War in Ukraine- Does God take sides?
The war grinds on but remains in the news, unlike so many other tragedies and disasters which seem to fade from view very quickly when the next one arises. But how do we think like Christians about the issues the war raises?
Let’s focus on one issue: does God take sides?
Bob Dylan famously explored this when he sang “With God on Our Side” https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/god-our-side/
The lyrics make us ask how God can be on “our” side if sides change, and is any side really acting righteously?
Do we assume that Ukraine was a victim of aggression and therefore deserves support? If so, what about the many other countries or ethnic groups that are occupied now?
The UK Government has made it easy for Ukrainian refugees (unlike any others) to make a new start in the UK and public opinion seems to support sending armaments with a strong message of “we are on Ukraine’s side.” Is it really about containing Russia so that any country resisting Russia is an ally of the UK and deserves military support?
How do we think like Christians about fighting and taking sides?
The starting point is reading scripture with open hearts and minds, asking the Spirit to inspire us as we share our reflections together. I suggest that if we read the Bible as a ‘flat book’ and treat every part of it equally significant, we might find Old Testament examples justifying fighting for “our country” and its interests elsewhere in the world.
However, if we read scripture in the light of Jesus, we have to interpret that history as types or symbols pointing to spiritual truth, like the New Testament writers did. Jesus did not just adopt Old Testament assumptions, he taught plainly and simply “Love your enemies” and “Bless those who persecute you!”
Christians can have different views on how to apply this in practice. But loving all people implies we Christians should make sure we do not kill anyone and do not enable allies to use force against “our” common enemies. God’s mission of reconciliation is to turn enemies into friends! (Colossians 1:20, 2 Corinthians 5:1)
We should respect and honour everyone, including the Government of the nation we are part of, but we have a higher loyalty than to our nation. Paul makes clear “our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:20) That is not an otherworldly truth - it has some very practical implications here on Earth as we pray ‘Your Kingdom come!’ One is that we cannot view the war as simply between “our friends” and “our enemies” as though God is on our side.
If we are on God’s side, then we have to live as He does and seek to reconcile not divide.
After all, we have both Ukrainian and Russian brothers and sisters in God’s family!
- Chris Horton
Let’s focus on one issue: does God take sides?
Bob Dylan famously explored this when he sang “With God on Our Side” https://www.bobdylan.com/songs/god-our-side/
The lyrics make us ask how God can be on “our” side if sides change, and is any side really acting righteously?
Do we assume that Ukraine was a victim of aggression and therefore deserves support? If so, what about the many other countries or ethnic groups that are occupied now?
The UK Government has made it easy for Ukrainian refugees (unlike any others) to make a new start in the UK and public opinion seems to support sending armaments with a strong message of “we are on Ukraine’s side.” Is it really about containing Russia so that any country resisting Russia is an ally of the UK and deserves military support?
How do we think like Christians about fighting and taking sides?
The starting point is reading scripture with open hearts and minds, asking the Spirit to inspire us as we share our reflections together. I suggest that if we read the Bible as a ‘flat book’ and treat every part of it equally significant, we might find Old Testament examples justifying fighting for “our country” and its interests elsewhere in the world.
However, if we read scripture in the light of Jesus, we have to interpret that history as types or symbols pointing to spiritual truth, like the New Testament writers did. Jesus did not just adopt Old Testament assumptions, he taught plainly and simply “Love your enemies” and “Bless those who persecute you!”
Christians can have different views on how to apply this in practice. But loving all people implies we Christians should make sure we do not kill anyone and do not enable allies to use force against “our” common enemies. God’s mission of reconciliation is to turn enemies into friends! (Colossians 1:20, 2 Corinthians 5:1)
We should respect and honour everyone, including the Government of the nation we are part of, but we have a higher loyalty than to our nation. Paul makes clear “our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:20) That is not an otherworldly truth - it has some very practical implications here on Earth as we pray ‘Your Kingdom come!’ One is that we cannot view the war as simply between “our friends” and “our enemies” as though God is on our side.
If we are on God’s side, then we have to live as He does and seek to reconcile not divide.
After all, we have both Ukrainian and Russian brothers and sisters in God’s family!
- Chris Horton
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