The Christian Martialist, as I have defined him, is a particular kind of warrior. I would like you to take few moments to consider what the words Christian warrior mean to you.
Do you see yourself as a warrior who happens to be a Christian, or do you see yourself as a Christian whom God has called to be a warrior? In other words, do you integrate your Christianity around your status as a warrior, or do you integrate your calling as a warrior around your status as a Christian. It makes a big difference.
I've heard some say that once the battle begins, all morality goes out the window. That would be the position of someone who sees himself as a warrior first with Christianity added in. The Biblical principles governing warfare have no place once the shooting starts.
To the Christian whom God has called as a warrior, the Word of God must govern all he does. This includes how he conducts himself in battle. He may have to take a life, but he lets God dictate the parameters of who, what, where and when.
Just to give you one passage that directs the ethics of warfare, please look at the following passage:
Do you see yourself as a warrior who happens to be a Christian, or do you see yourself as a Christian whom God has called to be a warrior? In other words, do you integrate your Christianity around your status as a warrior, or do you integrate your calling as a warrior around your status as a Christian. It makes a big difference.
I've heard some say that once the battle begins, all morality goes out the window. That would be the position of someone who sees himself as a warrior first with Christianity added in. The Biblical principles governing warfare have no place once the shooting starts.
To the Christian whom God has called as a warrior, the Word of God must govern all he does. This includes how he conducts himself in battle. He may have to take a life, but he lets God dictate the parameters of who, what, where and when.
Just to give you one passage that directs the ethics of warfare, please look at the following passage:
Deuteronomy 20:1-20 Israel
When You Go To War
1 "When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.
Priests Encourage the Soldiers
2 So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. 3 And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; 4 for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'
Soldiers Released From Duty
5 "Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying: 'What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it. 6 And what man is there who has planted a vineyard and has not yet eaten of it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man eat of it. 7 And what man is there who is betrothed to a woman and has not married her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man marry her.'
Release of the fearful
8 "The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, 'What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.'
Appointing Leaders
9 "And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
Offer of Peace and Tribute
10 "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. 11 And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you.
War Against a City – Spoils of War
12 Now if the city will not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it. 13 And when the LORD your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.14 But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you. 15 Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not of the cities of these nations.
Destroy Cities of Your Inheritance
16 But of the cities of these peoples which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive, 17 but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the LORD your God has commanded you, 18 lest they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods, and you sin against the LORD your God.
Do Not Destroy Fruit Trees
19 "When you besiege a city for a long time, while making war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an ax against them; if you can eat of them, do not cut them down to use in the siege, for the tree of the field is man's food. 20 Only the trees which you know are not trees for food you may destroy and cut down, to build siegeworks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued. NKJV
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