If there's one portion of the Old Testament that troubles most modern Christians more than any other, it has to be the chapters of the book of Joshua that describe Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. We wonder how the loving, merciful God we know in Christ could have tolerated Israel’s attempt to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan.

Throughout history, well-meaning followers of Christ have often gone to extremes as they've approached this portion of Joshua. Some have simply rejected it as a part of Old Testament faith that has nothing to do with us. Others have used it to justify taking up arms in the cause of Christ. But when we keep in view what the New Testament teaches about Jesus’ fulfillment of Israel’s conquest, we find a proper orientation toward Christian application of this portion of Joshua.

On the whole, Israel’s conquest in Joshua’s day represented a significant advancement in God’s ongoing conflict against Satan and those who followed him. But, unlike Joshua, when Jesus came to this earth it was not God’s time for him to take up arms against sinful human beings. In fact, in John 18:11, Jesus rebuked Peter for his physical aggression. Instead, Jesus extended God’s victory over Satan and those who followed him by preaching two sides of his gospel or “good news” of the kingdom: He strongly warned of God's coming judgment, and he offered mercy to all who were willing to surrender to God.

The first century apostles and prophets did much the same as they extended this initial phase of Christ’s worldwide conquest. They never called for physical attacks on people. Instead, like Jesus, they spread the gospel message of judgment and salvation. So, the New Testament calls on us to advance the cause of Christ in the power of his Spirit day by day.

We are to continue to engage human beings as Jesus and his apostles did. We oppose those who resist the ways of Christ, but not with physical attacks. Instead, we proclaim the judgment and mercy of the Christian gospel. We warn of God's judgment that is coming to the unbelieving world. And we warn false brothers in the church of God’s coming judgment.

This orientation opens the way for us to apply the record of Joshua’s conquest to our daily lives. As Israel was led by divine authority, you and I are to be led by divine authority as we advance Christ’s kingdom. As Israel’s confidence for victory was based on God’s covenant, we can have even more confidence because of the new covenant in Christ. As Israel’s success in battle depended on their submission to the standard of Moses’ law, success in our Christian battles depends on our submission to the standard of all of Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments. As Israel’s conquest was won by God’s supernatural power, our victories today come only through the supernatural power of God’s Spirit at work. And just as all Israel was to participate in the conquest in Joshua’s day, we are to fight our battles today as one people from every tribe and language and nation.