Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO War and the Prince of Peace Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA February 23, 2003 Main Scripture text: Revelation 19:11-21. God doesn't like war. But the fact that God doesn't like a particular thing doesn't necessarily mean He rejects it. Example: At the end of time God will judge the earth and punish the wicked. God doesn't want to do that, but He knows it will be necessary for the unveiling of His Kingdom on the earth. In the same way God has deemed war necessary at times to accomplish His purposes in a world infected by sin. In the Bible we see God using or allowing war for three purposes: 1) to punish the wicked; 2) to defend the nation; 3) to liberate others from oppression. In Judges 6 and 7, we even see God authorizing a preemptive strike for the protection of Israel. Their enemy's intentions were clear, so with Gideon as their commander, Israel struck first. Jesus had obvious opportunities to specifically address the subject of war, he never did. Certainly, He talked about living at peace with other people, but He did so in the context of discussing personal behavior, not international conflict. Romans 13 makes it clear that government has been instituted by God for the purposes of maintaining order and punishing evil. I don't want war. It is a horrible thing. But in a fallen world, where evil must be punished, nations defended, and people set free, war is sometimes necessary. I think the Bible supports that view. The picture of Jesus in Revelation 19, as the One who will lead the final war against all evil, makes it difficult to classify Him as the model pacifist who rejects all war as ungodly or unChristian. Supporting texts: 2 Peter 3:8-10 | Deuteronomy 9:4 | Isaiah 42:23-25 | Judges 6:33 | Judges 7:1-25 | Genesis 14:8-20 | Isaiah 45:13 | Matthew 5:21-24; 38-42 | Matthew 26:50-54 | Luke 22:35-36 | Ecclesiastes 3:8 | Romans 13:1-7 | Acts 4:18-20 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here. (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of this sermon is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 030223a: War and the Prince of Peace. © 2003 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us