Loving Our Enemies

In the Old Testament, God frequently led Israel into battle, but Christ tells us to love our enemies. Is the Iraq war contrary to God’s will? Should we be loving our Muslim enemies instead of fighting them?

Q. In the Old Testament, God frequently led Israel into battle, but Christ tells us to love our enemies. Is the Iraq war contrary to God’s will? Should we be loving our Muslim enemies instead of fighting them?

A. The examples you used are not compatible. God was using the nation of Israel as an instrument of His judgment, whereas Christ was speaking of a personal reaction.

I don’t know what the Lord’s will is concerning our involvement in Iraq but I trust that our leaders are convinced that they do.

In a personal sense, we should all extend the love of Jesus to everyone, including the adherents of Islam. But as a nation we have the right and responsibility to protect and defend ourselves against attack. I believe that Saddam Hussein was behind the explosion of the Federal building in Oklahoma City, and I know that he tried to assassinate one of our presidents. I also know that members of the Islamic religion have made several attacks against the US, and plan to continue to do so. Nothing in the Bible requires our nation to tolerate this.