Christendom, which I will define as Christian culture (or Christian-ish culture) in alliance with the kingdoms of this world, tends to spend much of its intellectual and moral capital defending those worldly kingdoms, rationalizing their wars, and taking sides in their internal power struggles. Christendom produces Christians (or at least claimants to that title) who devote more energy to espousing debate-points and circulating memes that scorch the libs than they do to representing the kingdom of God. It is truly the very essence of what Jesus was referring to when he said, "You cannot serve two masters."
These types are attracted to political power like moths to a porch light. They have leaders, think tanks, authors, radio-talkers, all devoted to propping up some kingdom of this world, rather than representing the kingdom that is to come. Their arguments in favor of war are always entirely pragmatic and worldly. They have forgotten their true allegiance and calling, which to be an ambassador to this world's kingdoms from the kingdom that is to come, which is a kingdom of peace.
Peace, of course, is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and an earnest or downpayment of that kingdom to come. That means that the indwelling Spirit of God is producing in the believer, among other fruits, the fruit of peace. It is the historic teaching of Christianity that this process of spiritual fruit-production advances throughout the lifetime of a devoted follower of Jesus. With time they become, in other words, more loving, more joyful, more devoted to peace, more patient, etc. It seems difficult to imagine such a person espousing war or justifying war. But people who call themselves Christians often do espouse war, justify war, provide pseudo-spiritual arguments in favor of war, and seem to notice no spiritual conflict whatsoever welling up in their souls.
The Apostle Paul called the followers of Jesus "ambassadors." They were ambassadors of God's kingdom. They have been sent, as ambassadors are always sent, into a foreign kingdom to represent there the kingdom of God. Their message is peace and reconciliation, because they represent a kingdom of peace; and not only that, but of peace everlasting. In other words, their kingdom is a superior kingdom that will one day replace all the kingdoms of this world, including America. As ambassadors of that victorious kingdom, their offer to one and all is to transfer their allegiance from whatever kingdom of this world to which they now bend the knee, to the kingdom of God, whose king is called "the Prince of Peace."
Reasons given for war, or for warlike gestures and provocations (sanctions, blockades, etc.), are always essentially pragmatic. However much these arguments may be "gussied up" with emotional language or even spiritual language (see, for example, the Battle Hymn of the Republic), they are actually mostly tactical and pragmatic. War with such-and-such country right now is just inevitable, they tell us. Said country has gone too far. They must be resisted, or else the world will get the wrong message, etc. [Also, never fear, the war will be over by Christmas!]
But it should be mentioned that we do not represent a pragmatic kingdom. Our arguments are based on the revelation of God, not on what works (or seems to work, or makes sense to us because it defends our national interests). Keeping with the metaphor of ambassadorship, it is a sort of treason for an ambassador of a kingdom of peace to espouse war. It should be as shocking to us to hear a Christian defend America's wars as it is to hear one excuse or rationalize pornography. Our true purpose, which is to make disciples of King Jesus, is essentially set aside, put on the shelf, whenever we take up the cause of war. Peace is from above. War is from below. We dare not align ourselves with such death-dealing.
Brothers, we are not pragmatists. Our position looks like foolishness to much of the world. So be it. Let us then be fools for the Prince of Peace. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that is to come, that is coming, and that we ourselves represent by the nature of our very lives, bearing the fruit of the Spirit along the way. How then can we turn from this our true calling to become servants of the powers of this world?
Asking for a friend.
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