"Christianity", in the broadest sense of the term, has often been criticized for being historically a violent, "holy war" religion. One need only look back to the crusades waged by the Roman Catholic church and other "holy wars" of the middle ages to see justification of this indictment. Perhaps even in the establishment of the United States of America and other conquests of the New World was there a mentality of warring under God's banner to conquer the land and set up a "theocracy."
I think at the root of said "holy wars" is a foundational misunderstanding of the New Testament and its language of spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6, Paul tells the Ephesian believers to put on the armor of God and to wage spiritual warfare against Satan. However, this warfare refers to the individual's personal battle against sin or "the devil's schemes."
In Revelation 2 and 3, John writes six letters dictated by Christ to the churches in Asia. Christ refers to "the victor" challenging the members of each church to succeed in their battle against sin. Again, this appears to be a very personal struggle, not against ungodliness outside the church (although perhaps sometimes this is also in view) but against sin in each member.
How would such an understanding affect our worship? Imagery of the church doing battle for the gospel and conquering the world for Jesus should be evaluated with caution. Yes, we are called to take the gospel to the world, and woe is us if we don not do so, but we do not do this through warfare as other religions.
Perhaps we need to emphasize warfare as that which happens in our own personal, everyday life in battle against sin. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:12-13).
In the context of encouraging the believers to run the race of the Christian life with faith, the author of Hebrews says this, "You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving [warring] against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons" (Hebrews 12:4). The author then goes on to speak of the discipline of the Lord.
A recent song that appropriately illustrates the idea of warfare against personal sin puts it this way: "Let no vice or sin remain that resists Your holy war."
This "holy war" is not waged by the Templar Knight or by the suicide bomber, but by the true follower of Christ.
It is not waged against unbelievers or infidels, but against the flesh that is bent toward sin.
It is not waged in Jerusalem or Iraq, but every day in the heart of the Christian.
May we be challenged today to wage that battle against self for the true glory of God and the testimony of Christ in a lost world!
