Skip to main content

The Spirit of war

David Lipscomb was an  American minister, educator and leader in the Restoration movement. In 1855 David Lipscomb, along with Tolbert Fanning, started to publish a magazine called the Gospel Advocate. The Gospel Advocate became an influential publication within the Restoration Movement. On April 28, 1898 David Lipscomb wrote about the "spirit of war" on the eve of the Spanish-American war. Lipscomb's statement still rings loudly today as he calls for Christians to reflect and consider the "spirit of war” in light of the Spirt of Jesus. Here is part of his editorial statement in the April 28, 1898 Gospel Advocate (p. 269):
War is disastrous to all prosperity and good of a people.  It may for a time create activity in business in preparing for and caring on a conflict, but it must result permanently in more taxes and less to pay with.  The people pay all the cost of war.  But the material injury produced by war is the least harmful of its effects.  The destruction of life and the sorrow of heart it brings to surviving friends and relations appeal more directly to our sympathies since we see the suffering and distress; but above these is the moral and spiritual effect.  War is hurtful to all true moral and spiritual good in people.  These are the highest and most lasting interests of the people.  We do not see the awful results with our natural senses, but they are widespread and lasting.  It is strange that a professed follower of the Son of God can approve of the war spirit for a moment.  It is distressing to see how professed Christians, in and out of Congress, preachers and privates, can be carried away with, and encourage and foment, this spirit of war.  It is contrary to the whole spirit of the religion of Jesus Christ.  When a man professes to be follower of Jesus he professes to try to do like Jesus.  That is what being a Christian means. Every Christian is pledged to what Jesus would do were he in his place.  Just what Jesus would do, were he in person, is what the follower of Jesus must do.  Does any one believe that if Jesus were here he would make war speeches and encourage the spirit of war?  Would Jesus join the army of the United States to fight Spain, or join the army of Spain to fight the United States?  Would he thus fight against himself?  Would he kill and destroy?

Wars and strifes will continue while human governments exist, and God will overrule them for his own purposes; but the Christian’s citizenship is in heaven, and his duty is to perform the offices of love and good will to all men of every color and kindred and nation, but to destroy none.  Jesus sent him into this world as sheep among wolves, to do good for evil, and to pray for them who despitefully use and persecute them.  Jesus did not lay this principle aside in any other troubles and persecutions that came upon him.  His true followers must not do it.  But when men vote to send others to war, they ought to go themselves.  The evil being in participating in the political strifes and conflicts of human governments, drinking in a spirit that is of man not of God.  Unless we have the spirit of Christ, we are none of his.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on The Widening of God's Mercy by Hays and Hays

When I heard about the book by Hays and Hays titled The Widening of God Mercy I was intrigued. I had read Richard Hays' book The Moral Vision of the New Testament in seminary, especially the chapter on homosexuality. I ended up adopting much, if not all, of Hays' position on homosexuality and often used his reasoning while serving as a church minister.  I have read other things that Richard Hays has written such as Reading Backwards: Figural Christology and the Fourfold Gospel Witness and found it beneficial to my understanding of Jesus and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. When it was suggested that Richard Hays might have changed his mind about what he wrote in  The Moral Vision of the New Testament  on homosexuality, I wanted to find out for myself.  My Context I spent over ten years doing youth ministry in the local church. I now know many adults who used to be teenagers in my youth group. Some of those adults are gay or lesbian. That means unbeknownst ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Worshiping the executioner part 1 (Suffering and Faith)

The brother kept yelling "I did this" as I opened the door to one of the hospital family consultation rooms. Maybe you have sat in a room like this and received some not-so-good news. Rooms such as these tend to be basic. A few not-so-comfy chairs, a drab paint job, and odd abstract artwork on the walls.  I had asked the family members, who had been seated in the ER waiting area, to follow me to the family room. I told them that the doctor wanted to give them an update on how their loved one was doing. The family gathered up their belongings and nervously began to follow me. The family consisted of two adults, a baby, and two girls. One of the girls was the daughter of the patient that the doctor needed to give an update on.  She was a cute little girl. Probably about four or five years old. She had messy wavy short blond hair and green eyes. She was wearing a pale pink shirt with little white flower prints and a matching pair of pants. She had a pair of Crocs-style pink shoe...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Power of Touch

Some folks like to hug, and others would rather eat glass than get a hug. Okay, maybe not eat glass but they aren’t into hugs. You know who you are! Wherever you might be on the hug me or don’t hug me spectrum our human bodies were designed for human contact to thrive.1,2 Physical touch like a hug or holding a person’s hand can reduce pain, lower cortisol levels, boost immune responses, and foster empathy. Physical touch can also have a positive impact on our emotional health as well. It is a powerful moment when you feel down, outcast, and excluded and someone acknowledges your humanity with a handshake, hug, or hand placed on your shoulder. The point is there is power in human touch that goes beyond what our eyes can see. Frederick Buechner in his book  Whistling in the Dark talks about the power of human touch when he writes:  I hear your words. I see your face. I smell the rain in your hair, the coffee on your breath. I am inside me experiencing you as you are inside you ...
Post a Comment
Read more