Preparing for Battle

It is hard to escape the subject of war at the present time. Virtually every day in the media there is another report of threats by politicians, responses by other politicians, news of further deployment of troops in the Middle East etc. Last week there were the reports of thousands of schoolchildren around the country declaring their dislike of war.

In some ways the past few weeks have been like the development of a severe storm. There is a long period of rumbling and grumbling, with nothing actually happening apart from occasional distant flashes of lightning. Although there may be strong winds at first, as the storm gets closer there is often a period of stillness and quiet. Usually the humidity rises and the air seems to have an oppressive quality. There can be quite a sense of relief when eventually the first drops of rain begin to fall. The danger is, if the rumbling and grumbling goes on for too long, we become complacent and unprepared for the deluge that may suddenly descend upon us.

No one by a madman likes war, or goes to war for no particular reason. War is messy. War causes pain, suffering and death. War disrupts people's lives and is a serious drain on a nation's wealth. To protest against war may be a noble gesture, but is, in the end, meaningless.

War is not like a cricket match, that is arranged at the players' convenience and can be washed out by the weather. War arises from the fundamental selfishness in the heart of man. While sinful human beings continue to inhabit this planet and interact with one another, wars will inevitably arise.

The weapons of warfare may become ever more sophisticated. The ability to limit the number of "innocent" or non-participant casualties may constantly be refined. But, while little children fight over possession of a toy, and those children grow to adults who fight over bigger toys there will always be wars. As James says in his Epistle, fights and wars "come from your desires that battle within you." (James 4:1).

It is not a question of whether or not we like war. It is rather a question of what we do with, and how we prepare for, the war that will inevitably come upon us and our family. To hide our head in the sand, or make a loud noise to try and scare war away is nothing more than foolishness.

In the current situation, of course, we pray for peace. And we pray that our politicians will do all in their power to seek peace. But let us not be so naive to think that peace will just happen if we shout loudly enough, or if we go and hide in a corner, or if we keep giving in a little to the demands of evil men. That was the mistake Neville Chamberlain made. And it was the mistake the Americans made at the beginning of the Second World War. As a wise man said once: "Let those who desire peace prepare for war."

I was reminded of this again last week as I was going through the Service of Baptism with a family. Baptism, as our Church administers it, is far more than just giving a child a name, or praying down a blessing. It is more than just a total renunciation of all forms of sin, a declaration of firm belief in the supernatural fundamentals of the Christian faith and lifetime commitment of obedience to God. In baptism the person is commissioned into the army of God.

The person being baptized is branded with the sign of the cross, committing him or her to "fight bravely under [Christ's] banner against sin, the world and the devil, and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and servant until his or her life's end."

As Paul Pillai has reminded us from India, even with the most peaceful of intentions, those who follow Christ can find themselves caught up in war. It may well be that our society is going, our children whom we baptise so readily today may find themselves fighting for their lives before they reach adulthood. The gulf between the standards of the world around us and the values we recognize to be "Christian" is steadily widening. And our young people are finding that, to take a stand on Christian values is to risk persecution from their peers.

More than ever before in my lifetime, the challenge that faces us and our children is a challenge to prepare for war. A war that is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual hosts of wickedness against "sin, the world and the devil." We need to develop our spiritual weapons of prayer and Bible study. We need to learn more of the value of encouraging one another and working together. And, especially in this season of Lent, we need to rediscover the spiritual power of self-denial.

P.S. For those who were wondering, "Shrove Tuesday" got its name from the practise of "shriving", or going to confession as a preparation for Lent. Pancake Day came from the English custom of using up the family supply of fat by cooking pancakes in preparation for the time of fasting in Lent.

John Davies

9 March 2003