War. Is it finished?
Every night, we heard about the war in Iran. While some leaders gathered to pray for victory, assuming that a triumphant war must be the will of God, the Pope said it was not. Whose right? Could they both be right? In all things, there are three things at play.
God's Moral will: What God wills is always good, holy, and life‑giving. Eden reflects this. That is the world as God meant it. War is never God’s moral will.
Human Free will: Given by God to honour us, but because of our choices, we see sin, rebellion, and therefore war.
God's Sovereign will: This is His unstoppable plan that He brings about in history. Like the wars in the Old Testament. These were His sovereign will, not His moral desire. They were limited, necessary acts of discipline or judgment within Israel, and among nations that threatened the covenant and the Messianic line. Now that Messiah has come, God invites the world to come to Him. God has not changed; the covenant has. God may have fought for His people in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament, God died for His enemies. Even the ones shouting “Crucify Him” (or death to America).
Can any war now be “just?” Augustine taught that a legitimate authority can declare war if the aggressor's harm would be lasting, grave, and certain, but must be fought to restore peace, not pursue hatred or conquest. Thus, wars that might qualify as “just” are defensive wars against clear invasion, or interventions to stop genocide when diplomacy has failed. Legitimate governments, such as Israel and America, may have reason to believe they are defending Israel or the world from great evil or resisting grave injustice against Iran's citizens. That is the government's role. But the Church’s calling is different. Jesus’ kingdom advances through preaching, sacrifice, love and witness, not the sword.
It is hard to know whose will is being done in this war. (Perhaps mostly mans, yet God’s sovereign purpose will be done). But at Easter, it is very clear! God’s moral will and character were perfectly revealed in Christ’s love and obedience. God’s sovereign will means the Cross was not a tragedy that God reacted to, but a planned sacrifice of the Lamb of God. And yet it was brought about by the worst acts of human rebellion. It is the one moment in history where God’s Moral will, sinful human will, and His Sovereign will all converge to win the war for you and me.
Friends, earthly wars may continue, but we can be grateful that our enemies of shame, death and hell were defeated and God’s legal war against His enemies was finished.