The Toll of the War in Iraq

Now, I am going to write about something, I believe very strongly about and as a result there will be some of you that will get mad at me. I already know this has been a long standing argument within the organized church. There shouldn't be, if people will take God's Word over man's word and leave it at that, there would be none. As I had written in an earlier article man has a propensity to take the Commandments (The Word of God) and make it of no effect because of the traditions of men. The tradition, I want to speak about is the one developed by Augustine, who was one of the early church Fathers, who came up with the idea of a "JUST WAR". The just war theory also has a long history. Whilst parts of the Bible hint at ethical behaviour in war and concepts of just cause, the most systematic exposition is given by Saint Thomas Aquinas. In the "Summa Theologicae" Aquinas presents the general outline of what becomes the just war theory. He discusses not only the justification of war, but also the kinds of activity that are permissible in war. Aquinas's thoughts become the model for later Scholastics and Jurists to expand.

Early Christians did not believe men, but believed God and abstained from war and in most cases military service altogether. Once Constantine conquered the empire and esablished a church-state and Augustine who developed the idea even more of a physical "City of God" and spread the idea of a Christian nation and fighting for it, I want to say in my opinion all else went "to hell in a handbasket", in relation to Christian men and women loving their enemies. We suddenly took on the ways of the world.
A very dark history of the organized church proves that. Though Martin Luther wanted the church or common people to have the freedom to read and study God's word even he did not allow for true freedom in Christ, as he and Calvin persecuted and were responsible for the deaths of many Ana-Baptist, because they were scriptural and preferred "sitter's rights" and believed in "non-resistance". The AnaBaptist believed in the Kingdom of God only, not the kingdom of men, and they wanted to see an end to the priest-pastor in the church and return to the "priesthood of all believers" (a plurality of pastors-elders), where each man had a right to speak in assembly, as lead by the Holy Spirit and others would judge what was said. This would have eliminated the "one man" show and today we might be practicing in the assembly according to the tradition of the Apostles and the early church and Christ very own teaching. Once again, the traditions of men superceded the Word of God and those who really were closer to the teachings of Christ and church practice were sacrificed and killed for a structure of power over others. The Baptist organization as known today gave into this structure of power, even those that once beleived in "sitter's rights" have given into a structure of power over others in their assemblies and in their organization and structure. The churches of the German Brethern and the remaining AnaBaptist - the Mennontites have turned to the traditions of men in this one area as well. Power over others continues to be one of the greatest failures of the church today. It hasn't changed since the early church writer and "so called early church father" Origen set this all in motion with his raising the Bishop to the level of equality with Christ himself.
Jesus did not teach power over others, but power under. Some say Christ was not a non-resistor. Well, let's look at one of the strongest scriptures of His established new covenant with men.
Open your Bible to Matthew 5:38, and let's get rid of the idea of justifying war altogether and any concept that just because Israel did so under the Old covenant and a theocracy, that justifies us under the new relationship with God our Father which happens to be not a physical theocracy as Israel had but we are under a spiritual one, with Christ as our Head.
Here Jesus speaks very precisely, "You have heard that it was said, Eye for an eye, and tooth for tooth." NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY AND DON"T CHANGE WHAT HE SAYS HERE. "But I tell you." (Now remember this is God come down to men in the flesh) "Do not resist an evil person."
Let's be clear about that, DO NOT RESIST.
Now for me a biblical student, I don't have to do a lot of digging to understand His words, plain and simple. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Doesn't that just burn you up, that Jesus would actually tell us, to allow someone to hit us physically, yet we aren't to strike back but give them the other cheek to strike. I don't know about you, but in my flesh, I say, hit them back.
If we as Christians, have the living resurrected Christ living in us, this is just what should not result, striking back at our enemies. Our lives should be exemplary of that same life that he had while here on earth. So we excuse it with it, well "I'm not Jesus". Well, let's take a moment with me and go over to I John 2:6 - "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did".
Now Israel was under the iron hand of Rome. Jesus ended up under Pilate a ruler of Rome. All of Isreal was disappointed that he wasn't the military Messiah they were looking for and even today they do not accept Christ as Messiah because of who he is the Prince of Peace. Just as he said to Pilate, John 18:36 - "My kingdom is not of this world. if it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." We as believers have this same Kingdom, not a different one then he had.
The United States of America may be where we exist physically, but the Kingdom of God is the only one we have allegiance to, and thus His Kingdom, doesn't seek revenge, nor does it war with others over real estate, oil or any other ideal. To do so, makes us no better than the Muslims who believe in their kingdom. I highly recommend a great book written by a great Christian entitled. "The Myth of a Christian Nation", by Gregory A. Boyd, who handles the question of non-resistance for the beleiver in a tremendous way taking us through scripture and a greater understanding of verses like Romans 13:1-7.
I don't have the time or space to do it here.
What brought me once more to writing on this subject is the most recent news.
"Nearly 800 Iraq contractors killed."
Now. let's count up, some say it was 2,200 or a little more that got killed in the World Trade Center attack, collapse and destruction.
George Bush called for vengeance, no less in the name of the Christian God, and got our blood all stirred up and the next thing you know, we were ready to kill anyone that George could point his finger at and say they were responsible for all this. Well, now we have lost over 3,300 servicemen and 800 contractors serving in Iraq. That brings the toll since 911 to over 5,500 men, or women dead as a result of our want and need for vengeance and blood. I can call it nothing less than that. We can justify it under the idea of fighting for freedom, but don't you realize in the mind of the Muslim, they too worship a "pagan god of war", and beleive they are fighting for freedom as well.
See when like minds have the same purpose and goal of destroying one another with the same justifications, who is right? You want to know the truth, neither one of them. Thus, Paul writes in Romans 12:9-21- Summary: Do not repay ANYONE evil for evil. This includes a terrorist or Muslim or any other people our nation at any one time percieves as an enemy. For those who call themselves, Christians, we are to do just the opposite that the world would do, love our enemy.
See nations will deal with their problems the way men do, in the flesh. Whereas Christians, our sole allegiance is to be to Christ and His Kingdom. Somewhere down the line we have made the traditions of men and Augustine, supercede the Word of God and justified and even supported the ongoing hatred for others. Even the Muslims still refer to us as the Crusaders because of an even darker time in Church history where we killed, maimed and slaughtered millions of Muslims for the sake of the call of the Pope and the known church to gain salvation. Yes, that's right, the Pope made it clear to the Christian Crusaders to die for their cause to obtain Jerusalem under Christian control, that those who died doing so, would be guaranteed salvation and go to heaven. Now America has chosen a new Pope, a mislead President, that even beleives God talks to him directly - super canonically( outside of scriptural verification or justification) and gives Him his justifcation for war.
Hitler, did the same thing, the church at that time, listened to the same rhetoric and as a result thousands and thousands died needlessly while the Christian church of Germany went along with Hitler's ideals and the church stood by supporting it. German Christian men enlisted in Hitler's troops. One man, alone took a stance against Christian Nationalism in his country of Germany, his name was Dietrich Boenhoffer. One of the better recognized Theologians of today. The result he and his family were later killed by Hitler and his troops. Though, some rumor has come forth that he may have plotted to kill Hitler himself, I believe, that he understood and by the way, it was only a rumor that he planned to kill Hitler himself, the difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of men. He gave allegiance to God, and taught the Word, and died as a result of it. If you were to die today as a Christian, by the hands of a terrorist, would you be any of the worse because of it. Of course not, if you are truly born again and filled with the Spirit of Christ, you too would be looking beyond the grave to that great day of resurrection, when there shall be no more war, pain, tears or death. Only everlasting peace in Christ our Lord. May we never forget as believers, He is the Prince of Peace, not the prince of war. The toll of war in Iraq will grow as long as Christians support the death and continued destruction of a nation and it's people's will die, our sons will die, our husbands will die, our wife's, daughters and mothers will die all for a cause that has absolutley nothing to do with advancing the Kingdom of God. So, if you don't like what I have written here. Too bad, I love you all the same.
The Toll of the War in Iraq is beyond the number of deaths you hope to avenge at the World Trade Center, and yet, it continues and many who call themselves Christians are supporting it, with the preaching of another gospel, which is no gospel at all. It is a false gospel and one which our Saviour made it very clear, "my kingdom is not of this world". Until the day believers understand this, there will be war always and the false premise that one men made goverment is more righteous than another, and the sad thing Christians will die not for the sake of righteousness but for the sake of a presumed freedom. Only Christ can set a men truly free, not any nation. Christ said ALL NATIONS WILL BE judged. This includes Israel, the United States, no exceptions. There is no such thing as a "Christian Nation". There are only Christians that live in a nation. We are not part to this kingdom, we only live in it and are to pray for it, but we are not to be of the world, only in it, so that we might live out, Christ in us, which is the hope of glory! We are to be it's salt, it's light, but as it goes so often we have allowed ourselves to be many things else, we only promote the confusion so that everything righteous becomes nothing but gray areas of what individual belief and men's traditions define rather than what our Lord had to say about it all. The world cannot not see anything different about a believer than they can find in corporate board rooms where people take sides and fight for control to have power over others.
The institutional church has taken on these same tactics often and the church doesn't become a sanctuary from the world, it becomes just like them.
Where's the difference? There is none! We should find rest from our flesh when we come together as an assembly. There should be peace, love and righteousness.
I pray that we can only come to terms with Augustine's ideas, and throw them out for the lies they are. There is no "just war" for Christians. Until the day Christ returns and the sons of God are revealed and then we will have a Theocracy again, should we as believers realize the wars of men are not our affairs. There will be that day where He calls the shots not men. The wicked and the evil and the nations of this world will face judgement. God help us to know the truth and set us free from hatred, and vengeful thinking and allow us to have "the mind of Christ", who loved his enemies to the bitter end at the cross and said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do". "Who died for us while we were yet his enemies."
The toll of the war in Iraq, is death and more death. Do we really care about life or not? Stand up and let your voice be heard. Let your stand for pro-life be real. Pro Lifer's do not kill others period, unlike some of the mislead individuals in the movement to stop abortion. We are to change the world by being the very opposite of what this world is. Jesus first, above all else. Let me close with these words from James 4:1-10 from the American Standard Version.

Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not:ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain:ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures.
4 Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
5 Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.


Dr. J.