America and Israel have been at war with Iran now a little over a week. As they almost always do, the pundits have split along party lines on whether to support or criticize the war. Sadly, Christians often do the same thing. I’m writing this post because the Bible has something to say about this, and I think the Lord expects better from us.

Two biblical truths about war

A biblical approach to any war has its foundation in a proper worldview.

A biblical worldview recognizes that the world is fallen, and that sometimes only force can restrain evil men. National force is sometimes necessary to restrain foreign state actors, just as individual force is sometimes necessary to protect others. Those who camp out on this truth become hawks.

At the same time, a biblical worldview recognizes the kingdom of God is advancing in the earth and will continue to advance until it is ultimately victorious. Further, as the kingdom of God advances it transforms the world into the place God originally intended. This transformation includes a gradual increase Christ’s government and peace (Isaiah 9:7) until men ultimately beat their swords into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4). Those who camp out on this truth become pacifists.

Each side holds a biblical truth. Each side also ignores another one.

Living in the tension of two truths

The problem with much of modern conservative evangelical Christianity is that it embraces the first truth while ignoring the second. The problem with pacifism is it ignores the first truth and embraces the second. The wisdom of God is rarely found in abandoning one truth for another but in holding tightly to both. Solomon agreed:

It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.

Ecclesiastes 7:18

As Solomon recognized, the key to holding onto both is having a healthy fear of God. Pride boasts in the extreme.The fear of God breeds the humility necessary to submit to God and His Word rather than pridefully embracing one extreme or the other.

Answering the Iran-War question

So, was the attack on Iran righteous?

I don’t know.

I do know that the people who made that decision probably have information I and the public do not have and we may never have. That is usually the case with leadership. That shouldn’t make leadership immune from criticism, but it should entitle them to a healthy deference. I suspect that is part of the rationale for Romans 13:1.

What I do know is that the answer to the question lies somewhere between the two truths above. Christians should look for the answer there–between those two truths–not in the partisan extremes. GS