For the Securing of Peace
THE sufferings and the barbarities of the war raging in Europe have intensified the demand for international peace. There is a mighty chorus of voices calling for an “international congress” to establish “international courts” with an “international police force.” People seem to be possessed with the idea that some kind of machinery can be devised that will establish justice and do away with war. But this internationalism, which is becoming a craze throughout the world, will finally result in one of the worst despotisms that has ever been seen in all earth’s history. If humanity was what it should be, we would not need such international courts, to be supported by an international police. If our civilization were what we think it is, we would be secure. If we had Christian nations in fact instead of Christian nations in theory, we would have no difficulties but what could be settled in a civil way by civil tribunals or by some form of arbitration; but there are conditions of wickedness and degenerating decay in every one of the nations, which are bound to result in disintegration and revolution. Theories to the contrary may be very pleasing, but in the end they will be awful in their disappointments. God’s word plainly says that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,” and furthermore the Book tells us that God “will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord.” Zeph. 1:17. The difficulty with this world at the present time is its intensity of sinfulness, and there is no way of patching it up without healing its sin. International law may do something in the way of temporarily curbing the overflowing floods of evil, but it will not cure the disease. We should not allow ourselves to be deceived by theories and sentiments. We should know in times like this, where we are standing, and thus be able to escape the sudden destruction that God in His word says will finally come while the people are saying, “Peace and safety.”