Why I Am Not a Pacifist<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Dr. Randy White
On this Memorial Day, America pauses--ever so briefly--to remember its war heroes.  The peaceful and quiet observance of this day is indicative of the things that our war dead gave their lives for:  peace and calm, family and faith, and enough prosperity to take a day off work, close the office, and enjoy the things we most enjoy.  Few nations on earth have the kind of peace and prosperity that enable them to take a work-day and use it for relaxation.  For this, we are grateful.  Men and women shed blood to make this happen.  It is appropriate to remember!
A growing number in America, however, are increasingly uncomfortable with remembering the war dead.  Alarmingly, many of this number are young evangelicals in the ministry.  Whether they come from the Young,  Restless,  and Reformed movement or the Red Letter Christian, many of these evangelicals are decidedly pacifist in sentiment (and, sadly, they are often more socialist than capitalist, more green than conservationist, and more "Kingdom now" than "Kingdom then.") 
I am not a pacifist.  Some of my previous articles, like the one on Bin  Laden's  Death, or on Jesus and the Nazi (which is the most popular article on my website), consistently are the st points point for email penned by pacifist with a less-than-appreciative tone.  Today, I want to give a few Biblical reasons why I am not a pacifist.

Genesis 9:6 gives the instruction that a man who shed men's blood was to be killed.  This was a new revelation from God (thus beginning a new dispensation), and would, in time, require the formation of governments as the authorized agent of the sword.  In Romans 13:4, we are clearly told that governments do not "wield the sword" for nothing, God has authorized governments to mete the punishment of evildoers. While most governments grow beyond their God-given role (and for this, there can be civil disobedience at times), one of these roles is that of armies and, at times, warfare.

Most of us know the account of Abram and his meeting with Melchizedek, who blessed Abram with a blessing from God.  Abram responded by giving a tenth of his possessions to this "King of Salem" who was a type of Christ Himself.  We know the story, but do we know the context?  We also know the account of God's promise to Abram that he would have a son, who would be the down payment of the earlier promise of a nation (the son, Isaac, was also a type of Christ).  When God appeared to Abram to declare the promise of a Son, the record tells us that, "After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, 'Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great'" (Genesis 15:1).  This takes place immediately after the Melchizedek incident, giving both the same context, which very few people know!  Note that Abram is given a reward, which is something given as a response to an action previously taken.  That action is the context of both accounts.  Notice also that Abram was given the reward "after these things" which confirms that the action previously taken is the context for the reward.  So, both Melchizedek's blessing and God's promise came in response to Abram's action.  And what was that action?  It was to gather forces into a militia and attack enemy Kings, who had kidnapped Lot and his family and taken his possessions.  God commended this warfare with two of the most well-known words of blessing in all the Bible!

In Numbers 32:20-24, Moses tells the tribes of Rueben and Gad, who had chosen to take land outside the Promised Land as their possession, that they could have that land, and live in peace, but only after they had sent their warriors to fight for Israel.  When Israel was at peace, Reuben and Gad could live peacefully wherever they chose.  I think that this principle is also true for America and the other nations around the world.  When we protect Israel, God will then allow us to live in peace and prosperity.  When we turn our back on Israel, our chosen land will never be fraught with difficulty.  Zechariah 1:14-15 tells us that God is exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and all of Israel.  Our military might better align with the jealousy of God!

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Cornelius, of Acts 10.  It was this man who received the unique honor of being the first gentile to whom God would begin his work outside of Israel.  And who was this Gentile God choose?  Besides being a friend of Israel ("I will bless those who bless thee"); he was "a centurion of the Italian cohort" (Acts 10:1). 
 
Too many Christians, both today and throughout history, have argued that Christians should be totally uninvolved in Government because of Government's military duty.  While I'm grateful that they recognized the duty, I disagree that such duty prohibits Christian involvement.  Through the Bible, God chose some who were not in the military and enlisted them (Gideon), He honored those who were in the military and used them (Cornelius and others), and He allowed positive references to soldiers and soldiering to be sprinkled through the pages of Scripture.
In fact, the Lord is Himself described as a warrior!  "The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is His name!" (Exodus 15:3).  Psalm 24:8 asks, "Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle."

Most pacifists come with an erroneous view of society and mankind.  If we would only teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony, then our problems would go away.  Feed them, clothe them, shelter them, and teach them, and they will live in peace.  This assumption of the condition of man is flawed, as any reading of history or of the Bible quickly demonstrates.  The Bible says that we live in a world of sin, with Satan as the deceiver, and sinful nature dominating the affairs of man.  Because of this, "wars and rumors of wars" are going to be a fact of life, ending in the Battle of Armageddon. 
 
Judges 3:1-2 is a fascinating scripture.  It tells us that God left some of the enemies of Israel in the Promised Land for a purpose:  "in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war" (Judges 3:2).  God wanted a future generation of warriors, so he left a future generation of enemies!  Why would God want a "standing army" for the generations?  Because He knows (as He revealed) that war will be a fact of life until the Prince of Peace establishes His rest in the coming Messianic age. For this reason, the Psalmist blessed the Lord because He is the One, "Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle" (Psalm 144:1).

With all the portrayals of   a wimpy Jesus in America today, the Warrior Jesus is long forgotten.  Jesus, however, said that he came to bring the sword, instructed His disciples to carry a sword for defense, and is shown as returning with a sword--which He will use to slay His enemies.  When the pacifists speak of being Christ-like by turning the other cheek and blessing our enemies, they fail to reconcile the Biblical images of the Warrior Jesus with the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.  Bad theology typically comes from failing to "rightly divide the word of truth." 

With the scriptural commendations for governments to be a military authority, for man to protect the rights of other men, for Israel to be shielded in safety, and with the Biblical commendations of warriors as men of honor, warfare as a fact of life, and Jesus' return as a warrior, I choose not to be a pacifist. 
 
I am saddened, however, that pacifism is even the word used.  The opposite of a pacifist seems to be war-mongering and fascism.  Choosing noble terminology is a regular tactic of the left, painting those who do not align with their ideology with a broad brush.  I am for peace, but I believe that, using the words of Longfellow, "hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will toward men."  Because this hate is so strong, governments will have to use force--sometimes deadly--to instill peace.  Sometimes Government will abuse this sacred right, and should be condemned when it does so.  However, I cannot side with those who believe the right does not exist, and is never moral in its use.  Thus, I am not a pacifist.
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Dr. Randy White is the Pastor of First Baptist Church of Katy, TX, and is the teacher on the daily radio program, Word for the World.  Request his free DVD on the Antichrist, and join his mailing list here.