Does God Choose Sides In War?

Sunday, March 15, 2026

The pacifist streak in Christianity is strong, and with good reason.  Jesus had all the power of God at His disposal, and yet chose death on a cross as opposed to using that power to prevent that death.  That’s about as pacifist a move as there is.  But there are also very contrary examples.

This story is too long to reprint in whole. please go read it.  Here is the highlight:

“When the Israelites were on their way out of Egypt, the nation of Amalek attacked them. I am the Lord All-Powerful, and now I am going to make Amalek pay!

“Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Don’t have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.”

There it is – God, Himself, ordering military action far more cruel and destructive than anything we commonly think of as warfare these days.  God is far from a pacifist.  Furthermore, when Saul, then King of Israel, fails to follow this order to the letter, God removes him as king and replaces him with David.  Not only is God far from a pacifist, when He wants people killed, He is quite serious about it.

There are no hard and fast rules within the boundaries of Christianity about warfare – not if we are truly honest with ourselves and the totality of scripture.  It is a matter of prudence, wisdom and justice.  Our job is to be enough of God’s person to know when and when not to conduct warfare – to allow Him to shape us in such a way that we know when we are acting within His will.

The list of unGodly action by the Islamic regime in Iran is lengthy and legendary.  To not think there is justice in destroying that regime is to not understand justice at all.  Prior to our first shot begin fired, that regime was at the weakest point it had been in since its inception.  To attack when we did was prudent and wise.  If ever the destruction of an enemy was within God’s will, this is the time.

I am quite certain there will be many pacifist sermon’s this Sunday morning and prayers for peace, not victory.  Such people remain my Christian brothers and sisters, but they are wrong – very wrong.  This is a morning to pray for victory.

And so I shall – I hope you will join me.