War Inconsistent with the Religion of Jesus Christ

by David Low Dodge

Remember, dear brethren, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through God. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God (here is the equipment of a soldier of Jesus Christ), that ye may be able to withstand in an evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” And the very God of peace shall be with you, and he will shortly bruise Satan under your feet. For yet a little while and the Almighty angel will come down with a great chain in his hand; and he will lay hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and will bind him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he shall deceive the nations no more until the thousand years are fulfilled. Then wars will cease from under heaven and the implements of death will be converted into the harmless utensils of husbandry, and there will be nothing to hurt nor destroy in all God’s holy mountain. The stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands will become a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Then will be heard “a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.”

It is, however, very important, dear brethren, that we keep it constantly in mind that the nature and precepts of the gospel are the same now as they will be then, in that glorious reign of righteousness and peace, and that it is our duty constantly to be influenced by the same spirit now which will then be manifested by the followers of the Lamb. The little leaven is of the same nature with whole lump when it is leavened. Let us therefore gird up the loins of our mind and watch unto prayer.

4. If the Mediator’s kingdom is not of this world, but spiritual, heavenly, and divine, and if the kingdoms of this world are under the dominion of Satan, and if the subjects of Christ’s kingdom are not permitted to use carnal weapons, then we may infer who is the “great whore that sitteth upon many waters; with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” A virgin or chaste woman is a familiar symbol in the Scriptures of the true church of God; and an unchaste woman is as familiar a symbol of an apostate or corrupt church. As a lewd woman calls herself by the name of her husband, notwithstanding she has constant intercourse with other men, so the corrupt church calls herself by the name of Christ, notwithstanding she has constant illicit intercourse with the kings of the earth.[11] To understand the true nature of spiritual whoredom will assist us in ascertaining the bounds of mystical Babylon.

The children of Israel were separated from all the nations of the earth and set apart to be holy unto the Lord. As they were in covenant with the God of Israel, he addressed them in the endearing character of a husband. Whenever they made any covenant or formed a confederacy with the nations around them, or imitated their idolatrous abominations, they were charged with spiritual whoredom. The church, under the gospel dispensation, is redeemed from amongst men out of every nation, and sanctified and set apart to be a peculiar people to show forth the praises of God. It is styled the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. Its members are not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of the Spirit. They do not belong to any earthly kingdom, for our Lord has said, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world”; but they are citizens of the heavenly Zion and belong to the household of God; they are members of the same community, with the innumerable company of angels and the spirits of just men made perfect; and are to be governed by the very same spirit and temper which reigns amongst those blessed inhabitants above. God is an overflowing and unbounded ocean of blessedness and love; love is therefore the fulfilling of the law.

Whenever the subjects of the Redeemer unite themselves to the kingdoms of this world, and engage in their political contentions and fightings, then it appears they commit spiritual whoredom, for they forsake the fountain of living waters and hew out to themselves cisterns,—broken cisterns, which can hold no water. When they thus mingle with the world and unite in its pursuits they may spiritually be styled adulterers.

The apostle James, while reproving the twelve tribes, which were scattered abroad, for their wars and fightings and friendship to the world, styles them adulterers and adulteresses. In direct opposition to this representation, the first fruits of the church are styled virgins, as not being defiled with women. “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from amongst men, being the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” As virgins are pure and undefiled, so were the disciples of Christ in the first age of the church when they had no impure intercourse with the kingdoms of this world and followed the Lamb in refusing to engage either in its profits, honors, or fightings. They are, therefore, called virgins, without fault, in opposition to those who mingle with the world, who are spiritually styled harlots.

It evidently appears, if what has been said is true, that mystical Babylon, that mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, is just as extensive as the union of the church with the kingdoms of this world; and just in that proportion in which an individual Christian, or a single church, or a number of churches united in one body, engage in the honors, profits, and fightings of the kingdoms of this world, just in that proportion they may be said to be guilty of spiritual whoredom.

The writer is well aware that this inference, however just, will be looked upon with contempt by worldly political Christians whose dearest interest is involved in the kingdoms of this world, and especially by those who are clothed in purple and scarlet and have a golden cup in their hands. He has no expectation of being candidly heard by such, but it is God’s own dear children who have ignorantly mingled with the world, having been blinded by their education, from whom he expects a candid hearing. “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”

It is not common for a lewd woman openly to avow to the world her character; neither can it be expected that the mother of harlots will own her name. The writer is of opinion that very few have understood the full dimensions of this mystical city; she appears to him in her greatest extent to be bounded but little short of the whole visible church of God. She is styled “the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” “And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.” But a dreadful judgment awaits her: “She shall utterly be burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Being mingled with the nations and supported by their power, when they become like stubble before the devouring fire, she will be consumed with them. The whore is represented as riding upon a scarlet-colored beast, and upheld by him.[12]