WAR INCONSISTENT WITH THE
RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST

by David Low Dodge

Part 2

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WAR IS UNWISE

That the principles and practice of war are unwise I argue:

8. War is unwise, as it does not answer the
professed end for which it is intended

The professed object of war generally is to preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace; but war never did and never will preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace, for it is a divine decree that all nations who take the sword shall perish with the sword. War is no more adapted to preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace than midnight darkness is to produce noonday light.
The principles of war and the principles of the gospel are as unlike as heaven and hell. The principles of war are terror and force, but the principles of the gospel are mildness and persuasion. Overcome a man by the former and you subdue only his natural power, but not his spirit; overcome a man by the latter, and you conquer his spirit and render his natural power harmless. Evil can never be subdued by evil. It is returning good for evil that overcomes evil effectually. It is, therefore, alone the spirit of the gospel that can preserve liberty and produce a lasting peace. Wars can never cease until the principles and spirit of war are abolished.
Mankind has been making the experiment with war for ages to secure liberty and a lasting peace; or, rather, it has ostensibly held out these objects as a cover to its lusts and passions. And what has been the result? Generally the loss of liberty, the overturning of empires, the destruction of human happiness, and the drenching of the earth with the blood of man.
In most other pursuits, mankind generally gains wisdom by experience; but the experiment of war has not been undertaken to acquire wisdom. It has, in fact, been undertaken and perpetuated for ages to gratify the corrupt desires of men. The worst of men have delighted in the honors of military fame and it is what they have a strong propensity for; and how can a Christian take pleasure in that employment which is the highest ambition of ungodly men? The things that are highly esteemed among men are an abomination in the sight of God. Is it not, therefore, important that everyone naming the name of Christ should bear open testimony against the spirit and practice of war, and exhibit the spirit and temper of the gospel before the world that lies in wickedness, and let their lights shine before men?
But what can the men of the world think of such Christians as are daily praying that wars may cease to the ends of the earth, while they have done nothing and are doing nothing to counteract its destructive tendency? Alas! Too many are doing much by their lives and conversation to support its spirit and principles. Can unbelievers rationally suppose such prayers to be sincere? Will they not rather conclude that they are perfect mockery? What would be thought of a man daily praying that the means used for his sick child might be blessed for his recovery, when he was constantly administering to him known poison? With the same propriety do those Christians pray that war may come to a final end, while they are supporting its vital principles.
It is contrary to fact that war is calculated to preserve liberty and secure a lasting peace; for it has done little else but destroy liberty and peace and make the earth groan under the weight of its terror and distress.
It is contrary to the word of God that war is calculated to promote peace on earth and good will toward men. The law that is to produce this happy effect will not be emitted from the council of war or the smoke of a camp. Instead, the law shall go forth out of Zion, the Lord shall rebuke the strong nations, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Then nations shall no more lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn the art of war any more. Then shall the earth be filled with the abundance of peace and there shall be nothing to hurt or destroy. It is reserved alone for the triumph of the gospel to produce peace on earth and good will to men.

If war does actually provoke insult and mischief; if it increases difficulties, destroys property and liberty; if it diminishes happiness, injures the morals of society, hazards eternal for only the chance of defending temporal things, and, finally, does not answer the end for which it was intended, then it must be very unwise to engage in it, and it must be wrong for Christians to do anything to promote it, and right to do all in their power to prevent it.


continued:

Christ Jesus did not come here to bring peace, nor was He a religious person, nor did He teach a religion...

_________________
Charles H Holston

c52 wrote:

_________________
Sandra Miller

WAR INCONSISTENT WITH THE
RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST

by David Low Dodge

Part 3

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WAR IS CRIMINAL

I am now to show that war, when judged on the principles of the gospel, is highly criminal.

1. Going to war is not keeping from the appearance
of evil, but is running into temptation

I would have it understood that I consider every act of mankind which is palpably contrary to the spirit and precepts of the gospel criminal. It is an express precept of the gospel to abstain from all appearance of evil. “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation” is also an express command of Christ. A person desiring not only to abstain from evil, but from the very appearance of it, will suffer wrong rather than hazard that conduct which may involve doing wrong. He will be so guarded that, if he errs at all, he will be likely to give up his right when he might retain it without injuring others. No person, it is believed, will attempt to maintain that there is no appearance of evil in carnal warfare, or that it is not a scene of great temptation.
One great object of the gospel is to produce good morals, to subdue the irascible passions of men, and bring them into sweet subjection to the gospel of peace. But war cannot be prosecuted without rousing the corrupt passions of mankind. In fact, it is altogether the effect of lust and passion. In times of war, almost every measure is taken for the express purpose of inflaming the passions of men, because they are the vital springs of war, and it would not exist without them. Those who are engaged in war, both in the council and in the field, have a feverish passion that varies as circumstances may happen to change. Those who are actually engaged in the heat of battle are usually intoxicated with rage. Should this be denied by anyone, I would appeal to the general approbation bestowed on the artist who displays most skill in painting scenes of this kind. He who can represent the muscular powers most strongly exerted, the passions most inflamed, and the visage most distorted with rage, will gain the highest applause. The truth of the assertion is, therefore, generally admitted. Some men, perhaps, may be so much under the influence of pride as to have the appearance of stoical indifference when their antagonists are at some distance, but let them meet sword in hand and the scene is at once changed.
The temptations for those who constitute, or those who encourage and support, armies to commit or to connive at immorality are too various and too multiplied to be distinctly mentioned.
Who can deny that war is altogether a business of strife? “But,” said an inspired apostle, “where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” If war is a scene of confusion and strife and every evil work, it is impossible for anyone to engage in it and avoid the appearance of evil or be out of the way of temptation; those who are armed with deadly weapons and thirsting for the blood of their fellow-mortals surely cannot be said to exhibit no appearance of evil. But, if engaging in wars is putting on the appearance of evil and running into temptation, then it is highly criminal to engage in it.

Continued:

WAR INCONSISTENT WITH THE
RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST

by David Low Dodge

Part 3

________________________________________

WAR IS CRIMINAL

I am now to show that war, when judged on the principles of the gospel, is highly criminal.


2. War is criminal, as it naturally inflames the pride of man

One of the abominable things that proceed out of the corrupt heart of man, as represented by our Savior, is pride. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” “The Lord hates a proud look.” “Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” That pride is criminal and that humility is commendable will doubtless be admitted by all who believe the Scriptures.
Pride, however, is one of the chief sources of war. It is pride that makes men glory in their strength and prowess. It is pride that hinders them from confessing their faults and repairing the injury done to others.
Although pride is commonly condemned in the abstract, yet it is generally commended in soldiers and fanned by every species of art and adulation, not only by men of the world but too often by those who bear the Christian name. And why is it necessary to inflame the pride of soldiers? Because it is well understood that soldiers without pride are not fit for their business.
If war is a Christian duty, why shouldn’t the example and precepts of Christ, instead of the example of the heroes of this world, be exhibited to those who fight to stimulate them? Isn’t Christ as worthy of imitation as the Caesars and Alexanders of this world? He was a triumphant conqueror; he vanquished death and hell, and purchased eternal redemption for his people; but he conquered by resignation and triumphed by his death. Here is an example worthy of the highest emulation. And why not animate soldiers by it? Only because it would unnerve their arms for war and render them harmless to their foes.
It is so common to compliment the pride of soldiers that, instead of considering it that abominable thing which the Lord hates, they consider it a virtue. We frequently hear “gentlemen of the sword,” as they are styled, in reply to the flattery bestowed upon them, frankly declare that it is their highest ambition to obtain the praise of their fellow-citizens; and, of course, they confess that they are seeking the praise of men more than the praise of God. These gentlemen, however, are far less criminal than those who lavish flattery on them. Doubtless, most of them are sincere and think themselves in the way of their duty, while their profession often leads them, necessarily, from the means of knowing correctly what is duty. While professing Christians have been taught from their cradles that the profession of arms is not merely an allowable but a noble employment, it is easy for them to slide into the current and go with the multitude to celebrate victories and to eulogize heroes, without once reflecting whether they are imitating their Lord and Master. But is it not time for Christians to examine and ascertain if war is tolerated in the gospel of peace before they join in festivities to celebrate its bloody feats? A pagan would be astonished if he had been taught the meek, lowly, and forgiving spirit and principles of the gospel, without knowing the practice of Christians, to see a host of men, professing to be influenced by these blessed principles, marshaled in all the pomp of military parade, threatening destruction to their fellow mortals! Would he not conclude that either he or they had mistaken the genius of the gospel, or that they believed it to be but a fable?
It is a notorious fact, which requires no confirmation, that military men, decorated with finery and clad in the glitter of arms, instead of being meek and lowly in their temper and deportment, are generally flushed with pride and haughtiness; and, indeed, what purpose do their decorations and pageantry answer but that of swelling their vanity? Their employment is not soft and delicate. Other men who follow rough employments wear rough clothing; but the soldier’s occupation is not less rough than the butcher’s, though, in the world’s opinion, it is more honorable to kill men than to kill cattle.
But if war has a natural tendency to inflame, and does inflame and increase the pride of men, it is criminal; it does that which the Lord hates, and it must be highly criminal to engage in it.

Continued:

Pastor,
Interesting points....will make a comment...

Pride - it being a motivating factor in propelling a person to fight: reminds me what the Islamic radicals promise their suicide bombers: they appeal to their lusts (or pride) to entice them to die for their cause.

Interesting...can't get away from it, can you? I am more and more amazed how really pride is at the root of all sin.

Blessings,
ginnyrose

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Sandra Miller

I just read today on a forum that someone posted ---- A church had given out an award pin to the one they thought was "Humblest" --- but took it away when they wore it to Church. LOL.

If we don't realize that we ALL have pride and will until we are before HIM - then we're open to deception.

What you're saying ginnyrose is this "spirit of deception" enters folks to believe as they do - and that is 100% true and that pride that is in all, is the chink in the armor of us 'christians' that open us up also to deceptive beliefs.

Take up the cross "daily" is that constant struggle to die to self/pride and walk by the Spirit, as Jesus was dependent as our example - to not "speak or act of Himself". That's humility, but how many of us "walk in the Spirit" 24/7?
None - but we can strive to enter in - like Paul wrote. We're striving against the flesh, the world and the devil 24/7.

Pride and "self" are the 'same' entity actually.

LORD Bless!

Annie wrote:

_________________
Sandra Miller

Pastor wrote:

_________________
Sandra Miller