Ecclesiastes 3:8 says, “…A time for war and a time for peace.”
The question is when is it time for war? Although it is inevitable in a fallen world, most people have no desire for it. So, what is the cause of it? The Scripture says, “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:1-3).
Thus, wars are internally prompted by all humans' hedonistic, lustful, and envious nature, but some are more disciplined than others. When an undisciplined nation, which does not ask God to meet its needs, attacks a disciplined nation, which does ask God to meet its needs, then “a time for war” is in order. King David testified, “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1). War against whom? All of Israel’s enemies who by extension were God’s enemies. Today, all unbelievers are God’s enemies (Phil. 3:18), but that doesn’t justify believers going to war with them for that reason. Believers are commissioned to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matt. 28:19-20a). While believers in Christ are currently engaged in a spiritual war (Eph. 6:11-13), nations are currently involved in a physical war (just or unjust) against each other. However, when Christians go to war, it is not on behalf of the church, but on behalf of the nation of their citizenship. Unfortunately, Christians have fought in wars on opposite sides (e.g., Medieval wars, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, etc.). Whenever a war is at hand, Christians have to decide either to be a conscientious objectors or that it is a time for war.
Blessings.
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