The Christian View of War and Peace
Last updated: 2026-04-13
The Bible recognizes war as a somber reality of a fallen world, sometimes commanded by God in specific redemptive-historical contexts (such as the conquest of Canaan) and permitted for civil magistrates to maintain justice and defend the innocent under the New Testament. While Christians are called to be peacemakers, both Reformed and Particular Baptist traditions maintain that the use of force by the state in just and necessary circumstances is not inherently sinful.
⚔️ The Reality of War and Civil Authority
The Reformed tradition, as expressed in the 1689 LBCF Ch.24 §2, holds that it is lawful for Christians to serve as magistrates and, in that capacity, to wage war upon just and necessary occasions to maintain justice and peace. This view is echoed in the Westminster Confession of Faith Ch.23 §2, which affirms the same necessity for the preservation of a commonwealth. The magistrate does not bear the sword in vain, as noted in the Second Helvetic Confession, which explains that the sword is to be drawn against malefactors and for the defense of the people. This is grounded in the biblical principle that the civil government is an institution ordained by God for the order of society.
Sources: 1689 LBCF Ch.24 §2 · Westminster Confession of Faith Ch.23 §2 · Second Helvetic Confession
📖 Scriptural Principles of Warfare
In the Old Testament, Israel received specific instructions regarding the conduct of war. In Deuteronomy 20:1, the Lord instructed the people not to fear their enemies, for He was with them. Further, in Deuteronomy 20:4, the text declares, "for Jehovah your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." These wars were often tied to the specific inheritance of the land and the judgment of nations that practiced great abominations. While the New Testament emphasizes the gospel of peace, the principle that the Lord grants authority to human governments to restrain evil remains, as seen in the broader witness of Scripture that the Lord is the ultimate Arbiter of justice.
Sources: Deuteronomy 20:1 · Deuteronomy 20:4
🕊️ Gospel Hope and the Sword
While the state may exercise the sword, the Christian's hope is not in earthly power, but in the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Augustine noted in The City of God, those who wage war in obedience to God's law or a just commission are acting as agents of public justice, not as personal murderers. Ultimately, we look forward to the day when Christ returns, the Prince of Peace, to establish a kingdom where war is no more. Until then, we live in a world that is more sinful than we dared believe, yet we are sustained by the grace of Christ, who has already won the ultimate victory over sin, death, and the devil. Our obedience is not a means to acceptance, but a fruit of the peace we have already found in Christ.
Sources: The City of God
The Reformed tradition generally affirms the Just War theory, viewing the civil magistrate's use of force as a God-ordained means of preserving justice and peace. In contrast, various pacifist positions argue that the New Testament call to love enemies and turn the other cheek precludes participation in any form of lethal conflict.
⚔️ The Just War Tradition
The Reformed understanding, articulated in the 1689 LBCF Ch.24 §2 and the Westminster Confession Ch.23 §2, teaches that Christians may lawfully hold the office of a magistrate and, in that capacity, wage war upon 'just and necessary occasions.' This view is grounded in the belief that God has instituted the magistrate as His servant to restrain evil and protect the innocent. As noted in the Second Helvetic Confession, the magistrate acts as the sword of God against malefactors, a role that extends to defending the safety of the people when all other efforts for peace have failed. This is consistent with the principle that while the individual is called to personal patience, the state is entrusted with public justice, as evidenced by the command: 'For he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil' (Romans 13:4).
Sources: 1689 LBCF Ch.24 §2 · Westminster Confession Ch.23 §2 · Romans 13:4 · Second Helvetic Confession
🕊️ Pacifism and the Gospel
Pacifist traditions often interpret the Sermon on the Mount, particularly the command in Matthew 5:39, as a categorical rejection of violence for the believer. While the Reformed tradition honors the sincerity of those who hold to Christian non-resistance, it draws a distinction between the personal ethics of the believer—who is called to turn the other cheek and forgive—and the institutional duty of the magistrate to uphold justice in a fallen world. We must remember that all such temporal orders will one day pass away. Our ultimate hope is not in the strength of earthly swords, but in the Prince of Peace, whose kingdom is not of this world and who has already secured the final victory over all sin, violence, and death through His own sacrificial death and resurrection.
Sources: Matthew 5:39
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