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The Korean conflict a decade later did not seem to change the attitude of many Americans toward war. But our involvement in Vietnam set everyone to thinking once again. We were not quite sure how we had gotten into the mess. We could see no attainable goal even on the remotest horizon, and the ruthless and senseless butchery of innocent people—all brought into our living rooms daily by television—turned our stomachs. Once again, pacifism spread through the nation. Christians—and, indeed, all morally sensitive persons—forced themselves to ask the hard questions. What moral defense can be made for a Christian's participation in war? How does our Christian faith speak to this issue?

Moreover, each passing day brings these questions home to us with a more powerful and more persistent demand or an answer. We live in an increasingly dangerous world. Planet earth has become a spaceship about to explode, with little room for human survival.

Each major power has the ability to destroy and slay every man, woman, and child of its rival—not just once, but many times over. Bombs are proliferating and spreading to nations that show little evidence of political maturity and less of moral responsibility. Meanwhile, the maintenance cost of this gigantic arsenal is an ever-increasing burden to the people of the world. One day someone will push a button that will set off a chain reaction among nations. As each seeks to defend its allies, the whole world will go up in flames. Does the Christian faith have anything to say about this?

In facing this horrendous scenario, some have again turned to pacifism. We respect their viewpoint. It is usually based on convictions that are undeniably Christian.

The kingdoms of this world are seldom true friends of the kingdom of God. In retrospect, it is difficult to maintain that nations have waged their wars purely from motives of justice and human welfare. Certainly the pacifist stands on solid biblical ground when he stresses the worth of human life. It is the Christian's responsibility not to destroy it, but to protect and preserve it. If he would follow in the steps of his Lord, he will not take life, but he will give his life to save the life of another.

Yet we reject pacifism as a solution for two reasons, both of them because we are Christians, believing ourselves to be guided by our Lord and by basic Christian, biblical, and moral principles.

The first is our Christian conviction about the depravity of human beings. Clear-cut, across-the-board pacifism invites the most selfish and least conscientious power to pursue its wicked way without fear of punishment.

Like individual human beings, but only more so, nations are selfish. They lust for power and repress the liberties of those who stand in their way. Unchecked evil will spread over the earth to the destruction of the life and liberty of our fellow humans.

Pacifists grant that we live in a wicked world, and that left unchecked, individuals and whole nations will work their evil upon us to destroy our lives, our freedom, and our most precious values. But what does that mean for Christians who are citizens of a heavenly kingdom?

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March (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47