejected the idea that the Kingdom of God will be established on earth through a Jewish war. The request of the people for a political Messiah, is to him a satanic temptation. (Matt.4:1-11; John 6:15) His kingdom is not of this world, therefore he does not allow his men to fight for him (John 18:11,36). Violence is not to be used to spread his kingdom (Luke 9:51-56), only the sowing of the word (Mark 4:26-29; Luke 8:11) and the influence of the Spirit (John 16:8). His messengers go forth not as warriors, but "as sheep in the midst of wolves" (Matt.10:16), not as heroes of war, but as martyrs (Matt. 24:9; John 16:6)
Jesus rejects the idea of using force or army to spread his rule, and he also states that no one will rule by power or weapon in his kingdom. He says that the kings of the gentiles exercise lordship and authority over their people, and he add with a fine irony that the rulers are called benefactors! "But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him serve all." (Luke 22:25-27)
In this kingdom there is no room for war or struggle for power, – woe to the one who brings in such things! (Jas.4:1-10; 2.Cor.12:20) The Christians preaches reconciliation and live in peace (2.Cor.5:18-20; Ef.2:17; Mark 9:50; 1.Tess.5:13) Jesus is the surety of peace through his death on the cross. (Ef.2:14-16) The world cannot understand this peace, nor can it through persecutions take this peace away from the Christians. (John 14:27; Mark 13:7; Rom.8:35) As the sanctification goes on the Christians will be more and more able to be peacemakers in the world. (1.Tess.5:23; Hebr.12:14; Rom.12:14-19; Jas.3:17-18)

  B. The Kingdom of God will only advance through spiritual warfare
War is still inevitable for the Kingdom of God in this world. The Kingdom will only advance through warfare. In this war carnal weapons are of no use and should not be used by Christians. But God has given spiritual weapons – mighty in God – to his people, in their war that is not according to the flesh (2.Cor.10:3-6; Ef.6:10-20; 1.Tess.5:8) Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, not against men, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. Our spiritual warfare is according to the word:
a. striving against sin Hebr.12:4;
b. war against fleshly lusts 1.Pet.2:11;
c. a great struggle with sufferings Hebr.10:32;
d. the good fight 2.Tim.4:7;
e. the good fight of faith 1.Tim.6:12;
f. contend for the faith Jude 3;
g. strive in your prayers Rom.15:30; Col.4:12.
In this war the Christian should be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, his entire life should be seen as engaged in warfare, and he should not entangle himself with the affairs of this life, in order that he may please his commander. (2.Tim.2:3-4)
The wars of the people of God in OT typify the spiritual war of the new covenant people of God. We can learn a lot today from the accounts of the holy wars of the Lord in OT.

  C. The lord will fight for his people to destroy all enemies
The OT idea of an eschatological war we meet again in NT, especially in Revelation. Compare: a. Isa.34:2-12; 2:10,19,21; 13:9-10 – Rev.6:12-17; b. Isa.11:5 – Rev.16:12; c. 1.King 22:19-23; Joel 3:9;  – Rev.16:13-14; d. Isa.13:19-22; 21:9; Jer.50:39-40; 51:8 – Rev.14:8; 18:2; e. Ezek.39:17-20 – Rev.19:17; f. Ezek.38:2-39:6 – Rev.20:8-9
This eschatological war is demonicly inspired against the Lord. It is therefore not primarily a national war, but an ideological and religious one. It is a war against the Kingdom of God and his people, "war against the saints". This time will be a testing time for the Christian, to be patient and in faith, not to use military force to defend himself. The one that kills with the sword must be killed with sword. But the Lord himself will fight for his people and make war against his enemies and all nations and kingdoms that opposes the Lord will be destroyed. (Rev.19:11-21; 16:14; 2.Tess.1:7-10; 2:8)