From the article on War in the ESV Study Bible (pg. 2555):

Since the time of Tertullian and Origen (2nd – 3rd centuries A.D.), some Christians have advocated pacifism, the idea that participating in war is always wrong, or is always wrong at least for Christians.  Arguments used to support pacifism are:

1. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek (Matt. 5.39)
2. Jesus taught us that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22.39)
3. Jesus refused to use the power of the sword to advance his kingdom (Matt. 26.52-53)
4. The use of military force shows lack of trust in God; and
5. Violence always begets more violence and does not really solve the underlying problems

Those who differ with pacifism respond to each of the those arguments as follows:

1. Jesus’ teaching on turning the other cheek was intended as a guide for individual conduct, not for the conduct of governments or soldiers or police in the service of governments.
2. The command to love one’s neighbor is consistent with going to war to protect one’s neighbor from an aggressor, as is evident from the fact that the OT commanded love for one’s neighbor (Lev. 19.18) as well as directions for the conduct of war (Deut. 20).  It is also evident from the example of David, who loved his son Absalom but sent the army against him when Absalom sought to usurp the throne (2 Sam. 18.1-33)
3. It is never right to use military force to advance the gospel message, or complete adherence to Christianity, but that is different from the responsibility of government to protect its citizens
4. The believer’s trust in God must be defined by what Scripture says, including its teachings on God’s appointment of civil government to use force to protect its citizens.  Therefore one should trust God to work through the power of the sword exercised by government
5. It is simply not ture that wars never solve problems: war was necessary to defeat slavery in the nineteenth century in the United States and to defeat Hitler in World War II, as well as to defeat other tyrants throughout history.  In addition, non–pacifist Christians also note,
6. That although Jesus stopped Peter from using a sword to resist arrest on his way to the cross (Matt. 26.52), he did not consider it inconsistent with the directions given hours earlier that same evening when he instructed his disciples to carry weapons for self-defense (Luke 22.35-36); and if using deadly force is justified as required under individual circumstances, there can be no objection to using deadly force as required under civil community circumstances

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Tags: Christianity and Democracy, just war, pacifism