Bullets for the Battle

War, Peace and the Pinnacle: Part 2

The following post is from a response I made to a former member of my congregation after he e-mailed me a question. One of our fine Baptists, Dr. Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, made a statement concerning a position on war and foreign policy determined by President Bush on Iraq. The issue of chief concern was Dr. Land’s saying all Baptist agreed with the President’s response to 9/11. My answer, concerning some of my thoughts on the complex issues of war, peace, foreign policy and a Cross Disciple’s response, follows.

Each of us is “condemned” to act out a less than perfect role on earth no matter what political path one might choose … be it conservatives, liberal, passive or radical. All four positions can be “extreme.” When it comes to war … is one basically a 1) conscientious objector (I will never fight), 2) a pacifist (all violence is wrong, but I may be forced to fight), 3) a just war believer (war is necessary, like capital punishment, but I’ll be sure of the justice of it before I fight) or 4) a holy war advocate (it is the instrument of God and we should fight anytime it will advance our highest purpose).

Everything Dr. Land said fits somewhere into the four categories above. The differing phases of each have been chosen by sincere Christians for 2,000 years. His error, if I understand the issue correctly, would have me say I agree with you. He should not write as though he speaks for all Southern Baptists on this multi-option subject. We must remember, however, reading his letter in 2009 can in no way recapture the intensity, shocks, wounds and fears of the American people when he wrote it in 2002. We must see it in the light of the fresh experience of 9/11. They are different worlds!

U.S. foreign policy today plays musical chairs continually, as we have for over 220 years. We can be either isolationist (Europe – 1940) on an issue or imperialistic (Spain – 1898). If neither of those fit, we are either benevolent interventionists (Indian Ocean tsunami relief – 2004) or self-interested interventionists (Kuwait – 1990). I could offer numerous historical illustrations, if I took the time and space, for these four options. (I contend there are always four options that surround us personally and nationally.) This would make for an excellent research paper (it probably already exists in many formats). Whoever is in the White House at the time of a decision will tip the scales of foreign policy according to the political climate of the times. The president’s political party, the American electorate and personal ideology cannot be ignored. In the midst of critical events, principle is often lost, if ever known.

My primary responsibility as a servant of Jesus is to hear the voice of the Master for my life calling and then yield to His specific, eternal and global desires for my personal cross mission. Mine is to be a Citizen of Heaven above all other loyalties. I do have a secondary responsibility to be the best citizen I can be of the United States. Right or wrong, it is my only country to make “politically better.” But no matter how “better” I might make it, all human governments will always be malignant with sinful human nature; even the best acclaimed “good” will only be temporary, even though beneficial for a season. Nevertheless, those of us who see the world with the eyes of Christ and invest our energies in the Savior’s global mission can affect every nation on earth with spiritual and even political and economic “salvation!” Rich evidence to this fact is everywhere!

Yet again, my primary responsibility as a Cross Disciple on this earth is to increase my praise, perception and performance as an individual in order to reflect the faith and fragrance of my true Commander Warrior General, Jesus Christ. May God help us all to see this priority and pay the price to aim for its fulfillment!

I am not primarily a conservative, a liberal, a radical or a passivist. I am, by God’s grace, a pinnacleist. I seek to see all four positions noted above with the mind of Christ. Each ideology reflects both truth and lie, and they can only come to highest unity with the mind of Christ in His “fullness of time.” I seek to sit on the pinnacle of the pyramid of my life experience and theologically and philosophically reign over each of the four positions. It is there that I will see most clearly the Lord’s 360 degree vision of His creation. Only “on the pinnacle” of my personal life pyramid will my vision be such that I can most powerfully reflect to others the approval and authority of Christ in my words and in my deeds. Although I am a small, limited little man in this world’s vast order of things, I will strive to contribute my creative best to help people, honor Christ’s Lordship and “cross advance” my own issues. In essence, I am joyfully waiting on the Savior’s coming kingdom … the only government that will be true, just, perfect and full of the Lord from heaven. While I wait, I am contentedly occupied with only one goal … “finding more of the Master in the midst of the mess.” In this way, I will most perfectly be His warrior and “fight the good fight of faith” (I Tim. 6:12; II Tim. 4:7). (To put “fight the good fight” in more brilliant and enthralling tones … let us hear it in the Greek and praise the Source of all we are even more … Paul’s words to dear Timothy and to us should fire our hearts, “The good agony I have agonized.” Therefore you too should “… agonize the good agony of the faith.” Thank God we have been granted this kind of suffering for the Savior’s sake (Phil. 1:29).) I take the great Apostle’s counsel to his faithful Timothy as the Savior’s personal word to me!

• “He trains my hands for battle.” Psalm 18:34
• Or as David put it in Psalm 120:6-7,”Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace, but when I speak, they are for war.”
• “There is a season for every activity under heaven … a time for peace and a time for war.” Ecclesiastes 3:1,8

These, my friend, are a few of my thoughts on President Bush, Dr. Land and, above all, you and me! May our Lord enable us all to go to the pinnacle as we remain four brothers in Christ.