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Can a Christian Serve in the Military 

(And the answer is yes.)

Introduction

In light of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack and the following wake of the spirit of war, many Christians are asking two questions, "Can a Christian be in the military and still be consistent with what God's Word has to say?" and "Is it okay to go to war as a Christian?"

Due to the churches overall lack of a coherent answer, many have been confused.  It's the author's prayer that this article would help provide a helpful and biblical insight into the answer.  Some take this topic as another intellectual fun time opportunity to go to the ivory tower and play some games.  Not so with the author.  Even years before the terrorist attack, this writer has experienced much grief, heartbreaks and sadness to seek the truth to this question.  Here is the final fruit of that pain.

Opening Principle

In order to answer the above questions whether one can be a Christian and serve in the military, we are going to exam some opening principles.

Some object to Christians being in the military since they hold to a pacifist world view.  Christian pacifism would tumble away if it could be demonstrated that Christians could serve in the military.  And since war should be forbidden in their view, those who conduct war (i.e., those in the military) should be viewed as immoral in it of itself.  Soldiers, Marines, Seaman and Airman are looked upon almost as if they are prostitutes, thief, etc..  Then there are those who object to Christians being in the military since it involves killing.  "Thou shall not murder" is their cry.

In order to defend the view that being a Christian and serving in the military is not inconsistent with God's Word, we will deal with the main topic by this logical layout approach:

1. Demonstrate the military is a legitimate institute in God's eyes
2. Show that simply being a soldier is not sinful
3. Whether Christians could join the military
4. Refute the pacifism nonsense after these points have been established

Servant with the Sword

 In order to show that being a Christian in the military is not inconsistent with God's Word, we need to see if God is anti- or pro- military.  In Romans 13:4 it is interesting to note that God's Word legitimizes justice through violence. 

"For he is God's servant to do you good.  But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing.  He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."

During the time when Paul wrote this in his epistles, the concept of police was the duty and function of the military (Roman legions, etc.).  The police force as we know it now didn't exist yet.  So when Romans 13:4 is talking about God's servant with the sword, he was actually talking about soldiers!  This fact reveals two things:

1. God views the military as a legitimate institution (check the context of Romans 13)
2. Not only does God view the military as legitimate, he calls them His servant, hardly something one would find in the Bible if God was against the military per se.

Those who object to military Christians, need to understand killing in the light of Romans 13:4. When killing is administered properly as given in the context of Romans 13:4, it is really a righteous thing.  In fact, those service members who conduct it under the Biblical mandate are God's servant!

Prostitutes, Robbers...and Soldiers?

Too often, those who are in the military are also viewed in the same league as prostitutes, robbers, thieves, and criminals.  These other occupations are considered "sinful".  But is the military a sinful occupation?

Jesus was not a man who simply overlooked those hooked in a sinful occupation.  Which meant, when he came across ladies who perform derogatory acts for a living, he focused on these sins and the importance of repentance.

However, it's interesting to know that Jesus never denounced soldiers as sinful.  Look at Jesus encounter with a Romans soldier in Matthew 8:5-13.

Jesus, the epistles Paul and other apostles wrote, never denounced the military as sinful.

Military as a High Example

A Christian as member of the armed forces, can rest in the fact that being a soldier is highly respected throughout the Bible, as it is still consistent within a Biblical world view.

You would not find any symbolism derived from a sinful occupation such as prostitution.  Yet, opening the Bible, what do we find about the Bible using analogies from the military?

Turn your Bible to Ephesians 6:10-20.  Military terms such as "full armor" (v.11), "breastplate" (v.14), "shield" (v. 16), "helmet" (v.17) and the "sword" (v.17) are used to describe being strong in the Lord.  Being a soldier was highly revered as we can see in Philippians 2:25 where Paul describes Epaphroditus, a fellow Christians as a "fellow soldier".

If other occupations such as doctors, lawyers and plumbers are approved for a Christian, why not even more of an occupation that is highly revered in the Bible?

Finishing the Pacifist

Since it has been demonstrated that Christians can be in the military, and since the military is an institute that wages war as one of it's primary methods, this fact should refute Pacifism!

--Jimmy Li

[Last edited December 18, 2001]