Originally posted in 2008, reposted with editing.
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A common question when discussing a born again Christian’s participation in war …
“Regarding war, how do you think from our Christian point of view, what we should have done with Hitler or a Stalin? Are we not allowed to fight evil men and women? Or are we to stand on the sidelines praying?”
A Biblical answer …
The people in the true story at the link below were Baptists. They were about their Father’s business in the midst of Nazi occupied Yugoslavia during WW2. The father/husband was an evangelist who eventually started and pastored a church. His wife was a praying woman, and like her husband, received tangible answers to prayer which ministered to the needs of many. They prayed for friend and foe alike. They never picked up a weapon nor killed anyone. The modern day church has lost it’s way and has apostatized from basic Christian teaching.
We, as Christians, are called out out of the world to be peacemakers and ambassadors for Christ. There is a great conflict of interest between a born again Christian, who is an ambassador for Christ, and the military goals of any nation.
See … OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech youby us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
A thought to ponder… What if in a conflict there are born again believers on opposing sides? Should we be fighting each other either within our own country or in a foreign war? Do we, when we participate in war as born again Christians, put ourselves in a position that it would be possible to kill a brother or sister in Christ?
PEACEMAKERS 
Interesting question, Cathy. “Christendom” erred greatly over the centuries by conflating “faith” with kingdom/nation/citizenship. The result has been born-again Christians killing each other because of their loyalty to and zealousness for kingdom/nation. I’m very aware of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ many doctrinal heterodoxies and I don’t endorse that organization in the slightest, but I believe the course they follow in regards to the state aligns more closely with the Bible than what most American believers follow, whereby faith and politics/nationalism are combined. In this particular case, the cult has outdone the genuine believers. Of course, most American Christians would view that as great blasphemy because they worship at the altar of nationalism.
I’m sure I would enjoy this book. It’s too bad the Amazon third-party sellers maintain an artificially high-price (I write that as an Amazon third-party seller).
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I agree Tom. I know about the JWs. That’s why I’m careful to write the words born again Christian in my posts on this topic. When we would do street evangelism in the past I would at times say that I wasn’t a JW when witnessing. That was because the JW’s were the ones who people always saw evangelizing. That’s pretty sad isn’t it. The book was written in novel format with the names changed but it’s a true story. I read somewhere Conscientious Objection was prevalent in the churches in the past, but that changed I think around WW2. Not exactly sure of the timing, I have to see if I can find it again. Not a popular topic but it needs to be spoken about, especially for the benefit of the next generation. And as you know we all are not anti-government lest anyone misunderstand.
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I would hesitate to mention the JW thing with most Christians, but I knew you would get it. I’m definitely not an anarchist. I pray for government leaders and appreciate the service of law and order personnel, BUT I’m trying to think and act more like sojourner and pilgrim in this temporal world as God’s Word instructs us.
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Well said. I totally agree. We both think the same way over here.
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