Christians And Combatant Military Service ?
 

Is it wrong for Christian to join the military and take part in combatant military service or if a Christian is in the military must he only serve in noncombatant duty ?
What say ye ?
What do the scriptures teach about the subject ?

Just don't ask Moses... his ideas might be a little too barbaric for us. lol.

When Jesus quoted what we call the "thou shalt not kill" commandment, He quoted it as "thou shalt do no murder" (Matthew 19:18). That's the way the NKJV translates it in the list of the "10 commandments" in Exodus 20. God made "murder" illegal, but He authorized taking a life in war and taking a life in capital punishment. He also made a difference in what we today would call "manslaughter" and "murder."

As far as UPC, this is in their Articles of Faith:..I see (1940) there, does that still apply?

CONSCIENTIOUS SCRUPLES

We recognize the institution of human government as being of divine ordination, and, in so doing, affirm unswerving loyalty to our Government; however, we take a definite position regarding the bearing of arms or the taking of human life.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we believe in implicit obedience to His commandments and precepts which instruct us as follows: ".. that ye resist not evil. . ." (Matt. 5:39): "Follow peace with all men..." (Heb. 12:14). (See also Matt. 26:52; Rom. 12:19; James 5:6; Revelation 13:10). These we believe and interpret to mean Christians shall not shed blood nor take human life.

Therefore, we propose to fulfill all the obligations of loyal citizens, but are constrained to declare against participating in combatant service in war, armed insurrection, property destruction, aiding or abetting in or the actual destruction of human life.

Furthermore, we cannot conscientiously affiliate with any union, boycott, or organization which will force or bind any of its members to belong to any organization, perform any duties contrary to our conscience, or receive any mark, without our right to affirm or reject same (1930).

However, we regret the false impression created by some groups or so-called "conscientious objectors" that to obey the Bible is to have a contempt for law or magistrates, to be disloyal to our Government and in sympathy with our enemies, or to be unwilling to sacrifice for the preservation of our commonwealth. This attitude would be as contemptible to us as to any patriot. The Word of God commands us to do violence to no man. It also commands us that first of all we are to pray for rulers of our country. We, therefore, exhort our members to freely and willingly respond to the call of our Government except in the matter of bearing arms. When we say service, we mean service-no matter how hard or dangerous. The true church has no more place for cowards than has the nation. First of all, however, let us earnestly pray that we will with honor be kept out of war.

We believe that we can be consistent in serving our Government in certain noncombatant capacities, but not in the bearing of arms. (1940).

We further believe that our military personnel must live in a manner consistent with the Articles of Faith.

Military Service
 

Sarah...

I am a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel and ordained UPCI minister, so I do have a personal perspective on this issue.

I believe the particular section of the Articles of Faith you have referenced is being completely ignored for the most part in the last 15-20 years. Many of our churches are located near major military bases and have large memberships and ministers who are active duty military personnel. In some cases, UPCI executive officers have pastored churches with extensive military membership and military members holding ministry positions in the assembly.

There is a clear and distinct principle in scripture that allows both a society and an individual to defend hearth and home as well as defend country in time of war. Years ago, young ministers were encouraged to register as conscientious objectors...however, now, as with many church issues that are being examined carefully in light of scriptural foundation and reference, the military issue has died from neglect...

My father served in the US Army during WWII, as a noncombatant medic, served on the front lines and treating the wounded in the middle of combat all without any weapon of his own. He was preserved by his faith, and was a true testimony of honor and courage to his fellow soldiers. He received not a scratch in some of the heaviest fighting in the Philippines and afterward in Japan. Except for God's protection I would not be here today.

My older brother served in Vietnam, in the same manner. He however, did get injured when the jeep he was riding in hit a big bump and the surgical scissors in his back pocket were impaled into his rear end. Otherwise, he also received perfect protection.

I believe the individual must have a deep faith and conviction to pursue these paths, otherwise you better have the weapons. I believe there is a difference between murder and service to preserve one's country.

My grandfather and great uncles were told to register as conscientious objectors during WWII. Grandpa worked as a dental assistant in Georgia, never left the US. One of my uncles was either a cook or a medic, don't know which story is right. The other two got medical exemptions.

My dad is a WWII hero...I don't feel comfortable posting all of the things about him on this forum, but he was a very brave soldier and won numerous awards. My dad has never been UPC.

Christians And Combatant Military Service
 

Crakjak,

I might add also that Dad came home, raised a small army himself. He

and Mom raised a family of eleven children (Seven sons and four daughters)

and founded a work for God the same year our youngest sibling was born.

He pastored this work for over thirty years before God took him home 17

yrs. ago. Mom followed ten years later. We eleven siblings remain as a

testimony to a just man and his wife whose spirits have been made perfect.

Dad's faith wasn't only in the army. He and Mom trusted God for just about

everything. And God certainly honored their faith in many ways. I thank

God for allowing us to be raised in this God-fearing, God-loving home.

Blessings,

Falla39

Where is Bro Strange when you need him...................

I was preaching when I met the draft board it was very scary I was an 18 year old the Vietnam war was on and all the demostrations and draft dodgers had them mad if it had not been for the mercy of God the guy over the draft board would have sent me to Leavenworth he said so. Our church was NOT UPC we had no articles of faith so I was on my own. I honor the men who fought and those who died and have never besmirched them. Anyone who went is a hero to me. I just could not take up arms, to this day I do not have a gun since I don't hunt. I probably did not do it right since I did it on my own but the Lord had to have delivered me. I met the board 3 times. The last time I kissed my mother good by I figured they would haul me off to prison. But a Catholic doctor who owned the hospital interceded for me by telling them if his son was a priest he would not want him carrying a gun. He talked them in your giving me a deference on ministry basis. The Lord was indeed my helper.

There is nothing in the New Testament that teaches against military service. The only thing we really have to go on is when some soldiers asked John the Baptist what they needed to do and the fact that Cornelius in Acts 10 was a Roman soldier. John Baptist didn't tell them to get out of the military and Peter didn't tell Cornelius to get out of the military.

For many years most Holiness and Pentecostal groups have taught agains't Christians bearing up arms in the military ,so it this an outdated standard ?

This is an issue that has alway had great interest for me. I agree that scripture allows us to defend the question that really needs to be asked is what qualifies under the terms of defense. The concept of a "just war" qualifying us to take up arms is a dangerous proposition. Who among is us is really able to determine that the war is truly just. Politics play such a large role in these things that our ability to discern whether our war is just or not, particularily when it is the Godless media who are the ones feeding us our information.

History is filled with examples of wars that ought not to have been fought. I think, as pastors, we really need to be very careful when giving a green light to military service. We may be putting our young people into a position that God really doesn't want them in.

A lot of stuff appears in the articles of faith, rules, manual, etc that is overlooked and ignored. Some of this stuff is like old laws that are still on the books but ignored by general consensus of the people. Yes, they are still there, and they may have had a purpose at some particular time, but the are no longer relevant.

I respect everyone's personal convicition - but we owe our freedom to the men and women who have fought to keep us free. If I were a male, I am not sure I could go, but someone has to do it. The Israelites fought in Biblical days. God gave them direction in the battles.

God has always made a distinction between murder and just killing. At the same time the 10 commandments were in effect that prohibited "killing" God was commanding Israel to kill people left and right in war.

It is too late and I am too tired to go through the total reasoning right now but the biblical pattern is clear in supporting lethal action by a governments military or law enforcement.

Some on here will argue that the New Testament does away with this concept but there is nothing to indicate that. Jesus did not change the law.

So if a Christian is in the military and shoots someone in battle ,they haven't committed cold -blooded murder ?

No, they have not. No more than if I shoot someone who breaks into my house and is planning to kill my family.

But if one reads the manuals of many Pentecostal groups both Trinity and Oneness it seems they teach that combatant military service is murder ?
I think The AOG leaves the decision up to the individual.

I thank God for men and women that were willing to put their lives on the line and kill the enemy (if necesary) to preserve our way of life and freedoms.

My son goes to Iraq in late September, and I hope and pray that it is not neccessary for him to fire his weapon at the enemy.