WALK
The Bible sometimes speaks of people’s conduct or manner of life as their ‘way’ or ‘walk’. The two expressions are closely connected: people move along a way by walking (Lev 26:23-24; 1 Kings 6:12; 2 Kings 20:3; Prov 8:20; 20:7; Acts 9:31; Eph 2:10; 5:2; 1 John 2:11). Frequently, the Bible uses the word ‘walk’ when contrasting people’s way of life before they were Christians with their new life in Christ (Rom 6:4; Eph 2:1-2; 5:8; Col 3:7-8). Their new way of life is controlled by the Spirit, not by the flesh (Rom 8:4; Gal 5:16,25). It is characterized by love, not by selfishness (Rom 14:15,19), and is influenced by the person in whom they believe, not by the things they see in the world around them (John 12:35; 2 Cor 5:7). It is lived in fellowship with God rather than in obedience to sin (1 John 1:6-7), and is patterned on the life of Christ rather than on the life of their fellows (1 John 2:6,11; 2 John 6). (See also WAY.)
WAR
Conflicts between nations occur for a variety of reasons, but always they are evidence of sin in the world. Some nations go to war because they are aggressive, others because they have to defend themselves against aggression. But in neither case do nations have unlimited right to do as they like. This applies even when nations are God’s instrument to carry out his judgment on the wicked (Isa 10:5-14; Hab 2:12-13,16-17).
Instructions for Israel
According to God’s plan for Israel, the conquest of Canaan was not merely for political or material gain, but had a moral and religious purpose. God had given the Canaanites time to repent but they had consistently refused. Finally, their sin reached the extent where God could postpone judgment no longer (Gen 15:16; Deut 9:5). The destruction of the Canaanites along with their idols, and at times their animals and possessions, was also of significance in God’s purposes for Israel. It helped to protect Israel from the corrupt religion, moral filth and physical disease that characterized life throughout Canaan (Deut 7:1- 2,16,25-26; 20:16-18). This policy of total destruction applied only to Israel’s conquest of Canaan. The Israelites were not to destroy non-Canaanite cities unless the people refused Israel’s terms of peace. They attacked only when all else failed. Even then they were to attack only the soldiers, not the women and children (Deut 20:10- 15; cf. Judg 11:12-28), and they were not to destroy the natural environment (Deut 20:19-20). They were to treat prisoners of war well, and if they took any of the captive women as wives, they had to treat them with consideration and respect (Deut 21:10-14; cf. 2 Kings 6:21-22). Not all Israelite men were required to fight for their country.
Those excused from military service included any who had recently committed themselves to some undertaking that could be ruined if they suddenly abandoned it (Deut 20:1-7). If any went out to battle but then became afraid, they were to be sent home (Deut 20:8; cf. Judg 7:3). Israel’s leaders usually consulted priests or prophets before going to war, to ensure they were acting with God’s approval (1 Sam 30:7-8; 2 Kings 3:11). They could be confident of victory if God was on their side (Josh 23:10; 2 Chron 20:15; Ps 68:1). They could celebrate their triumphs with victory songs (Exod 15:1-3; Judg 5:1-5; Ps 18:1-6), but they were not to delight in war, and neither were their enemies (Ps 68:30). God gained no pleasure from bloodshed, even when it resulted in victory (1 Chron 22:8; Ps 11:5). He preferred to work for peace (Isa 9:6-7; Micah 4:3-4; Zech 9:9-10).
The Old Testament record
In the early days of their settlement in Canaan, the Israelites enjoyed a fairly peaceful existence and saw no need for a regular army. Later, when hostile neighbours began to invade Israel’s territory, a local leader would arise to assemble a fighting force and drive out the enemy (Judg 3:1-3; 5:14-15; 6:33-35; 7:24; 10:18; see JUDGES, BOOK OF). With the appointment of Saul as Israel’s first king, a regular army was established (1 Sam 11:6-8; 13:2; 17:2). At that time most of Israel’s fighting was done by foot soldiers who used swords, spears, and bows and arrows (1 Sam 31:1-4; 2 Sam 2:23; see ARMOUR; WEAPONS). Armies set up their bases in well protected camps (1 Sam 17:20; 25:13), and usually went to war in spring or summer, when weather conditions were favourable (2 Sam 11:1; 2 Kings 13:20). David improved Israel’s army till it was the strongest among the nations of the region (2 Sam 8:1- 18).
As he seized the chariot forces of conquered enemies, Israel’s army began to use chariots. The next king, Solomon, enlarged Israel’s chariot force considerably (2 Sam 8:4; 15:1; 1 Kings 4:26; 9:22; 10:26; cf. 22:35; see CHARIOT). A later king, Uzziah, further modernized the army by providing it with better armour and weapons, including special equipment for use against besieging armies (2 Chron 26:14-15). Siege was a common part of warfare, and was often considered essential if an aggressor failed to take a city in a surprise attack or head-on assault. The more powerful armies had huge pieces of siege equipment, some of which were designed to shoot over the city walls, others to break down the walls. The attackers usually heaped earth against the walls to enable them to get closer to the top, where the walls were thinner and easier to break through (2 Kings 6:24; 25:1; Ezek 4:2). Meanwhile, people inside the city slowly starved to death or died of disease (2 Kings 25:2-3; Jer 32:24; Lam 2:10-12; 2:19-21; 4:4-9). The victorious siege often ended with senseless butchery, rape, plunder and destruction (2 Kings 25:4-17; Ps 74:4-8; 79:1-3; Lam 5:11-12; Nahum 2:5-9; 3:1-3).
Christians and war
As long as there is sin in the world there will be war (Matt 24:6; James 4:1), and governments will be forced to protect their people from aggression.
The Old Testament record seems to support the view that this use of force by a government is within the authority given it by God. That authority allows it to punish wrongdoers and preserve the well-being of its citizens (Rom 13:4; 1 Tim 2:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-14; see GOVERNMENT). Christians, however, should never try to expand or defend the kingdom of God through war (Matt 26:52-54; John 18:36). God alone has the right to impose his kingdom by force, and he will exercise that right when Jesus Christ returns and finally destroys all enemies (Rev 16:1-21; 17:14; 19:11-21; see KINGDOM OF GOD). In the meantime, Christians live in a world where they are members of God’s kingdom and at the same time members of earthly nations (see NATION). God’s kingdom is of a different kind from the ‘kingdoms’ of the world, and Christians must not apply the legal procedures of civil government to their personal behaviour. Civil law requires legal retaliation for wrongdoing, and therefore imposes a punishment to suit the offence. Christian morality requires believers to forgive those who do them wrong (Matt 5:38-42; cf. Rom 12:17-21 with Rom 13:1-6).
War is one of those cases where Christians at times see tension between these two responsibilities. In the New Testament, as in the Old, believers seem to have had no objection to engaging in military service themselves or accepting the protection that those in military service provided for them (Luke 3:14; 7:2-9; Acts 10:1-4; 23:17-35; Heb 11:33-34). But in the century immediately following the apostolic era, most Christians were strongly pacifist. They believed all war to be wrong and they refused to participate in military service. Throughout the history of the church, sincere Christians have held a variety of views ranging from total pacifism to total commitment to military service. Some Christians, while not believing all involvement in war to be wrong, believe it to be wrong for Christians to take part in war.
Others, still condemning war, consider that when the state of affairs becomes so bad that the ideal is no longer possible, they may be forced to accept the lesser of two wrongs (cf. Matt 19:8). While refusing to initiate aggression themselves, they consider that to resist an evil attacker is not as bad as allowing the evil to triumph unhindered. They do not enjoy such action, but at the same time they do not believe they should leave the protection of the defenceless entirely to non-Christians (cf. Isa. 1:17). Even if Christians believe it is right for them to take part in war, they must not accept the decisions of their government without question. Governments can make decisions that are so unjust or immoral that Christians may feel they must disobey them if they are to remain obedient to God. God alone can demand absolute obedience (cf. Dan 3:17-18; Acts 4:19; 5:29). Whatever the circumstances, Christians must, like their God, work to achieve justice and peace (cf. Isa 2:4; 9:2-7; 11:1-9; Matt 5:6,9; see JUSTICE; PEACE).