The Christian And War: Still More Involved
"Information Wanted: Would someone please give me the scriptures that teach that a Christian should kill those whose political beliefs are different from his. I have three teenage sons, and before I send them to Viet Nam to kill Communists, I want to be sure that it is right."(brother Ralph Edmundson --Gospel Guardian, Aug. 8, 1969)
In the Dec. 4, 1969 GOSPEL, GUARDIAN, brother Kenneth Green responded to this notice "since it appeared in the GOSPEL GUARDIAN and because it is worded in a way that could provoke others to assume false presuppositions." For the same reasons, I want to direct careful attention to brother Green's article. I would encourage a rereading of "There's More Involved" before continuing.
Brother Green's first point deals with who should make the decision to abstain from killing in war — the son or the father. He emphasizes correctly that the choice "is and must be" a personal one. Many Christians, however, equate personal choice with personal opinion.
In other words, many brethren consider the Christian's choice whether or not to kill in war merely a matter of personal opinion — a position not sanctioned by the New Testament. Indeed, the Christian's participation in war is a matter of personal choice in the same sense that a person's obedience to the gospel is a matter of personal choice. A sinner may obey God or disobey Him; he has a choice. One alternative is sanctioned by God, however, while the other is not. The same is true of the Christian's killing in war. I may choose to kill human beings, but my action is not approved by God. The Christian is instructed to teach and make disciples of all nations (Mk. 16:15, 16), render no man evil for evil, show kindness to his enemy, overcome evil with good, and leave vengeance to God (Rom. 12:17-21).
(Brother Green has not declared in so many words that a Christian is authorized by God to kill in war, but the implications of his comments could easily lead a reader to "assume false presuppositions." Hence, my remarks above.)
Brother Green's second point is based on the idea that Communism is "much more than a political party." Declaring that the scripture authorizing the killing of people with differing political views would result in dead Democrats, brother Green proceeds to reveal the religious overtones and evils of Communism. After digesting this section, the reader is left with the distinct impression that to kill members of a purely political party (e. g., the Democratic Party) is wrong, but that to kill supporters of a system which is "much more than a political party" (e. g., one which includes anti-Biblical principles, such as Communism) is acceptable. The point is this, however: the New Testament nowhere authorizes the Christian's killing in war, regardless of the foe.
As we consider brother Green's inference above, we must also notice his third point. He reasons that the issue is not "Should I kill, or resist, or take offensive action against a second party." Instead, he injects a third party — "What if the second party is attacking or otherwise molesting a third party?" Thus the issue becomes not whether a Christian may kill, but when a Christian may kill. With reasoning reminiscent of "situation ethics" logic (what is wrong in one circumstance may be right in another), brother Green concludes that there are times when a Christian may kill and still please God. His argument here seems to center on "protection" and the idea that protecting necessarily includes killing. He asks, "Would the Christian have a right (or an obligation?) to protect his home and homeland from the international threat of Communism?" And so his argument reverts to his second point: Communism is more than a political party; it espouses false religious principles and vows to force them on others; and therefore the Christian may kill to protect this country and others from the threat.
But the issue, as stated by brother Edmundson and diverted by brother Green, still is this: Does the Christian have the scriptural authority to kill someone whose political beliefs differ from his? The issue is not whether Communism is entirely political, or whether it threatens this country. If it were, then we could kill, to protect ourselves from the threat of Catholicism, which is also a political-religious mixture, and we would find ourselves fighting physical wars for spiritual reasons. (The Christian's battle is a spiritual one — 2 Cor. 10:4.) The issue is not whether we may protect ourselves from intruders, but whether we may kill them under the name of "protection."
In reality, brother Green still hasn't produced the scripture which authorizes the Christian's killing a human brother in war. "False presuppositions" abound toward this vital subject, which has been generally ignored by Christians. Let us study the Word further in order to avoid them.
— 6627 Hollis Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75227