Isaiah 63
Isaiah 63
God’s Day of Vengeance and Redemption
 1 Who is this coming from Edom,
      from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
      Who is this, robed in splendor,
      striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
      “It is I, speaking in righteousness,
      mighty to save.” 2 Why are your garments red,
      like those of one treading the winepress? 3 “I have trodden the winepress alone;
      from the nations no one was with me.
      I trampled them in my anger
      and trod them down in my wrath;
      their blood spattered my garments,
      and I stained all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
      and the year of my redemption has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help,
      I was appalled that no one gave support;
      so my own arm worked salvation for me,
      and my own wrath sustained me. 6 I trampled the nations in my anger;
      in my wrath I made them drunk
      and poured their blood on the ground.”
Here is another passage on righteousness that cuts to the chase about God and war; another passage that atheists use to prove their case about God, that He is inconsistent, and that we are inconsistent for taking Christ’s pacifism without God’s bloodthirstiness. It’s inconsistent they say.
The thing about war that modern people do not seem to get, and I include many Christians in this charge, is that it is part of the natural order that God has set up.
What a huge charge, too large for me to address adequately address here, and so I will address it inadequately.
Acting in anger is not a sin if that anger is not in sin and if you act without otherwise sinning.
Acting in anger is righteouss if you are outraged at evil, your actions are against said evil, and the actions you take are just.
To the extent that a man can do this, he will not be in sin for doing so. In my opinion, a mere man cannot, but a God could.
A man cannot know what the true justice of a situation will be, because he cannot know everthing, and cannot act on all knowledge. God can.
God appoints rulers in this world, to act on His behalf. As Paul writes, ”all authority is from God.” Therefore, a ruler acting in faith under God’s authority is supposed to carry out justice to the best of his ability. He is to do this if he believes God, wants to obey Him, and is zealous for the purity of God’s name.
A soldier in the army is not acting under his own volition, but under his ruler’s volition, who has the authority of God to direct that soldier (directly or indirectly) to act against evil, for justice’s sake.
Therefore, a ruler, knowing himself to be a sinful human, can only act in righteous anger against evil if he does so in faith to God. In his private life however, he is to be peaceful, acting as Christ depicts in scripture.
Therefore, a soldier, knowing himself to be a sinful human, does not act in his own anger against evil, but in his ruler’s, who has God’s authority to act. In his private life however, he is to be peaceful, acting as Christ depicts in scripture.
Therefore, a civilian, knowing himself to be a sinful human, does not act against evil, but feeds his nation’s army, who obeys the ruler, who acts with the authority of God. That said, a civilian is to live only as Christ depicts in scripture.
These are the rules, as I understand them, for fighting evil at a national (or corporate) level.
Therefore, a Christian is not to act against an evil nation as a private citizen, but can support the soldiers who do so, and vote for the ruler who commands them.
Therefore, a Christian is not to act against an evil nation as a private citizen, but may do so as a soldier, carrying out God-given authority of his ruler.
Therefore, a Christain is not to act against an evil nation as a private citizen, but may do so as his nation’s ruler, acting under the authority of God.
Such actions against evil are therefore just. Such actions include killing, first and foremost. Does it include interrogation? And to what degree? The answer to that question is the answer to a very simple question.
The question is NOT… what is the least barbaric?
The question is NOT… what puts us in the best light?
The question is NOT… what is the most humane?
The question is NOT… what makes us act the least like those are evil?
No. Those are not the questions.
The question is this… what is justice?
Justice isn’t fair. It isn’t humane. It isn’t compassionate to those who are evil, but to those are righteous and faithful to God.
So, in defense of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless… what is just?
If we can answer that question, then we will have our foreign policy, and we will honor God.