Today's Devotional

 

January 22, 2008  

                                                                                         

Subject:   Is God Against War?

Matthew 10:34 - "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."

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I pondered a statement made by a minister on the radio yesterday as he described God as being against war.  I thought about all of the old testament passages where he commanded Abraham or David or many others to go into battle and wondered if He could still be against war.  I also listened to some of the commentary surrounding yesterday's MLK celebrations and many used it as a time to talk about Dr. King's stand for peace during the Vietnam war.  Many applied that stance as a basis for being against conflict and especially the lingering conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.  

With all respect to personnel who hold such viewpoints, I must disagree with any statement that says that God is against war.  While Jesus walked this earth and was indeed a man of peace, I don't think that God intended for believers to automatically stand on the side of "no resistance" on every issue.  In fact, He knew that if we stood with Him, it would often bring just that, resistance.

It's not that war is wrong, it's simply that you must be fighting the correct one.  How is that decision made?  By always standing with God.  Forget about economic, political and personal ties to issues and find the cause that supports God's purposes and then you'll know that your fight is not only worthy, but just.  That's God's war.  

Carlen