ArchivedQuestions about the QuranYou like to come to your own conclusions don't you? Like the time you got duped into islam... Once more you proved that you didn't know hoot about the Scripture which made it easier to get duped into islam for you. "Turn the other cheek" ... What does that mean? Explain it to me with your pentecostal knowledge... Does that mean all Christians should be suicidal? Take sometime and learn why Jesus said "turn your other cheek" ... There are people who think that Christians should not bear or use weapons. In the following passage of John's gospel, it is evident that the Apostle Peter bore weapons with the consent of Jesus Christ. Then said Jesus unto Peter: Put up thy sword into the sheath, the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Lk 18: 11 In this verse we see that Jesus ordered Peter to put his sword back into the sheath. This means that Peter had his sword hanging from his body in a visible way. It was not a dagger that he could hide among his clothes, it was a sword in its sheath. If Jesus were against bearing weapons he surely wouldn't have permitted Peter to carry his weapon. This demonstrates to us that the Lord didn't oppose having weapons, neither did he preach against it. We can also see that Jesus even told his disciples outright to buy swords: And he said unto them: When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said: Nothing. Then said he unto them: But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip, and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Lk 22: 35-36 John the Baptist taught in a similar way as Jesus. He didn't tell the Romans to quit being soldiers, but to be honest and to be content with their wages. John was not going to preach a doctrine in opposition to Christ's, but according to the will of the Lord. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying: And what shall we do? And he said unto them: Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages Lk 3: 14 The soldiers inquired of John to see if they had to meet any special requirements before they could be baptized. Unfortunately, the King James Version translates the Greek verb diaseio with the phrase "do violence to no man." This verb "literally means 'shake violently.' In those days it was a technical, legal term, meaning 'extort money by violence' much like our current slang expression 'shake down'" What a perfect time for John to tell these soldiers to leave the army; instead, he tells them to be honest and not grumble about their wages. Any connations rendered there from that it is a sin for one to be a soldier, does grievous, eggregious, injury and violence to language, and the commonly understood meanings of words! Only a perverted and twisted sophistry with an ulterior agenda can derive such meaning from Scripture. Both, John and Jesus, never told the soldiers to quit the militia, but they did tell prostitutes to quit sinning. Jesus did overturn the money changer tables in the temple. Paul wrote almost all of his Epistles to correct doctrinal error. He said twice in Galatians that there was one True Gospel and any doctrine that deviated from it was accursed (Gal 1:6-10). Whenever Scripture repeats itself, it is of utmost importance (especially since that doesn't happen very often). Clearly it is evident that bearing weapons is not inherently sinfull, but no sin act nor false doctrine was tolerable in even the slightest sense. Before Jesus was born, during the Hellenic period, many brethren thought it was a sin to fight in self defense on Saturdays. They arrived at this wrong conclusion by reading random sections of the Scripture. They believed it was preferable to let the enemy kill them on Saturdays, rather than fighting. If instead of believing what was taught to them by their foolish teachers, they would have read the book of Joshua, they would have seen that this great man of God fought war on Saturdays. Sure enough, during the siege of Jericho they marched around the city seven consecutive days, of which for sure, one was a Saturday. From this one could infer, it was allowed to wage war on Saturdays. Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua: See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns; and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets." Josh 6:1-4 A popular misconception is that Christians should turn the other cheek. However, Scripture is not a suicide pact. Turning the other cheek is what is to be done by a Christian when they are wrongly persecuted and suffer tribulation as a result of their witnessing the Gospel to the heathen and unsaved. It does not stipulate that a Christian should idely stand by watching immoral travesties occur to their bretheren. The Christian who refuses to cease witnessing the Gospel in the face of adversity, and is beaten to a bloody pulp by somebody who has rejected Christ's saving Gospel, practices tolerance. Just as Christ practiced tolerance (and turned the other cheek) when he was belittled, scorned, spat upon, scourged, stripped naked, scourged, and nailed upon a cross to death. The rewards for Christian's trials and tribulations in this regard, will be immeasurable and beyond their wildest comprehension in the next life and for all eternity. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; Mat 5:44 But know this, that it is not by choice that a Christian becomes embroiled in matters of war. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. II Tim 2:4 First, Christians must realize that they are above all else spiritual soldiers, always engaged in an invisible but nonetheless very real war against Satan and his minions. The battle for the souls of men is a very real one and has been occuring for thousands of years. Christians are not called to cower in fear or confusion but are called to "active duty", if you will. An active duty in the spiritual realm, that is. Especially to seek God in prayer and intercession more than ever in times of crisis. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; II Cor 10:3-5 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph 6:11 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39 And that my brothers, is a combination that no hellish burglar can undo. The Lord commands us to "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," but what does this involve? We know we must pay our taxes (Rom. 13 : 7), pray for our leaders (1 Tim. 2:1-4), and refrain from speaking evil of them (Tit. 3:1,2). Paul writes: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Romans 13:1-7 I am amazed that in spite of the clarity of the above Scripture, many people persist in disobeying it, not only in American society and culture but in others as well. Jesus never taught His people to storm the Bastille, revolt against the king, kill unjust rulers, march on city hall, barricade an administration building on campus, lead a sit-in at the president's office, harass leaders, or violate the law. We must obey all civil laws whether we like them or not. And Paul is very clear that failure to do so is to go against God himself. There is only one caveat: if the government commands us to act in way which God has prohibited, we must "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). And that means resisting under the penalty of death. But what if the government itself goes to war? Can Christians fight for their government? Do Christians have the right to drop bombs on enemy targets? If it is sinful for a Christian to be a soldier, then it is sinful for anyone to serve in the military. If it is a sin for a Christian to be a police officer, then all police officers are doomed to hell. Yet, God commands the government to punish evildoers (1 Pet. 2:14). The civil government is "God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil" (Rom. 13:4). I have trouble understanding how some can teach the death penalty is commanded by God (and rightly so) and yet believe the man who carries out the sentence is damned by God for obeying this command! Christians have no right to seek personal vengeance (Rom. 12:19). God has said all vengeance belongs to Him (Rom. 12:19). However, God has delegated "vengeance" to the civil government (Rom. 13:4). Albert Barnes said, "When a magistrate inflicts punishment on the guilty, it is to be regarded as the act of God taking vengeance on him; and on this principle alone is it right for a judge to condemn a man to death. It is not because one man has by nature the right over the life of another, or because society has any right collectively which it does not as individuals; but because God gave life, and because he has chosen to take it away when a crime is committed, by the appointment of magistrates, and not by coming forth himself visibly to execute the laws" (Barnes Notes, Vol. 4, pg. 294). Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. Proverbs 20:18 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 24:6 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. Ecclesiastes 9:18 Consider also that we are living in the last days and it is inevitable that all the nations will eventually go to war. However, no Christian soldier (military or otherwise) will have to experience this battle that is coming. Their disappearance is the event marking the beginning of The Time of Jacob's Troubles, or the Great Tribulation. Nevertheless, let us remember that we are all soldiers in God's Army. We soldiers in the physical army of a country WILL not shrink from our duties to God, nor our country. In the meantime, until the Lord calls His Church to join him in the clouds, we will be good Christian soldiers for God. Looking forward to go and kill your brothers with your tax money! :roll: |
🌈Pride🌈 goeth before Destruction
When 🌈Pride🌈 cometh, then cometh Shame