1. The Old life, and the New

For the Japanese nation, August is the month of repentance. The Japanese military once invaded China, Korea, Phillipines, and a number of other Asian countries. That Military aggression and Government policy, eventually led to a full-scale war in the pacific, with other nations. Imperial Japan surrendered officially on the 15th of August, 1945. Now we, as Christians, should remember the day as the day of God’s judgement and condemnation.

God punished the Japanese people for their arrogance at the time. The war changed our green and beautiful country into a burned field, and former leaders of the government were sentenced as war criminals. It was similar to the way that God punished Israel, and their land, by means of the Assyrian, and then, the Babylonian invasions.

The Japanese have sworn not to choose war as a means to resolve international conflicts, and they established a constitution, which rejects any possibility of ever keeping an armed force. Since then, sixty years have passed. Today we shall contemplate the meaning of real peace in commemoration of the signing of the constitution. The scripture reading, taken from our church calendar, is chapter 5 of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians.

It is said that the letter was written when Paul was imprisoned in Rome. The church at Ephesus was very tiny, and struggling under the crushing rule of Gentiles. The contents of the letter were intended to encourage believers there. From chapter 4 he gives them advice about how to live in, and cooperate with, the non-christian world. He begins, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:5-6).

God is Father, not only of the Jews, but also of Greeks and Romans and others. Some considered themselves to be divine. They were in conflict, breaking the peace by seeking their own advantage egoistically. So Paul told them, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

And he continued to teach, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). He says they became children of light by meeting Christ. Paul thinks their living is ruled by evil. But they should live as light or salt of the earth by staying in such a world, because, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, *2 for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you’” (Ephesians 5:11-14).

We will now try to reflect upon war and peace, by referring to the above passage. Regarding peace, Jesus said: “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). So, if Christians as children of light become the majority, should the world become an authentically peaceful place? History tells us this will not be so.

The early church denied wars by respecting Jesus’ teaching. Nonetheless, once being accorded the status of a unique official religion of the Roman Empire, it was drawn in to existing political power and wars as a means to resolve conflicts with external powers. Even worse, it began to excommunicate those who protested against such changes of principle. Because the Empire could not maintain its hegemony without support of the armed forces. Thus compromise with the earthly world sprouted, which gave birth to hypocritical expression of a “sacred war.”

Combatants against the gentiles, which were considered to be necessary in order to protect the Christians living in the Roman Empire, were justified as wars for God’s sake. But we know there are in no way “sacred wars.” In reality all wars occur from self-centered lucrative purposes, which cause conflicts and disagreements between those who don’t share the same interests.

During times of war, military leaders seek to kill more of the enemy, and solders take liberties by looting, setting fires to infrastructure, and raping helpless women. Is it possible to accept such conduct as secondary incidents? No, definitively not ! So much so, whatever the motives and the reasons, wars cannot be Justified.

Paul said, ” find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). God must not be pleased by any kind of war. But even if a Christian population becomes a major force, the world cannot expect peace. History and the present world, both record the reality. As we now see the US, the majority of which are Christians, still continue to wage wars.

In contrast, Japan, where the Christian population is extremely small, has not sent any combat forces abroad for sixty years. The bifurcating point was made at the time of the Japanese defeat. The victorious US could not put an end to policies which depended on military force, whereas defeated Japan remains in a state of pacification. I think that fact is very significant.

2. Prophetic Wisdom

Today’s invocation verse is Isaiah 2:4, “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

At the time when Isaiah received his calling, about 740 B.C., Assyria was on the way of getting hegemony over the ancient world. After occupying Syria, the emerging empire defeated Northern Israel, and was threatening the kingdom of Judah with a crushing military force. The people of Judah sought backup from the Egyptians: “But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together” ( Isaiah 31:3).

He thought it was useless to count on mere humans for help, “stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?” (Isaiah 2:22). Nonetheless, the people of Judah would not listen to Isaiah’s words, and the nation remained in a chaotic state. Isaiah was privy to God’s will behind the circumstances and the power conflicts of that time.

He recognized that the world was not dominated by any strong countries like Assyria or Egypt, but by God alone, the supreme ruling power. And, Isaiah prophesies that on the last day of the world, all people of all nations will know, and they would come to Israel to seek God’s peace. Today’s invocation verse comes just after the passage above.

The notion of the last day, or eschatological thinking, comes from the desperation of the present situation. Isaiah sought the ultimate solution through God, because he was despairing of secular rulers, and their capacity to lead. Isaiah chapter 2 verse 4 is engraved on the UN headquarters building in New York. Countries who experienced the misery of world war II, chose the words, with the hope and determination that such a human catastrophe would never occur again.

Nonetheless, the act of engraving the words on the building will not guarantee a pacifist world. It is only when we humans recognize our boundaries and powerlessness, that real peace might be established. Isaiah predicted that the Lord would some day abandon Jerusalem because destruction of the nation and repentance of people must precede the establishment of real peace.

Japan endured such an experience in 1945, when they too, “beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.” Thanks to this very experience, Japan came close to the realization of Isaiah ’s prophecy. As Paul wrote, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” ( Ephesians 4¡§5-6).

All nations should be united in worship of one God. But, in the real world there are wars and killings, even between Christians. Why? Because as long as we live in the earthly world we humans cannot live in peace. Because, there is always disagreements between different countries, and the practice of racism between the people. Christians too, belong to this secular world.

Karl Barth, theologian who wrote: “the Church Dogmatics” (Ger. Kirchliche Dogmatik),*2*3, contemplated the foolishness of war, and he declared clearly his stance against war. But despite that, he could not completely emancipate himself from the real world. He reportedly said, “if ever a nation and his people are felled in crucial circumstances which threaten their independence and existence, a war could be justified.”

Barth, a man of such strong faith and theologically profound knowledge remained inside and part of the secular world. Though Jesus encourages us by saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9), it goes beyond human comprehension to follow faithfully the teaching. So much so, we come to believe in the fact that a peaceful world, without wars, will only be a reality on the last day, as Isaiah prophesied.

3. The Constitution and God’s will

The preface of the Japanese present constitution, which was drawn from repentance in defeat, has this passage: “We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time and are deeply conscious of the high ideals controlling human relationship and we have determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world. “*3

However, “human relationship” is not controlled by “the high ideals” in reality. “The peace-loving peoples” don’t possess “the justice and faith.” It is impossible “to preserve our security and existence” by trusting human nature which is not able to stop combativeness against each other. Actually, many Japanese are insisting on the necessity of amendments for the clauses, and their understanding of the historical facts are more correct, than that of total advocates for it to remain.

But when we read again the passage in replacing “we” by “Lord” and “our” by ” humans” the concept should be different. Its essence becomes very close to the passage of Isaiah’s prophecy. It is not strange because the original draft was said to be written by Christian idealists, who were administrative members of the American General’s Headquarters in Japan during the occupation.

It means the spirit of the constitution is founded on faith in Bible. I think our present constitution is marvelous, because its ideal is founded on the prophecy of Isaiah, ” They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” Indeed it is the very gift of God. Recently more and more people evaluate and estimate highly the concept. The preface to the declaration of an international symposium upon ” Article 9 ” *4 was held in the May. They concluded that the article might become a symbol of world wide peace-seeking movements.

Furthermore several countries are beginning to reject probabilities of military intervention, which should ease the budget constrictions for keeping Armies. The money, land, and property originally designated to military forces can be used for social welfare or environmental protection. It is reported that all participants to the symposium discussed the issue actively and enthusiastically.

As long as we live in this world, we are obliged to live earthly lives, and we can’t delete completely the probability of wars breaking out. But God can. So Paul, tells the Ephesians, ” for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Epehsians 5:14).

Though we are not capable of realizing world peace, we can at least pray the words Jesus taught us to say: “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). So let us now give thanks to God for our constitution, which is in concert with God’s will.
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References:
*1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pacific_War
*2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Barth
*3 http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Japan/English/english-Constitution.html#PREFACE
*4 Chapter II article 9 - http://www.ndl.go.jp/constitution/e/etc/c01.html#s2