(Exodus 23:23 NIV) My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.

Now that we're into a war against Yugoslavia, I'd like to say a few words about a Christian view of war. Note, I did not say, THE Christian view—I said, A Christian view. I don't claim to speak for the entire Christian church any more than I speak for the United States Army or the United States Army Chaplain Corps. I'm a Christian, a preacher, and a student and I'll write what I understand from God's Word. Others can speak for themselves.

The New Testament doesn't tell Christians or nations how, why, or whether to wage war—that's not why God inspired its writing. The New Testament is the story of God busy establishing a Spiritual Israel. So there we read of conversion and holy living and the shaping of the Church. But just because how Christians are to relate as soldiers or soldier-leaders isn't directly addressed doesn't mean we have no guidance at all.

The New Testament mostly says good things about soldiers. (The negatives are the soldiers abusing Christ at his trial—and that's pretty bad!) John the Baptist told the soldiers who came to him to do their duty and not to abuse their position and power. It was the centurion at the cross who confessed the truth of the Gift. And it was a centurion who was the first from among the Gentiles to hear and receive the gospel. And soldiers are called God's ministers—and that is what we are if we're willing.

We have the principles of Christian living that apply to every walk of life, including soldiering. "Do unto others . . ." "Live at peace, as much as it is within your power, with all men." "Who is my brother?"

And we have the whole Old Testament, God's record of the management of a holy nation. It is there we find the great principles for the behavior of nations and their national armies, and it is there, by the grace of God, I'll delve a bit deeper tomorrow.

Lord, thank you for the men and women who put themselves on the line for causes greater than themselves. May your grace attend each one in uniform, especially those in the Yugoslavian region. Work your will for this world through us. Amen.

—Major Dale Forrester