Excerpt regarding participation in war fromZion's Watch Tower, January 1, 1896, page 5
What should be the attitude of God's fully consecrated saints upon this subject? Should we favor
war and bloodshed in a good cause, or a peace that would leave fellow creatures exposed to such
atrocities? What would our Lord do or say on this question?
We believe that he would repeat his former words,-- "They that take to the sword shall perish by
the sword." "Do good to them that hate you and persecute you." "If ye suffer for well doing,
happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you." "My kingdom is not of this world,
else would my servants fight." These instructions, however, are not for the world individually or
nationally, but for the saints who would walk in their Lord's footsteps. Of these our Lord said,
"Ye are not of this world; for I have chosen you out of the world and ordained you, that you
should go and bring forth fruit."
The governments of the earth, although largely dominated by Satan, "the prince of this world,"
and although in no sense kingdoms of God, nevertheless have a lease of power from the Almighty,
which carries with it a certain responsibility;* they are to be "ministers of justice" fully authorized
to "bear the sword" and use it, as the Apostle Paul points out. (Rom. 13:1-4.) So, then, let the
nations do their part, and let God's consecrated "little flock" remember their Master's words, "Ye
are not of this world, even as I am not of this world," and abstain from the use of carnal weapons,
and from counseling others to use them, and instead be "fervent in spirit serving the Lord," and
using the sword of the spirit, the Word of God. The "saints" thus appear to the world unpatriotic;
but this is unavoidable. We have become aliens so far as all present earthly governments are
concerned; we are citizens of the heavenly kingdom, and hence "strangers and pilgrims" here.
Filled with the spirit of the Captain of our salvation, we cannot be otherwise than opposed to the
destruction of human lives, our desire on the contrary being to save them. If compelled by the
government to enter the army, we should "go" (Matt. 5:41), but probably could get into the
hospital service.
The fact not generally recognized is, that the Scriptures lay down a particular rule for the
saints -- the law of Love to God and man--while the world is left to its own expediency. The
Church alone is on trial: the world is merely gaining an experience, whose failures will prepare the
worthy to appreciate the Millennial reign of righteousness, under the law of Love.
Reprints page 1912.
When World War I broke out in Europe, Brother Russell wrote the following,
the principles of which are still applicable today (divine name supplied in
brackets):
How few look to the Word of [Yahweh] to see what He has to say on the
subject or, looking, entirely disregard God's testimony through the
Prophets, to the effect.that the present Age would end and the Millennium be
inaugurated, not by Peace Conventions and Peace Treaties, but by "A Time of
Trouble such as was not since there was a nation." (Daniel 12:1; Matthew
24:21.) The Peace cry has received an especially severe shock in the present
momentous war, involving more than any other war on the earth ever! Instead
of the present war being nearly over, we incline to expect much more serious
complications in Europe--that other nations will be drawn into the war.
Notwithstanding the fact that the President and the Secretary of State of
our own land are wise men, lovers and promoters of peace; and
notwithstanding the fact that there is no apparent reason why our country
should ever be involved in this war, nevertheless we are apprehensive. The
great nations of the old world, impoverishing themselves and destroying
their commercial interests, as well as being robbed of hundreds of thousands
of valuable lives by this war, will not wish to see the United States
towering high above them in every way by reason of its isolation. We may be
sure that the crafty statesmen of Europe, while professing interest in our
peace, will really do all in their power to embroil us in war by one device
or another.
SHORTENING OF THE DAYS OF TROUBLE
While desiring peace at home and abroad, all who are children of the Highest
must desire the Father's will to be done -- rather than our own. Hence, should
the war extend even to our own land, in spite of everything we can do to the
contrary, let us not be discontented, but still pray, "Thy will be done!"
Let us look beyond the present terrible war to the glorious things which
God's Word assures us lie just beyond it; namely, Messiah's Kingdom.
***
PRAYING FOR PEACE IN EUROPE
Our Honorable President with praiseworthy intent requested all Christian
people to make October 4 a day of prayer for peace in Europe. However, we
cannot concur with our Worthy President in this matter. Much as we
appreciate peace--and we have all our life labored to be a peacemaker -- we
cannot pray the Almighty to change His plans to conform to those of our
Honored President. For twenty-five hundred years God, through the Bible
Prophets, has been telling His people about this great war and concerning
the more terrible Armageddon which will follow it; and can we expect Him to
reverse the program at our behest?
Of course, matters have taken a much longer time than Brother Russell
anticipated. I believe that Brother Russell did have the general idea
correct, however. After the present time of trouble, God's kingdom will
bring the desired peace and security, and terrorism will no longer be a
threat for mankind. Thus we pray for God's kingdom to come, not necessarily
peace in and for this present evil world.
The prophecies indicate that the present world goes down in a time of
increased knowledge and trouble which will bring the world into worldwide
anarchy. Of course, war and terrorism are a part of this time of trouble.
Brother Russell said (divine name and our comments supplied in brackets):
In the 107th Psalm, verses 25-31, there is a picture given representing a
great storm at sea when men are tossed about and in a terrible condition,
and their souls melt within them. "Then they cry unto [Yahweh] in their
trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses; He maketh the storm a
calm, so that the waves thereof are still." Then there is another similar
picture. Our Lord Jesus stilled the waves upon the sea of Galilee when the
storm was raging and threatening to engulf the ship and all therein. The
disciples cried to the Master in their distress, and He arose and rebuked
the wind and the waves, and said: "Peace! be still!" and immediately the
billows were quiet and the winds ceased, and all was calm. We believe this
is a picture of how the Kingdom of Christ will be inaugurated. [Yahweh] will
wait until the world is frenzied with fear and despair. They will come to
see then that unless [Yahweh] helps them all is lost, everything will go to
destruction. Then they will cry unto Him [through Jesus] as did the
disciples of old, when they said, "Master, carest Thou not that we
perish?"
Realizing that the Christian is not of the world, we believe we, having
already voted for Christ as our King and Ruler, should not get involved in
the politics of Satan's world. Those who do get involved may find themselves
entangled in worldly matters to the neglect of developing the fruits of the
spirit. We should act only as ambassadors and temporary residents. We pray
for God's will to be done in all matters, while remaining neutral with
respects the political affairs of Satan's world.
See *The New Creation*, Studies 14 & 15.
Another quote from Brother Russell:
Indeed, we entreat all the Lord's dear people to remember that there are but
the two great Masters; and that we have enlisted on the side of our God and
His Christ, and are to prove loyal to these in the midst of a crooked and
perverse people, blinded by the god of this world and filled with his spirit
of pride, boastfulness, animosity, hatred and strife. It should be our
desire to be neutral as between these contending factions of Satan's empire.
We love them all; we wish for them all great blessings. We have a Message of
hope for all who have ears to hear that eventually their extremity will be
God's opportunity; and that Messiah's Kingdom will roll away the curse, and
instead roll on to mankind the blessings of the Kingdom of God's dear Son.
Let us never forget our neutrality. Let us be just toward all, kind,
generous. Let us avoid as far as possible any discussion of these matters
with those who would not be able to understand and appreciate our position.
Otherwise, we would be doing what the Master admonished us not to do, when
He said, "Cast not your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under
foot and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6) Our worldly neighbors
have not the viewpoint that we possess, and cannot understand our arguments
or reasons. In due time they will understand. Now the Lord's consecrated
people should be unobtrusive, not strife-breeders, not partisans, not
bigoted, but wonderfully sympathetic toward all, realizing the true
situation, as others are not able to do.
ZWT, January 1, 1915, page 6, R5825.
From the standpoint of the world and our fallen flesh, it is appealing to
believe that petitions and prayers for peace and that the efforts of the
nations will end wars in Satan's world, and make the world safer. It is
appealing to think that getting rid of one regime will make the world safer
from terrorism, or safer place in which to live. Or it is appealing to think that we would be doing a service to God and mankind in trying to stop this or that war, that lives may be saved. However, the scriptures indicate otherwise, that these things must be in order for man to learn the lessons being taught by the present reign of
sin of death. As one war may come to an end, the threat of war, the fact of future wars and the everyday wars being fought in the streets of cities all over the world will continue. History proves that things seldom come out the way people expect *if only* things were done the way we think they should be done. Our success in bringing one war to an end could end up in even more loss of life as a result. And yet we know that all things will work out according to God's will, not ours. The world is yet
being allowed to try all of its devices, philosophies, and ideas, all of
which the Bible show will be doomed to failure. The scriptures indicate that
the trouble will become even worse, so we pray that we may continue faithful
as we brace ourselves for the distressful times yet to come.
For further reference, See STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, VOL. I., p. 259; VOL. II., p.73.
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