Christian Warfare—and Christians Joining the Military?

Christian Warfare—and Christians Joining the Military?

Modern Christians often import a “push-back culture” into discipleship: fight back, stand your ground, don’t be a doormat. Scripture paints a different path: peacemaking, non-retaliation, prayer, submission to authority, and faithful witness even unto death. Let’s walk it from Jesus to Revelation—and then glance at the earliest Christian practice.

1) Jesus and the Way of Peace

Peacemakers.“Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9, LEB)

Greek: εἰρηνοποιοί (eirēnopoioí) = those who make peace, not merely those who prefer it.

Non-retaliation and enemy-love.“Do not resist an evildoer… If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also… Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:39–44, LEB)

“My kingdom is not from here.”Jesus to Pilate: “If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting… but now my kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36, LEB)

The “Buy a Sword” Moment (Luke 22) — What did Jesus mean?

Jesus says, “The one who does not have a sword must sell his cloak and buy one.” (Luke 22:36, LEB). The disciples produce two swords; Jesus replies, “It is enough.” (Luke 22:38, LEB). Minutes later, when Peter uses one, Jesus rebukes him and heals the victim (Luke 22:49–51, LEB), and in Matthew’s parallel Jesus states:

“Return your sword to its place! For all who take up the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52, LEB)

Reading Luke with Matthew: the point is not weaponizing discipleship. Jesus ensures He’ll be “numbered with the lawless” (Isaiah 53:12) and shows the futility of the sword for kingdom work. He forbids violent rescue.

2) Acts: The Church Under the Sword—But Not Wielding It

Stephen is stoned; the church does not retaliate (Acts 7, LEB).

James is executed by Herod (Acts 12:2, LEB).

Peter is jailed and “earnestly prayer was made by the church” (Acts 12:5, LEB). God sends an angelic deliverance (Acts 12:7–11, LEB). No mobs. No swords.

Paul endures beatings, imprisonment, and plots. He uses lawful appeals (Acts 22:25; 25:11, LEB) but never counsels violence. His “warfare” is spiritual:“For although we are living in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly…” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4, LEB; cf. Ephesians 6:10–18, LEB “armor of God”).

3) Apostolic Teaching: Non-Retaliation, Submission, and Good Works

Romans 12 (personal ethic):“Do not repay anyone evil for evil… If possible, as far as it depends on you, living in peace with all people… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17–21, LEB)

Romans 13 (public posture):“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities… for there is no authority except by God.” (Romans 13:1, LEB)

Titus 3 (public tone):“Speak evil of no one, be peaceable, gentle, showing all courtesy to all people.” (Titus 3:2, LEB)

1 Peter 2—written in the Nero era:“For the Lord’s sake be subject to every human authority… if you endure while suffering unjustly, this is grace… Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example… when he was abused, he did not abuse in return.” (1 Peter 2:13, 19, 21–23, LEB)

The apostolic pattern is unmistakable: no Christian pushback with violence; yes Christian perseverance with holiness.

4) What About Soldiers in the New Testament?

• John the Baptist tells soldiers: “Extort from no one… be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14, LEB). He calls for integrity, not insurrection.

• Jesus commends a centurion’s faith (Matthew 8:5–13, LEB).

• Cornelius, a centurion, receives the Holy Spirit (Acts 10, LEB).

These texts do not command conversion = immediate resignation from service; they do set a discipleship trajectory: truthfulness, contentment, mercy, and the refusal to do evil. Whatever one’s vocation, killing for personal vengeance or kingdom advance is off the table.

5) Revelation: Victory by Witness, Not by the Sword

Greek μάρτυς (mártys, “witness”) becomes our word martyr because witnesses died rather than kill.

• “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, LEB)

• “They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives until death.” (Revelation 12:11, LEB)

• “If anyone is meant for the sword, by the sword he goes. Here is the patient endurance and the faith of the saints.” (Revelation 13:10, LEB)

Revelation’s “war” is Lamb-like: suffering witness defeats the dragon.

6) So… Should Christians Join the Military?

Biblically, Christian “warfare” is spiritual, and the kingdom does not advance by violence (John 18:36, LEB; 2 Corinthians 10:3–4, LEB). The New Testament never instructs the church to take up arms for Jesus, and it consistently commands non-retaliation, peacemaking, and submission.

At the same time, the NT does not issue an explicit universal ban on military service. It shows soldiers coming to faith and being called to justice and restraint (Luke 3:14, LEB; Acts 10, LEB). Thus, participation becomes a conscience matter (cf. Romans 14, LEB)—but killing for the faith or “holy war” is excluded. The disciple’s default posture is peace.

7) Earliest Christian Witness (Pre-Constantine)

The first centuries overwhelmingly reflect non-violent discipleship:

• The Martyrdom of Polycarp (c. AD 155) depicts a bishop who refuses to revile Christ or resist; he prays, submits, and is burned/ stabbed—no retaliation.

• Tertullian (late 2nd–early 3rd c.) argued Christians do not fight with the sword but with prayer; in disarming Peter, Christ “unbelted” the sword from His followers (paraphrase).

• Origen (3rd c.) insisted Christians fight for the emperor by praying for him, not by killing for him.

• Lactantius (early 4th c.) wrote that it is never lawful for a righteous person to kill a human being.

Only after Constantine do “just war” arguments begin to be systematized (e.g., Augustine). Whatever one thinks of later developments, the apostolic and earliest pattern is clear: witness unto death, not holy war.

8) Bottom Line

• Christian warfare = spiritual (Ephesians 6:10–18, LEB).

• Kingdom advance = witness, service, holiness, and love of enemies (Matthew 5; Romans 12, LEB).

• No retaliation, no vigilantism, no “Jesus militancy.”

• Military service is a conscience question—but never as a way to advance the gospel, and never to violate Christ’s commands of love and justice.

The cross—not the sword—is our strategy. The church conquers by the Lamb’s blood and the word of our μάρτυς (mártys)—our witness—even when it costs our lives (Revelation 12:11, LEB).