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George W. Knight III
In the light of all the foregoing considerations, the Christian Church has
recognized that the Christian must fight for his country in a just war and
must refuse to fight in an unjust war, with the burden of proof being on the
Christian more than on the state. If he dissents, as he may, he must be willing
to take the consequence of his dissent.
We may not limit the just war to that of self-defense, as some have said.
True, the European countries and Great Britain had a right to defend them
selves against the Nazis as did the United States against Japan in World War
II. But the United States did not need to be attacked by Japan to justify its
warring against the Nazis to help Great Britain and Europe.
What of the war in Viet Nam? Were the aggressors Communist North
Vietnamese who sought to spread godless Communism to the sea in the Ori
ent? Was it wrong for America or other countries to help South Viet Nam
defend itself and also to hold back at that point the conquest by Commu
nism? Can it be conclusively proved to have been unjust? There may be rea
sons to say that continued involvement by America was unwise or unneces
sary, but this is something other than saying that this war, or the American
position in it, was contrary to biblical teaching. Finally, for the Christian, the
defense of one’s own country or the aid given to another depends not upon
the form of government or upon the morality of those in authority but simply
on the justice of that defense or self-defense.
These considerations do not mean that the Christian delights in war or is
a militarist. The Christian has a deep antipathy to war, even though he rec
ognizes its inevitability in a world of sin. Like James, he recognizes that, as a
general principle, all conflict is rooted in man’s sin and lust (James 4). But
he also remembers the words of Jesus that there will be wars and rumors of
wars until He returns, so that he will not fall into the idealistic folly of speak
ing of the war to end all wars. Even though the Christian may be caricatured
by the non-Christian as the hopeless idealist, he is truly realistic in that he
takes sin, which James speaks of, seriously and therefore realizes that he may
be involved in a war of defense.
From George W. Knight, III, “Can A Christian Go to War?” Used by permission,
Christianity Today
(21 November 1975): 4-7.