Christianity Stands Apart from Warfare (A.T. Jones)

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This article first appeared in the May 10, 1900 issue of The Sentinel of Liberty edited by A.T. Jones.  It was retrieved from AdventistArchives.org.

The nations of this world must of necessity maintain themselves by force. But Christianity stands absolutely apart from all racial and national quarrels. “The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man,” is more than a passing sentiment with Christians. It is a fundamental principle.

The Christian may have enemies; those who would do him harm, but he is the enemy of no man. He
fights, but not with sword, Mauser, or Gatling gun. The weapons of his “warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”

Christian experience is simply living the life of Christ, as says the Apostle Paul: “I am crucified with
Christ; nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Gal. 2 120.

The Apostle was describing not alone his own experience, but Christian experience-the experience of
every child of God. It is simply impossible to imagine Christ Himself shooting His brethren. It is just as
impossible to believe that He does the same thing in the person of His saints. The killing of human beings
is anti-Christian. We are not saying that everybody who ever did such a thing proved thereby that they were not Christians.

But we do believe that in the clearer light of this day men should see that killing is murder, whether
done in battle or under other circumstances. The early Christians did not engage in war. They
would die rather than kill a fellow-being. It was not until apostacy had honeycombed the church that Christians
were to be found bearing arms and engaging in carnal warfare. The leaders in the Church who have
taught that it is right to kill men in battle have an awful account to meet in the day of judgment.