Christ and War

Revelation

Christ and War

July 2nd, 1967 @ 7:30 PM

Revelation 19:11-16

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
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CHRIST
AND WAR

Dr. W.
A. Criswell

Revelation
19:11-16

7-2-67

 

I.          Introduction

A.  Every
Christian faces the agony of this question

B.  The
intervention of Christ in human history at the battle of Armageddon

1.  Dressed
in a vesture dipped in blood(Isaiah 63:1-3)

2.  From
Basrah to Megiddo (Revelation 14:20)

 

II.         Our present world

A.  The
terror of war

1. 
On the field of battle

2.  The
agony of awaiting loved ones

B. 
The pacifist – conscientious objector

 

III.        We turn to the Scriptures

A. 
The soldiers in the Bible

1.  Roman
centurions – the key to the conquest of the Roman legions

2.  Without
exception, every centurion presented in the Bible is done so in a magnificent
light

a.
Centurion in Capernaum who asked Jesus to heal his servant(Luke 7:1-10)

b.
Centurion who presided over crucifixion of the Lord Jesus(Matthew 27:34)

c.
Cornelius of Caesarea (Acts 10)

d.
Claudius Lysias rescued Paul from a riot (Acts
23:26)

e.
Julius saved Paul from execution (Acts 27)

3.  Christianity
covered the Roman Empire – soldiers carried the message

B.The
power of the state (Romans 13:1-7)

C.  The
non-resistant life and teaching of Jesus(Luke
6:29, Matthew 4:41, 5:44)

 

IV.       Our conclusions

A.  How
is a man if he is a Christian pacifist?

1.  No
wife or family(Matthew 19:12)

2.  No
possessions or property(Luke 9:58)

3.  Must
depend upon God for food (Matthew 6:11, 1 Kings
17:1-6, Luke 8:1-3)

4.  No
life of his own

B.But
if you marry, have children, a home, if you own anything and have anything that
pertains to freedom of choice it is because somebody else laid down their
highest sacrifice in order that you might live

C. 
Living under tension – citizens of two worlds(Isaiah
2:4, 9:6, 11:6, 9, Daniel 9)