WAR IS HELL
During the American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman coined the phrase “War is Hell.” As terrible as war is, war is nothing like Hell. I have never been to Hell. However, we all know that Hell is a place of great pain and suffering, as well as emotional and spiritual torment and conflict. As terrible as war can be it could never be as bad as Hell.
According to Christ, Hell is a place where the “worm never dies” and the fires are never abated. (See Mark 9:48). A dead body will be eaten by worms until the body no longer exists. On the other hand, the unregenerated spirit will be continually consumed by “spiritual worms” forever. In the end it will be cast into the Lake of fire where it will burn forever.
We cannot “sugarcoat” the message of Hell to make it sound less agonizing, unbearable, horrifying and/or repulsive. People must be warned of the seriousness of the daily choices they make. We choose where we will spend eternity. Those who reject Christ are choosing an eternity of torment, agony, misery, pain, and emotional distress. Those who reject Christ are eternally doomed to embrace “eternal death.” Eternal death is eternal separation from the life of Christ.
As bad as war is, it is nothing compared to Hell. At least after natural wars are over, the killing ends and those who are still alive can go about the business of rebuilding their lives however hard and unpleasant that may be. For the living there is still hope. For those who die without Christ there is no hope, only the eternal suffering and the damnation of their souls. Life is serious business. Death is even more serious because in death we will either receive heavenly rewards or eternal punishment.
As far as we know the first war that took place in history took place in Heaven. Lucifer tried to usurp the Throne of God and was cast out of Heaven along with one-third of the angels. War has been on the heart of Satan since his unsuccessful attempt to “be in control” of the Kingdom of Heaven.
War is inevitable. Jesus said that before His return to earth there will be wars and rumors of wars. Wars and rumors of wars will be one of the signs of His soon return. Conflict between Satan and man has existed since the debacle in the Garden of Eden. Conflict between men has existed since Cain slew Abel. War has catastrophic and calamitous consequences. War is always followed by death, Hell, and the grave. When soldiers march into battle they go forth to kill, and destroy. There is “no promise” they will survive the battles they are facing unless their faith is in Christ, not in their comrades gathered around them.
THE CAUSE OF MOST WARS
I have read that the most common cause of war is based upon differences in ideologies. Differences in political, social, and religious ideologies are the cause of most of the wars that have occurred since the beginning of time. Times have not changed, and the differences in the way people think and believe are still the catalyst for most wars.
The second most common cause of war is the desire for independence. The desire to be free from a totalitarian government or tyrannical despot has been the catalyst for many wars. The desire to be free from oppression and tyranny is a great motivator. For many, the desire for freedom is greater than their fear of death.
Our own American Revolution was fought on the premise that all men were created equal and they were endowed by their Creator with certain inherent rights. According to our Constitution, those rights include life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I apologize to my British friends, and “comrades in arms” as Warriors for Christ. However, King George was a tyrannical ruler and his oppressive rule over the American Colonies had to be successfully dealt with.
I believe the American Revolution was a “just war.” Many will no doubt disagree with me. Many men died on both sides and went to Hell. Unfortunately, war is sometimes the only solution to obtain peace and freedom from oppression and tyranny. The Lord led Israel into war on many occasions to defeat their enemies that were summarily and viciously attacking and/or oppressing them.
The third most common cause of war is the desire to own the “resources” of others. The desire for the “resources” of others has led many soldiers to their deaths on the battlefields of life. Many wars have been fought over natural resources such as precious metals, oil, food, and water to name a few. Not sufficient “natural resources” has been the cause of many wars and disputes throughout history.
REFORMATION AND REVOLUTION
As Christians our warfare is against the oppression of a tyrannical sovereign who rules this current world without conscience or the ability to feel remorse, regret, or shame. Jesus called him the god of this world. (John 14:30). The Bible also calls him the Prince and Power of the Air, the Serpent, the Dragon, the Devil, and Satan. He is called by many names, and his names all invoke a sense of gloom, doom, destruction, death, and depravity.
If the Church is going to prosper in the coming days, there must be and will be a “new reformation.” According to most historians, the first Protestant Reformation started in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 99 theses on the door of a Church in Wittenberg Germany.
In reality, the first Protestant Reformation took place in 1477 among the Moravians who lived in what is today called the “Chez Republic”. The Moravian Reformation has had a greater impact upon the Church than that of Luther.
There can be no “new reformation” without a “new revolution.” The “god of this world” is not going to sit ideally, ideologically, and idly by while the Church decides to become free from the oppression and depression of his tyrannical rule. He will fight against the “new reformation” with all the weapons he has at his disposal, including bitterness, compromise, confusion, persecution, and fear to name a few.
Satan’s weapons are deadly and lethal. Compromise leaves an open door for Satan to stealthfully enter into the lives of individuals, as well as churches with deadly consequences. Along with compromise come confusion, lethargy, and every other evil work. An army that is lethargic and compromises its strategic goals is an army that will lose battles. The battlefield is no place for lazy soldiers who compromise their ideological beliefs and convictions.
If Christians are going to be successful on the Battlefield of Life, they must rebel against the principles and standards which occupy the hearts and minds of unbelievers. They must also rebel against the “status quo” in the Church and fight for the right to become completely free from the ordinances that govern this present world. Christians must rebel against the Forces of Darkness that have entered into churches today bringing division, schisms, and emotionally and spiritual instability.
Spiritually speaking, we must occupy the “high ground” in order to see where and when the enemy is planning to attack us. Like the “Minutemen” in the American Revolution, we must be ready at all times to take the fight to the invading Forces of Darkness. We can know without a shadow of a doubt that the enemy will try to strike at our most vulnerable defenses. If we are not prepared to fight at a moment’s notice, we can be assured we will be “blindsided” and/or deceived by the enemy when he comes to steal, kill, and destroy.