JUNE 15, 1929 The WATCH TOWER 183
says "For this", For what cause? may be properly asked. The answer is, Because of love, thou shalt not commit adultery, kill, steal, bear false witness or covet. The things here mentioned which the Christian is not to do are crimes against the law of God. It is true that in most of the Geentile nations these same things are denounced by the law as wrong. If, however, a Christian would refrain from committing the crimes here mentioned merely because the law of the land would punish and does punish those who commit such crimes, then the Christian's motive is wrong. 29 What would induce any person to commit the crime of adultery, murder, theft or purjury? Selfishness, of course; and selfishness is the very opposite of love. If the person loves God and his fellow man he will not commit these wrongs. If he lows his neighbor he will do no injury to his neighbor. It is to satisfy some selfish or wrongful desire that leads men to do these wrongful arts. If a man loves his neighbor as himself he will be unselfish toward his neighbor and therefore will not wilfully do any wrong against his neighbor. For this reason the Christian obeys every law of the land that is in harmony with God's law. He does not obey merely because it is the law of the land, but because to obey is right. 30 "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Verse 10) In this verse the apostle could not have been referring to the laws of the Gentiles or so-called Christian nations, for the reason that not all the laws of all the nations could be fulfilled by one who is prompted wholly by love. If a nation commands that a Christian shall go to war and kill, love, could not be a fulfilment of that law. If a nation commands that a man shall not hand to his neighbor, who is sick and suffering, a glass of wine which would relieve him, love could not fulfil that law. 31 But every law of God is fulfilled by love or complete unselfishness because all the laws of God are right. Every law of every nation of earth that is in harmony with God's law should be gladly obeyed by the Christian whether he be a citizen of that nation or not. But where the law of the nation or government is contrary to God's law, then there is no compromise by the Christian: he must obey the law of God. If he does obey the law of God he will do not wrong or injury.
WAR
32 What, then, is the proper attitude of the anointed sons of God toward and with reference to participateing in war where the purpose of so doing is to kill human brings? The thirteenth chapter of Romans and the words of Peter (1 Pet. 2: 13, 17) have been repeatedly used to prove that Christians are compelled to engage in the deadly combat of war because the law of the land says so. Such application is entirely wrong. Neither of these scriptures has any reference
to the law of the nations, as the foregoing proof clearly establishes. Both of these scriptures have reference to the government, order and discipline in the organization of the Lord. Applying these words to earthly governments has been misleading and wrongful so far as Christians are concerned. The Word of God is explicit concerning his people when he says to them: "Thou shalt not kill." The Christian who kills in war breaks not only the expressed command of God, as above set forth, but breaks also God's everlasting covenant and therefore receives the disapproval of God and is barred from having a part in his kingdom.-Gen. 9: 5, 7; Ex. :20: 13; Matt. 5: 21; Isa. 24: 5; 1 John 3: 15. 33 Those who compose "the Society", within the meaning of that term as defined herein, and who are therefore of God's anointed on earth, and which company of Christians is otherwise spoken of as International Bible Students, while still in the flesh must be governed by the law of God. His laws as expressed in his Word are therefore the rules of the Bible Students, and these rules absolutely forbid such anointed ones to engage in warfare with carnal weapons. For this reason the Bible Students are misunderstood by the ruling powers of this world. They have no desire to interfere with worldly governments or the action thereof, nor can they willingly break God's law. It is not the prerogative of the Bible Students as Christians to say that the nations and peoples of earth shall not engage in war. That is none of their affair. It would be wrong for them to attempt to interfere with the nations' engaging in war or drafting men to engage in war. So far as the action of a nation is concerned in selecting and drilling an army, no Christian has a right to interfere. That is a matter that the nation itself must determine. 34 No truly consecrated Christian, however, can engage in literal warfare and at the same time maintain his integrity toward God. His duty is to hold aloof from the affairs of the nations that are carrying on war amongst themselves and to devote himself to the Lord and be obedient to his commandments. If commanded by the ruling powers of the nation to go to war and kill, in order to be faithful to the commandment of God he must refuse to go to war. That refusal will in all probability bring down upon the Christian the wrath of the government commanding him to go to war. The wrath of an earthly government is to be prefered by the Christian rather than to be subjected to the wrath of God for disobeying his law. 35 The consecrated and anointed Christian knows that he must die in order to be made a member of the glorious body of Christ. If he dies because of his faithfulness unto God and his covenant it will be well with him. If he disobeys God and willingly obeys rather an earthly ruling power, goes to war and dies therein, his opportunity for a place in the kingdom of God is for ever gone. He must therefore choose to obey man
