Does God allow war?

God is love, and that makes war, violence, and the hard bits of the Old Testament a real challenge for followers of Jesus. Religion is often blamed for the vast majority of conflict, but the historical record suggests that only a small percentage of recorded wars had religion as their primary cause. Human sin, greed, power, land, and resources have driven far more violence than faith itself. The question still remains: if God is love, how can God be connected with warfare in the Bible?

Genesis gives the starting point. God created a world without violence, suffering, illness, tears, or death, where Adam and Eve lived in perfect relationship with him. Sin distorted that world, and humanity now lives in the messy bit in between Eden and restoration. Revelation gives the end point: Jesus will return, God will wipe away every tear, and the old order of death, pain, mourning, and war will pass away.

The distinction between holy war and just war helps make sense of some of these questions. Holy war belongs specifically to Old Testament moments where God directly instructed Israel, while just war describes resisting evil, oppression, or aggression. The response to Hitler’s ideology in World War Two may fit that category, while invading another country merely to grab land or resources does not. Defence of the vulnerable, resistance to invasion, and protection from oppression may be just; conquest for power is not.

Deuteronomy contains words that sound deeply troubling, including the command to “destroy them totally.” The Hebrew word herem has a wider range of meaning than simple genocide, and the rhetoric of ancient warfare often used dramatic, exaggerated language. Judges also shows that the Canaanites were still living in the land after Joshua’s time. Old Testament cities were often small garrison towns rather than modern cities, and people could see an approaching army from miles away, allowing many women and children to flee. None of that makes violence easy, but it does mean these accounts need careful context rather than quick assumptions.

Jesus makes the direction of Scripture clear: “Blessed are the peacemakers,” and “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” God proves his love through the violent, painful death of his innocent Son, who bears the sin humanity brought into the world. Christians cannot defend atrocities done in the name of Christianity, nor can they fully explain every hard question this side of eternity. God’s final purpose remains restoration, peace, and a world with no more suffering, pain, tears, violence, or death.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s world is moving toward peace [06:54] Genesis shows the world as God intended it, free from death, pain, and violence. Revelation shows the world as God will finally restore it, where every tear is wiped away. Sin explains the brokenness in between, but it does not change God’s purpose. Hope rests in God’s final restoration rather than humanity’s ability to fix itself. [06:54]
• 2. War is not always religious [02:47] Religion can be used to justify violence, and Christians must not ignore that history. Yet greed, land, power, resources, and human pride have driven most conflict. The accusation that faith itself causes nearly all war does not stand up well against the historical record. Human sin is the deeper issue beneath humanity’s repeated violence. [02:47]
• 3. Just defence differs from conquest [09:49] A just war seeks to stop aggression, protect civilians, or resist oppression. Conquest seeks land, wealth, control, or national glory at somebody else’s expense. That difference matters because not every use of force carries the same moral weight. Christians must be especially wary whenever power presents greed as necessity. [09:49]
• 4. Hard Old Testament texts need context [14:17] Words such as herem cannot simply be dropped into modern categories without considering language, history, and ancient rhetoric. Biblical accounts themselves show that Israel did not literally wipe out every Canaanite people group. Context does not remove every uncomfortable question, but it prevents shallow conclusions about God’s character. Honest faith does not pretend difficult passages are easy. [14:17]
• 5. Jesus calls his people to peacemaking [26:18] Jesus blesses peacemakers and commands love for enemies, even for those who persecute his people. The cross shows that God’s answer to sin is not casual violence but costly self-giving love. Christians live in a broken world, but they belong to the coming world of peace. That hope should shape how they respond to fear, conflict, and enemies.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:26] - War, Peace, and God’s Love
• [01:50] - Does Religion Cause Most Wars?
• [04:56] - God’s Ideal World and Humanity’s Fall
• [06:54] - The Promise of a World Without Pain
• [08:20] - Holy War and Just War
• [11:26] - The Difficult Words of Deuteronomy
• [14:17] - Herem and Ancient Warfare Language
• [17:37] - What Old Testament Cities Were Like
• [19:21] - The Crusades and Just War
• [24:40] - Does God Condone Genocide?
• [25:51] - Jesus, Peacemaking, and Loving Enemies
• [27:21] - Living in the Messy Bit In Between
• [29:22] - Holding On to the Hope of Restoration

1. What picture of God’s intended world is given through the contrast between Genesis and Revelation 21:4—both at the beginning and at the end of the Bible? [06:54]
2. In Deuteronomy 7:1-2, what instructions are given to Israel, and which words make this passage especially difficult to read?
3. What distinction is made between a “holy war” and a “just war,” and what motives or situations were used to describe a just war? [09:49]
4. What details about ancient warfare language and Old Testament “cities” help explain why modern readers may misunderstand these accounts? [17:37]

1. If God is love, how should Christians hold 1 John 4:8 alongside difficult commands such as Deuteronomy 7:1-2 without ignoring either passage? [14:17]
2. Deuteronomy’s language sounds total, yet Judges shows that Canaanites remained in the land. What might this suggest about the use of battle language and exaggerated claims in ancient accounts? [13:41]
3. Revelation 21:4 promises an end to death, pain, and tears. How does that future promise help explain the Bible’s overall movement toward restoration and peace, even while the present world remains broken? [07:20]
4. Jesus commands his followers to love enemies and pray for persecutors. How might that command shape a Christian response when force is being discussed as protection against oppression or aggression? [26:18]

1. When news of war, violence, or cruelty feels overwhelming, what helps you remember that God’s final purpose is not death and pain but restoration? What could help you hold on to Revelation 21:4 this week? [27:41]
2. Have you ever heard someone blame Christianity or religion for all, or most, of the world’s wars? How could you respond honestly—admitting the Church’s failures while also recognising the roles of greed, power, land, and human sin? [02:47]
3. Where are you most tempted to seek control, win an argument, get even, or protect your own interests at somebody else’s expense? What would peacemaking look like in that specific situation? [26:56]
4. Is there a person you currently see as an enemy, opponent, or difficult presence in your life? What might it look like to pray for them sincerely this week, even if reconciliation is not yet possible?
5. Difficult Old Testament passages can leave people unsettled. When you come across a passage you do not understand, do you tend to avoid it, explain it away quickly, or bring it honestly to God and trusted Christians? What would a healthier next step look like? [27:21]
6. Jesus’ death was violent and painful, yet it showed God’s costly love for sinners. How does the cross challenge the way you respond when you have been hurt, wronged, or treated unfairly? [25:36]
7. In your home, workplace, friendships, online conversations, or church life, where is God inviting you to become a peacemaker rather than adding fuel to conflict? What is one practical step you could take? [27:00]