Articles
Water, not War
Water, not War
After the exodus, God told His people, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:6). Consider how He established that kingdom. First, He raised a leader. His name was Moses, for he was drawn out of water (Exodus 2:10). When Moses grew up, he was supposed to save God’s people from Egypt by leading them through the water of the Red Sea, but he didn’t understand. He thought war was the way out. “So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” (Ex. 2:12). In the New Testament, Stephen tells us what Moses was thinking: “…he took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.” (Acts 7:24b-25). Moses was confused. He thought God’s kingdom would be established by war. Instead, God established it by water. “Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Ex. 14:13-14). Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the Red Sea, and the Israelite slaves emerged a free people — a kingdom of priests.
In the New Testament, the apostle John wrote about the church, “Jesus has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father.” (Rev. 1:6a). Consider how God established this kingdom. First, He raised a leader. His name was Jesus, and He too was drawn out of water before His ministry (Matthew 3:16). Jesus, unlike Moses, understood this kingdom would be established through water, not war. The disciples, on the other hand, were confused. James and John wanted to send fire from heaven to consume Jesus’ enemies (Luke 9:54). Jesus said, “No!” Peter chopped off someone’s ear in defense of Jesus (Luke 22:50). Jesus said, “Stop!” Jesus told Pilate, “If my kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews.” (John 18:36b). Why no war? Why no fighting? “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).
You won’t see Christians on the news beheading unbelievers for refusing to convert. You won’t read about Christians holding unbelievers at gunpoint, forcing them to confess Christ or die. Christianity is established and spread by water, not war. To become a Christian, people must voluntarily submit to God’s leader, Jesus Christ, and follow Him in faith through the waters of baptism the way the Israelites followed Moses (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). If you’ve not done that, we would never force you. Just know, it’s the only way to join God’s kingdom of the saved (1 Peter 3:21).
