R A N D O M   R A N T S WAR AND PEACE War is the way of the world. Jesus is the way of peace. God at times in the Old Testament waged war, but only God can wage righteous war. Human beings, whether they are kings, generals, presidents or revolutionists, cannot wage righteous war unless commanded by God like the Hebrews were in the Old Testament. We cannot just claim that God is on our "side" of a war, as many in history have done. In the Old Testament, God does not allow David to build his temple because he had been a warrior. Instead, God gives that task to Solomon, who lived in peace his entire reign. Thus, we get a hint from this that God prefers people to live in peace, rather than engage in war. The Bible is a gradual revelation of God and by the time of the prophets, we find phrases like the following: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." -- Isaiah 2:4 By this we know it is God's will that humanity lives in peace. The Old Testament law says "an eye for an eye"; this was under God's covenant of law. But Jesus says, "love your enemies" and "turn the other cheek". After the birth Jesus, God's messengers sang, ". . .on earth peace, goodwill to the people." Followers of Jesus now live under God's covenant of grace. The Old and New Testaments should perhaps be called The Old Covenant and The New Covenant. The old covenant is extended to the Hebrews who, if not believing in Jesus, remain under the law. While the new covenant is extended to all who call on the name of Jesus, asking for forgiveness and salvation from our sins. As Paul teaches several times, followers of Jesus are not under the law (Romans 6:14, Galatians 5:18, Colossians 2:14). Thus under God's new covenant, a covenant of grace, "we are not under the law, but under grace." The new covenant is not "eye-for-an-eye" but rather, "love your enemies" and "turn the other cheek", a covenant of extreme pacifism. Jesus tells Peter to put his sword away. This in itself would only apply to Peter. But Jesus adds in the same sentence, "for all who take the sword will perish by the sword." Thus, "all" applies to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. -- Matthew 26:52 After this command by Jesus, there is no record of a single follower of Jesus in the New Testament ever resorting to war or other violence, even though they were severely persecuted beyond what most people ever are. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, many of the early followers of Jesus who were soldiers, after calling on Jesus to forgive and save them, refused to fight. In the New Testament, at least until a future war in Armageddon, we find the following: "Those who kill with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints." -- Revelation 13:10 And when Jesus says, "everyone who has an ear, let them hear", as he does in Revelation 13, what follows is of particular importance. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." -- Ephesians 6:12 In Luke 22:36, Jesus says: "But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." But Jesus adds in verse 38 that two swords are "enough" for a group of twelve people. Here Jesus cautiously allows for self-defense; what group of twelve soldiers ever go to war with only two swords? Many use this as an excuse to justify war, while ignoring the rest of what Jesus says quoted above. But the New Testament must be taken in context to be accurate in one's conclusion. Self-defense is about protecting one's physical being. War is about the protection and taking of property; including land, jewels, art, gold and other forms of wealth. There is a clear difference and long always has been. Those who claim to be followers of Jesus are not here to engage in war, other violence or otherwise cause trouble, suffering, sorrow, pain and death. Rather, as Jesus and the New Testament authors clearly teach, we are here on this earth to spread love, joy, peace and goodwill towards all people. Of the early followers of Jesus, the New Testament says, Jesus "went about doing good" and likewise, so should we -- Acts 10:38 Click Here to Go Back to Contents Click Here to eMail the Author Copyright © by Richard Aberdeen.  Copyright © by Freedom Tracks Records. No part of this material may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including printing, photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher and signed by the author. For inquiries, please contact Freedom Tracks Records.  The essays entitled Revolution and Revolution ~ Side B are open copyright and may be reproduced and distributed as desired.