Concerning the Saints’ Relationship to Military Service

Concerning the Saints’ Relationship to Military Service

Gunboat Æger
March, 1915

Now it is common for the saints to refuse to do military service. It is therefore important to investigate this matter.

It is not expressly written in the Scriptures whether we should participate in military service or not, just as it is not expressly written whether one should baptize little children or not. Nevertheless, the apostle Paul says, “Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:17.

Jesus said to Peter, “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” It is also written in Leviticus 24:17: “Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death.” Just as it is written, “You shall not kill.”

A man gets angry at another man; he backbites him, curses him, plans to do something evil against him, and finally kills him. According to the Law of Moses, such a person should be killed. But what about the person who now has to put him to death?! Does he become guilty of the same sin by serving as the executioner? If that were the case, then God must be a sinner! For He has commanded it.

However, it doesn’t take much light to see the difference. The one person serves Satan, the other person serves God by serving the authorities who has been appointed by God, and they do not bear the sword in vain. Read Romans 13:1-7. The apostles exhort us clearly that we should submit to the authorities, and it is not written “with the exception of doing military service!” On the contrary, we read: “For he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” Rom. 13:4.

It is this work of God—using the sword to avenge the evil—that we are exhorted to obey. No one desires to perform such a ministry for its own sake, but some people can perform it gladly for the sake of righteousness and obedience.

In any case, it is a hard and unpleasant ministry, but it is hardest for those who to endeavor always to have it pleasant and comfortable and cozy, people who love honeyed words and dreams. It is a totally different matter for those who are used to taking up their cross and following Christ, who constantly have life’s true meaning in mind, who are used to suffering and bearing burdens in order to fulfill the law of Christ.

Because of man’s ungodliness (Rom. 1:18), God reveals His anger and punishment through war and exposes man’s inability to improve himself and make peace without Him. The more exalted men become in their minds about their development in the good, the greater the terror will surely be, for God is not mocked!

There is one way to peace, one way to the good! This way is consecrated by and goes through Jesus Christ.

The Antichrist will try to bring about righteousness and peace and good days without Christ. Therefore the saints should be on guard so they are not deceived by his words about love and peace.

People are weak; therefore it can happen that some part of military service is so horrible that a holy man may not be able to perform it. For example, standing face to face with a man and cutting him to pieces would be difficult for a holy man. But his testimony must not be that he thought it was wrong to do it, but that he could not bring himself to do it.

If a person cannot bring himself to do it, but has to shirk his duty, it is not to his praise, even though it is good that he follows his weak conscience.

The one who bears the sword, the one who takes part in some other way in the war, and the one who stays at home are all—spiritually speaking—engaged in the same act, because they pay taxes to the State, knowing that the State is also acquiring war materiel with these funds.

If someone wants to stay completely away from all this, then he also has to refuse to pay taxes, yet the Scriptures say very clearly that we shall pay taxes.

There can be no talk about depriving someone of his time of grace, because not even a sparrow falls to the ground unless God wills it.

There are accounts of several people in the Scriptures who were very devoted to God. None of them are told that they should leave their service. Acts 10; Luke 3:14; 7:7-9.

An evil person who kills another person is totally different from someone who, out of love for God, gladly bows in obedience to the authorities to perform this grievous ministry of going to war. The first person is full of cursing and unrest, the latter person is filled with peace like a river.

Everyone must be fully convinced in his own mind and act according to his conscience. However, the one person’s conscience is not a law for the other person, for the conscience changes with increasing light. All of us are exhorted to seek more light from God so that we can understand what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of the Lord in all things.

(This message has been sent to Bros. J.O. Smith, Th. Ellefsen, K. Birkeland, and W. Berg, with a request for more material concerning this matter.)