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MISPLACING THE BLAME

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 26, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 9.

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MISPLACING THE BLAME.

By S.

A MOVEMENT, whose purpose is the revival of heathenism, was lately started in Germany, backed by a publication called Der Heide (The Heathen). The purpose of the movement and of the journal which supports it is to overthrow Christianity, and establish upon its ruins the practises of heathen times, the worship of heathen "divinities." It opens its attack by the old method of infidelity, charging Christianity with responsibility for the spirit of war that exists in the world to-day, and for all the actual wars that have drenched the earth in the blood of men.
It is true that the attitude of many who call themselves Christian, toward the killing of men in war has put into the hands of infidelity this cudgel which it now uses at every opportunity to smite the cause of Christ. Every teaching of Christ is against participation in the deeds or words of war. Said Jesus, "I am come that ye might have life." But many of Christ's professed followers have handled and pointed the weapons of death on the field of battle. Are these things in harmony?—Verily they are not. Does the professed follower of Christ who carries a gun or sword into battle, or directs the flight of the screaming shell that it may mangle and kill his brother man, represent Christ or the teachings of Christ in any such transaction?—Verily he does not. Christ, in repeating Isaiah's prophecy concerning Himself, uses these words: "He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets." Matt. 12:19. And of His followers it is declared, "The servant of the Lord must not strive." 2 Tim. 2:24.
War is strife in its extremest sense. He who enlists in the army enlists for the purpose of strife. The government that enlists him contemplates strife. It pays him for strife, commands him to strive; and his enlistment is a promise to that government that he will strive to the utmost of his ability, even to the taking of life. But "the servant of the Lord must not strive." Christ did not strive. "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." 1 John 2:6.
But should not the Christian defend his country? Should he not uphold his ruler?—Yes; but where and what is his country? and who is his ruler? "Our citizenship [or 'commonwealth,' margin] is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." Phil. 3:20, R.V. There is the Christian's citizenship, his commonwealth, his country. He can not defend that country by going to war. He can defend the interests of that country by a consistent Christian life; and that is the work which he is commissioned to do here in the earth.
Any work which is in opposition to this is not done in defense of that country. He whose interests are earthly, whose citizenship is here and not in heaven, will defend his (earthly) country in the way that the ruler of that country may direct. But let him not think that in doing that he is laying up treasure in heaven, or perfecting title to a home in that better, that heavenly, country. He can not serve two masters—the master of this world, who would license him to kill, and the Master of that better country, who declares, "Thou shalt not kill." God grants no indulgence to man to slay his fellow-man, or to do any other act that His holy law forbids. Had the children of Israel followed God implicitly, they would never have had to fight a battle.
The Christian's Ruler is the Ruler of that better land. "One is your Master, even Christ." Matt. 23:10. "Know ye not that . . . ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. The Christian will obey his Ruler; but he can not do that by war against his fellows. Christ's command is against it. War against man is no part of God's work in the earth; it is opposed to it; it is the work of the other power. True, in connection with the building of Christ's kingdom here in the earth the sword came into play; but it was in the hands of the enemies of Christ. It was used upon His followers, and not by them. His command is, "Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Matt. 26:52. Christ's teachings brought division and strife in families; but the strife was on the part of those who opposed, and was directed against those who followed Him.
"But Christian nations go to war." The nations of this world are not Christian. Christianity is taught in them, and Christians live in them; but the mind that directs and the power that supports them in war are not the mind and power of Jesus Christ. If the nations of this world were Christian, Christ would never overthrow them; for He would not overthrow the work of His own hands. But He will overthrow the nations of this world, and set up His kingdom where they had stood when the fires of that great day have cleansed the earth from sin. Dan. 2:44; 7:27; Rev. 6:14-17.
The charge of propagating war is an unjust charge to bring against the cause of Christ. Satan smiles at his own cunning when he can induce professed Christians to laud and defend war. He was the cause of the first war, and he has been the cause of every one that has occurred since. Nations have fought to defend themselves against other nations' unjust encroachments; but the god of war planned the whole complication, and helped to carry it through. Let the charge, then, rest where it belongs—not with Christianity (even though professed Christians may have so misunderstood Christ as to take part in it), but upon him who originated war in the midst of the peace of heaven; upon that spirit of heathenism which he has kept alive in the breasts of those who have not submitted themselves to the peaceable rule of Jesus Christ. He whose citizenship is in this world will fight for its defense under the "god of this world." He whose citizenship, commonwealth, is in heaven will not strive, but will seek to glorify God in his body and his spirit, which are God's. Let the blame rest where it belongs, and it will not rest upon the cause of Christ, nor upon those who follow Him in deed and in truth.