Are Soldiers Under God’s Wrath for Going to War?

In short, no.

Every now and again this question comes up. And here is a simple answer from Augustine, argued from the Gospel of Luke:

“…if Christian discipline condemned all wars, when the soldiers ask counsel as to the way of salvation, they would have been told to cast away their arms, and withdraw altogether from military service. Whereas it was said (Luke 3:14), Concuss no one, do injury to no one, be contented with your pay. Those whom he orders to be contented with their pay he certainly does not forbid to serve.”

John Calvin, picking up from Augustine, wrote,

But all magistrates must here be particularly cautious not to give way, in the slightest degree, to their passions. Or rather, whether punishments are to be inflicted, they must not be borne headlong by anger, nor hurried away by hatred, nor burn with implacable severity; they must, as Augustine says, “even pity a common nature in him in whom they punish an individual fault;” or whether they have to take up arms against an enemy, that is, an armed robber, they must not readily catch at the opportunity, nay, they must not take it when offered, unless compelled by the strongest necessity. For if we are to do far more than that heathen demanded, who wished war to appear as desired peace, assuredly all other means must be tried before having recourse to arms. In fine, in both cases, they must not allow themselves to be carried away by any private feeling, but be guided solely by regard for the public.

~ John Calvin, Institutes, Book 4, Chapter 20, Section 12.

A soldier has to answer to God, as all other men must do, even as the pacifist for his pacifism. The soldier answers to God, and as a Christian, does not look to be puffed up by others, but prioritizes loving God and loving those God has given him to protect and care for. The pacifist who allows crime, petty theft or of murder, must answer for his complete pacifism – for what reason did he not act? And the soldier, likewise, must give an account for why he did act.

We are to seek peace, as far as depends on us. And we are to let God be God, and so carry out vengeance on the evildoer in the way that He has commanded (Romans 12-13). As far as the wrath of God remaining on someone, this along is our only sure refuge from all of our imperfect acts in this life: belief in the only Son of God, in whom along is relief from the wrath of God (John 3:36).