Recently, more and more voices have been heard advocating the “need” for waging war in diverse places, even if this would lead to the death of innocent civilians. The argument has been advanced that true Christians are allowed, if not compelled, to participate in “righteous” wars. One “supporting” concept is that God does not view killing in war as murder. Those who believe this idea refer to the fact that in Exodus 20:13 (“You shall not kill”), the Hebrew word “ratsach” is used for “kill,” and they say that it only means “murder” and that killing in war is not murder and therefore allowed.
That conclusion is false. The Hebrew word “ratsach” can even refer to ACCIDENTAL killing. In Numbers 35:25, the person who kills accidentally is referred to as a “manslayer” (“ratsach”). He was not worthy of death, but he had to flee to a city of refuge to stay there until the high priest died. So, accidental killing (including of innocent civilians in war, so-called casualties) is prohibited and sinful in the eyes of God.
Apart from the fact that many translations (such as the Authorized Version, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible, as well as virtually ALL German Bibles) render Exodus 20:13 as, “You shall not kill” (not: “You shall not murder”), the argument that the Ten Commandments exclude killing in war is also faulty for the following reason:
Those who advocate fighting in war allege that whenever killing in war is described in the Old Testament, the Hebrew word is “harag,” and they say that this word does NOT describe murder. But the truth is that the word “harag” IS very clearly used for “murder”:
Psalm 10:8 speaks of a person who “murders” (“harag”) the innocent in secret. Hosea 9:13 states that Ephraim will bring out his children to the “murderer” (“harag”). Jeremiah 4:31 says that Jeremiah’s soul is weary because of “murderers” (“harag”). Genesis 4:8 explains that Cain killed (“harag”) his brother Abel, and 1 John 3:12 clearly shows that Cain “murdered” Abel.
That fighting in war is clearly sinful and murder in the eyes of God can be seen in James 4:1-2: “Where do wars and fights come from among you… You MURDER and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.” The Greek word for “war” is “polemeo,” and it is used in Revelation 17:14, referring to people who make war with the Lamb.
So, fighting and killing in war is prohibited by the Sixth Commandment. It is sinful and constitutes murder. This means that a true Christian must refuse participating in war. It also means that he or she must refuse voting for someone who advocates and engages in war. Every American President is also Commander in Chief. For this reason alone, an American Christian CANNOT and MUST NOT vote in presidential elections.
We know that many might see it differently. Some might even allege that they are still following the fundamental teachings of the late human leader of the Worldwide Church of God, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, who died on January 16, 1986. American Christians may say that all their fellow citizens and brethren MUST vote in America’s upcoming presidential election, and if need be, even fulfill their “patriotic duties” by joining the military and fighting against their country’s enemies.
Well, that kind of thinking would clearly be in DIRECT opposition to one of the most CRITICAL and FOUNDATIONAL areas of CHURCH DOCTRINE.
Here is what Mr. Armstrong taught about voting in governmental elections. In an article, titled, “How Would Jesus Vote for President?”, which was published in the “Good News” of October/November 1984, Herbert Armstrong summarized the Church’s stance AGAINST voting in governmental elections, as follows:
“The true Christian is one who follows Christ, and Christ did not vote! … What, then, would Jesus do in [a time of] presidential election?… HE WOULD BE TOO BUSY PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS OF THE COMING WORLD-RULING KINGDOM, and the way of salvation, to take ANY PART WHATSOEVER in the politics of this present evil world, or in any man-made form of government that is DOOMED very soon to be destroyed and replaced by the theocratic government of the KINGDOM OF GOD!”
Likewise, when thundering AGAINST “Christian” warfare, he stated in his booklet, “Military Service and War,” copyright 1967 and 1985:
“Military service, bearing arms (for use against humans), killing, war, is directly contrary to God’s Law in principle! It is not the WAY of giving, sharing, helping, serving (page 11)… It was altogether unnecessary for these Israelites to arm themselves and wage war. It was WRONG! It was SIN (page 23)… Actually, reliance on military arms, physical force, and human allies, is SIN. It breaks God’s Commandment, ‘Thou SHALT NOT KILL!’ The fact that ALL nations have chosen the way of SIN does not make it RIGHT! And the individual Christian, today, having God’s Spirit, and in God’s CHURCH, must face this question and decide for himself whether he will go along THE WAY OF SIN, as the overwhelming majority are doing, or whether he will OBEY God, and then TRUST GOD with his life—TRUST GOD alone!” (pages 24-25).
These are clear words, and they are as relevant today as they were when they were written. The Bible shows that in these end times, sin and lawlessness will abound, and as a consequence, the love of many in the Church of God will grow cold. They will fall away from the truth. They will hate and persecute those who uphold the truth. They will turn from God’s Spirit of love to a spirit of hatred, fighting and war. They will forsake God’s Way of Love and become again part of this rotten world of Satanic deception which they might try to “improve,” by voting in governmental elections and taking part in the politics of “their” country.
All of us have a choice, and in the months to come, the need for making the right choice will become more and more pressing. Will we obey God or man? Will we seek the honor of God or of men? When we love the world and the things which are in this world, then the love of the Father is NOT in us (1 John 2:15-17).
