DOES JESUS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IRAQ

DOES JESUS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IRAQ?

By Nathan Hobby

In his life, death and resurrection, Jesus brought together people of many different countries into one body - his church. The apostle Paul writes, 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' (NIV, Gal. 3:28) Our loyalty to Jesus is more important than our loyalty to our country, race, king, prime-minister or president. For those of us being made right with each other and with God, we are now a part of the body of Christ. All old loyalties now come second and all the old feuds with people of a different country or creed are forgiven. Our new commandment is to 'love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us' (Mt 5).

But doesn't this just apply on an individual level? Surely Jesus doesn't mean that we have to do good to those who are at war with us?

Actually, it does! For those who follow Jesus, the world is not divided into Australia and Iraq and all the other countries, but into those who are for God and those who are not. Therefore Iraq cannot be at war with 'us', because 'we' are not Australia, but 'the church'. Our brothers and sisters include those who follow Jesus in Iraq. Our 'enemies', then, are those who are in rebellion against God - seen in their injustice, greed and immorality. To these enemies we give not bombs but crazy love - food, help, shelter.

Isaiah looked forward to the Messiah who was to be the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6). We agree that Jesus is the Messiah - but just how does Jesus fulfill this? Sure, he gives us inner peace - but let's not pretend our Saviour King is smaller than what he really is! God's vision through Isaiah is much bigger than simply inner peace! Isaiah and several other Old Testament writers talk about a time when swords will be beaten into plowshares and 'spears into pruning hooks' (Is 2:4). When the Prince of Peace reigns there will be no end to 'the increase of his government and peace' (Is 9:7).

That time is not yet complete (that will only happen when Jesus reappears), but it has started! We who follow Jesus are already living under the rule of the Prince of Peace. In this way then, the time of peace is already happening within the church with the Holy Spirit empowering us to live out Jesus' kingdom on the Earth now. This means that even though the fallen sinful world is in rebellion to God and is filled with violence and killing, we show a different way in its midst - Jesus' way.

What is Jesus' way? It's a way of enemy love (Mt 5:43-48) and of turning the other cheek when someone hits us (Mt 5:38-42)! Is this impractical? Yes! Dangerous? Definitely! It's 'foolishness' to the world (1 Cor 1:18-31). Obviously most Australians aren't prepared to follow Jesus' path - especially when it comes to war. They put their own interests and their own lives ahead of other countries, and so if necessary, they will kill people from other countries rather than risk being killed. In contrast, we who follow Jesus make peace no matter the cost. We respond to war not as Australians but as the body of Christ.

Making peace doesn't only mean avoiding violence - but that's a good start. It also means finding creative ways to solve conflicts in peaceful ways. It means solving injustices which help create both evil, crazed terrorists and the build up of weapons. It means doing things like acting as human shields in Iraq, as Perth church minister Neville Watson has done. It means participating in peace rallies and demonstrations with those non-Christians who also value peace. It means spreading Jesus' message of love, grace, repentance and peace to all people that they might recognise him as the Prince of Peace and turn away from violence and depravity.