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I
hate all your show and pretense, the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and
solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I
won't even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your hymns of
praise! They are only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no
matter how lovely it is. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice; a
river of righteous living that will never run dry. (Amos
5:21-24 NLV). I
am writing this devotional on the morning following President Bush’s speech
giving Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Iraq.
It seems inevitable that a war will begin soon, perhaps before you read
this! No one would classify me among the “doves,” however there are
questions that ought to answered in relation to war and justice. There are those
who will debate the right of America to wage war at all. Others will debate the
issue of timing and impact on innocent lives. All of those questions are good
ones to ponder, but the essential question should center itself on the
government’s divine imperative of justice. This
is a hard matter for anyone to resolve and even more so for people of faith, who
often have to choose between conflicting loyalties. Christianity has a
long-standing uneasiness about war. This uneasiness is rooted in the identity
and teachings of Jesus. Jesus was, after all, hailed as the Prince of Peace. It
was also Jesus who said, love your enemy, and turn the other cheek. Jesus'
identity and teachings have not served to make Christianity a pacifist faith,
although there are pacifist sects within Christianity, but it has served to make
Christians cautious about war. As early as Augustine, Christian leaders have
recognized that war is fundamentally opposed to the ideals of Christianity. If
Christians choose to participate in war, it can only be under the most stringent
of circumstances. In order to establish these circumstances, Christian thinkers
formulated over time what has come to be known as the Just War Theory. There
are three main features to Just War Theory: just cause, competent authority, and
right intent. A just cause includes self-defense or defending a weaker country
from a more powerful aggressor. Competent authority refers to those who are
making the decision to wage war, that is, a duly recognized governmental body.
Right intent refers to the motivation for war. If the intent is merely to
inflict harm, seek revenge, or gain some economic advantage, then the cause is
not just. Let me offer the following for you to think about as we enter what
seems to be a time of war. 1.
First, do we have just cause? Is our country under a direct threat, or
are we dealing with a potential threat, or even a likely threat? In short, do we
have a just cause for waging war? Without taking undue time to outline the
atrocities perpetrated against both the Iraqi people and both directly and
indirectly against other peoples of the world, I believe it is safe to say that
our nation is under a direct threat from the regime of Saddam Hussein. How
easily some have seemed to forget the tragedy of September 11, 2001! To sit idly
by and wait for another attack is at best irresponsible, and perhaps
“suicide.” My belief though easily debated is that we have a just cause
before us. 2.
Second, there should not be a question as to the legitimacy of the
American government to make the decision. The Apostle Paul speaks to that issue
clearly in Romans 13. The divine imperative of any government is to maintain and
secure the peace for its citizens. 3.
Third, what is
our intent? The stated purpose of the war is to remove Saddam Hussein from
power. Is that a legitimate cause? Is any part of our action motivated by
revenge for the events of September 11? If we are to be faithful to the ideals
of our faith, before we consent to the killing of our declared enemy, we should
strive diligently to be sure our intent is the securing of peace, both here and
in the world. That having been said, we may only submit to war with a somber
spirit, and with repentant hearts. No cause is so just that we may kill without
sorrow.
One last thought as we embark on this next chapter in our history, pray! Pray for our leadership that they may seek and find the wisdom of God in these days. Pray for our soldiers who once again are called on to risk their lives and futures to protect our freedoms. Pray for our nation that unity will prevail. While we should never expect uniformity, unity is essential to our peaceful lifestyle. And, pray that the Gospel would flourish in this day of anxiety and uncertainty. The message of Christ is one of hope and life. In it we can all find true peace! |
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