Over the centuries during times of significant revival in the Christian church, the universal truths of God’s message to His creation have come under scrutiny, especially by unbelievers and many other skeptics. One of the questions we often hear is…”If God is real, if He is really omnipotent, then why is there still so much war, why are so many people victimized and injured by others, after all the universal advancements of mankind ?”

History tells us that mankind has always experienced wars and millions of human beings have suffered throughout history. Humanism (i.e. a belief system based on the principle that people’s spiritual and emotional needs can be satisfied without following a god or religion) declares that mankind should be able to solve this dilemma without supernatural influence. They say, all that men should have to do is choose to love their neighbors as themselves and all will be well; i.e. human kindness is the answer! After all if you are a rational person, you wouldn’t want to cause harm to another human being. Is that even possible? It hasn’t seemed to have worked thus far! If you believe Darwinian theory that mankind evolved from lower life forms, and that all social issues should be addressed by the rational mind, then I suppose you would find no merit in the Biblical record.

I believe the Bible records God’s word to mankind, His plan and purposes and holds the answers to the question. We discover why we still have wars and why so many people suffer. Genesis records the story of the creation of mankind and tells us that man was given free will by his creator. God prepared a wonderful place for man and planted him there with the power to choose. God commanded man…”you must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17 NIV). Man chose to listen to the voice of the serpent (aka the devil)…”You will not surely die, the serpent said, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God…(Genesis 3:4,5 NIV). Man chose to disobey God’s command and the consequence was that man separated himself from his Creator, from his protection. Sin entered human existence and the consequences have been disagreements and conflicts between peoples, families, tribes, communities, nations; all manner of groups of mankind. It’s in the fabric of our being, despite how we might like to think of ourselves. We have brought it upon ourselves, and no amount of human intervention is going to bring an end to conflicts and wars. The book of Revelation alerts us that wars will not cease until the end of the age, till God establishes the new heaven and the new earth (see Revelation 21).

The good news is that God has provided the way to restore mankind to Himself. That message is… “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). Once we accept Christ for who He is, we can become filled and guided by the Holy Spirit. Then we put on the armor of God and become equipped to join God’s army. We then fight the good fight!