Rivermont Presbyterian Church – College and Career Sunday School Class

Current Events April 11, 1999

The Justice and Morality of War: The USA Involvement in Kosovo;

The Real War

Is. 58: 6 " Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

Mic. 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Rom. 12: 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Heb. 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

Gal. 5: 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

2 Cor. 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Eph. 6: 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

If War Is Ever Lawful, Then Peace Is Sometimes Sinful. CS Lewis

War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice. Human culture has always had to exist under the shadow of something infinitely more important than itself. CS Lewis

Other References:

Mat. 5: 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

Mat. 5: 38 " You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 "And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. 43 " You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Mat. 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Mat. 25: 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

Questions for Discuss:

1 – Should Christians become involved in a war?

2 – Do we disobey the 6th Commandment when we go to war?

3 – How can we conciliate the command to promote justice and resist evil with the

New Testament Commandment to Love everyone?

4 – Should we become involved in the Kosovo conflict?

5 – How can we then best help the Ethnic Albanians without creating other forms or instability / oppression?

6 – If NATO wins, is the “war” over? How are those people going to live? Will they be able to forgive?

7 – What can we do to really win this war? (and other wars raging in our families, city …). (Sin is crouching at your door, but you should conquer it. Gen. 4:6)


Rivermont Presbyterian Church - Sunday College and Career Class

Spring Quarter

Christianity and Society

April11 Current Events

April 18 Christianity and Economics – Robert, Tiffany

April 25 Christianity and Politics, Jeff, Rick

May 2 Christianity, Science and Medical Research – Sarah, Miriam, Stephanie

May 9 Christianity and Culture – Ann Marie, Jamie, Nolan

3