Jus Ad Bellum (Part 4)

As you can probably tell by the title, this is my fourth entry about the Justice of War. The last post primarily dealt with the spheres of authority and how some nations view it as within their realm of authority to exercise control or dominion over other countries. The objection I often get to this is that Saddam was a terrible man, did great evil to his people and meant for great evil in the area and the world. In this post, I would like to offer further clarification of MY OPINION (which I happen to believe is based on scripture)

I liken the above scenario with Saddam to a more domestic situation (and objectors tend to agree with this likening). Lets us suppose my neighbor and his wife have not been getting along. Then let us further suppose that I see bruises on her face someday and she confides to me that she has been beaten by her husband. What moral authority do I have in this situation? Do I have the moral authority to stop it and keep it from happening again? If so, what measures are appropriate? Do I have the moral authority to punish the man?

Scripture clearly teaches that we are to care for the oppressed and to help them and love them. As a neighbor, I have a moral (and probably legal) obligation to see that this situation is rectified, that the woman is protected, the man is punished, and that it the situation does not repeat itself. Justice demands it and justice must be served. BUT, Justice will only be served justly. If I attempt to serve justice in an unjust manner, then justice will be demanded for me.

If I went into the man's house and gave him bruises in the same way and manner he gave them to his wife, that would be clearly wrong. Why? Paul tells us in Romans, that God has given the sword (and perhaps we can also add the whip) not to men as individuals, but to those who govern. The governing authorities must intervene in the lives of their 'subjects' to protect and punish as is their responsibility. God has granted that authority to the state/nation/governor. It is my responsibility to assist them and notify them and even to hold them accountable.

Now, how does this relate to sovereign nation/states? When a dictator or regime or political system of a nation/state commits wrong or evil upon its own citizenry, what is the responsibility of the neighboring states/nations (in our small world, its an easy case to say all nations neighbor each other)? In the domestic situation described in the previous paragraphs, the neighbor had the responsibility to care for the oppressed and assist her in her plight. The neighbor also had the responsibility of entrusting the matter to the governing authorities. So also in this case. The difference, however, is that the governing authority here is the One who is sovereign over all creation, the One who establishes nations and their boundaries and their governing authorities. The neighboring countries must offer shelter to the oppressed and then entrust the matter to the vengeance of God.

Let me conclude with this small note. When the authorities of a sovereign nation commit a crime against another nation or its citizenry, then it is the responsibility of the victimized nation to retaliate and punish and perhaps even conquer the guilty country. The extent of the punishment must be fair and proportional, worth the money and lives/blood spent, and must be carried out by the proper channels of authority. This however is another subject for another time (known as Jus In Bello as opposed to Jus Ad Bellum).

The point of this post, and the previous, was to show from a biblical perspective the unjustness of the current doctrine of foreign policy of the United States, i.e. that of intervening in the internal affairs of other nations. It is not about the justness of the current conflicts in Afghanistan or Iraq. We did not go to those countries, as some claim, to settle their own injustices, nor would it be right for us to have done so. Our reason for going to Iraq was altogether different, but I disagree with that reason also and will blog about it another time.

Busy

I've been planning on blogging for quite some time now about several different things and finally have the time and can't remember what i was going to say :S

i guess i'm getting old. I will share some exciting news. The Driscolls are now debt free. I paid off the house Monday! :) Now where going to use all that extra money to fix the house we own.

I am also excited about starting to get back into shape. I went running for the first time in 7 or 8 months yesterday. I believe that to be the longest 'no run' spell of my life. I ran two miles in 14:31. i'm happy with it, but i'm sore today. i over stretched and strained a back muscle. another hint at the old thing.

Also, i should be receiving my new (to me) road bike in the next hour or so. hope to get into shape on that thing as well.

This has been an unusual 2 weeks for me. i met with my dad about two weeks ago and we talked and he gave me this simple little prayer that i believe God has been answering positively in my life. That is, "Jesus, help me to live out the fruit of the Spirit who lives in me with the fruit of 'self'-control. needless to say, its been a much better two weeks as far as my self discipline has gone. i've been reading some history, theology, and/or missiology almost everyday and my prayer time has been more intimate and growing as well.

So that's my life lately. Had a great Good Friday/Easter weekend with my church family and my extended (in-laws) family. Driving track bus often and planning for an olympic themed Camp of the Master this year.

i hope i can blog more later
Micah

The Blah Blog

Yesterday, i got hit with a bug that took me out. today, its still hanging around but i think i got it licked. My wife says she's been feeling some of the effects of this for the past couple of days as well. Enoch has seen the most damage from it, actually loosing his breakfast Tuesday AM. Hopefully we're all finishing up with it now. JT has a wrestling tourney tomorrow and i hope he's well enough to go. He missed the last one because he was sick with a cold and there is only one more yet this year. Soo.... i feel blah, hence the title of this post.

article viii

Article VIII of the EFCA statement of faith states that we believe "that the true Church is composed of all such persons who through faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head. Here is the first draft of my ordination/licensing paper about this point.

The word church has several meanings in the English language. On the other hand, in scripture there is only one meaning, that is ‘called out ones for the purpose of assembling.’ The use of this word sometimes is different in its scope, but not in its meaning. In the larger sense of the word, church refers to the body of believers in Jesus Christ, not subject to a particular location (Matt. 16:18, Acts 9:31, Col. 1:24). The Church consists of all those that are born again (Tit. 3:5), being redeemed of God (Acts 20:28), saved from His wrath by their savior Jesus (Eph. 5:23). The True Church is all believers, everywhere. This understanding has often been called the true Church, the universal Church, the catholic Church, or the worldwide Church.

In scripture, there are several metaphors used to describe The Church, however, two are primary. The first it is the Body of Christ and the second is the Bride of Christ. The Church, as The Body, belongs to the Head, which is Christ. He, Christ, being the Head, has authority and control over the Body, His Church and the Body has its whole being through the Head (Eph. 4:16, 5:23-24). This is also true for The Church as The Bride of Christ. As the husband is the head of the wife, so Christ is the Head of the Church. He loved the Church and gave Himself up for her on the cross. The Church then is subject to Him as a wife is to her husband (Eph. 5:22-32).

The True Church is one with each other and with Christ. He, as the Head, has called us out from the darkness to assemble together in His marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). The unity of the Church is spiritual (I Pet. 2:5), yet real, and only because of Him. There is only one body, one Spirit and one Lord. He prayed for this (John 17:22) and presumably still does (Rom. 8:34).

The True Church is central to God’s plan. It is the tool by which God has chosen to make known His manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities of the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10). It is the pillar and support of truth (I Tim. 3:15). In Colossians one, Paul lists attributes of the supremacy of Jesus Christ. One item in this list is that Jesus is head of the body, the church (Col. 1:18). The Church is the means by which God wants missionaries commissioned (Acts 13:1-14:28), leaders trained (II Tim. 2:2, Tit. 2:1-5), believers encouraged (Heb. 10:25), and instructed in sound doctrine (I Tim. 4:13, Tit. 1:9).

The early church was devoted to the apostles teaching (i.e. the scriptures, both old and new) and to fellowship (the sharing of material things as well as spiritual encouragement), to the breaking of bread (the celebration of the Lord’s Supper) and to prayer (Acts 2:42). The Church is God’s temple (I Cor. 3:16), consisting of individual living stones being built up into a spiritual house (I Pet. 2:5). Jesus said that God’s house should be called a house of prayer (Mark 11:17). As the church is central to God’s plan, prayer, scripture, fellowship and communion must be central to the Church.

Quote on authority

Government Authority Limited by God

"Because all things do not fall under the authority that God gave to government, it has limited powers and cannot interfere with those things which belong to the church, the family or the individual (I would add 'or other nations' here). A candidate who does not understand God's ultimate jurisdiction over government will tend to allow government to infringe upon the realms of the church, the family and even the individual, resulting in tyranny." Judge Roy Moore