Republican Jesus

[Hammster]

See my post above

Got it. Thanks.

 

[parousia70]

Here's a religious liberty bill designed to allow churches to operate according to their beliefs regarding homosexuality.

Jesus said in Revelation 2:20-23 that the church has sinned by tolerating Jezebel and her sexual immorality. The church should be free to throw out such people.

Thanks again for participating but this falls outside the parameters I seek.

 

[parousia70]

No, but to only be interested in what Jesus said about marriage to the exclusion of what the OT or Paul says about marriage is to assume that the substance of the two could be different. That's a problem.

Just for edification purposes, the act of studying the "Red Letters" specifically is by no means novel, unique or as you put, "a problem".

It is a well established and respected specialty in the study of Scripture:

All The Red Letter Scriptures Of Jesus In The Bible (KJV)

Red Letter Challenge : Zach Zehnder : Red Letter Living

The Origins of the Red-Letter Bible

 

[Kenny'sID]

Alright I will bow out, but I admit that I suspect that any conclusions you arrive at will be flawed because the scope of your data is so arbitrarily limited.

When the time comes, maybe we will see if the fact it may be flawed is intentional.

 

[Tree of Life]

Just for edification purposes, the act of studying the "Red Letters" specifically is by no means novel, unique or as you put, "a problem".

It is a well established and respected specialty in the study of Scripture:

All The Red Letter Scriptures Of Jesus In The Bible (KJV)

Red Letter Challenge : Zach Zehnder : Red Letter Living

The Origins of the Red-Letter Bible

You're leaving some of the red letters out though.

 

[parousia70]

You're leaving some of the red letters out though.

Yes I am. On Purpose.

I must admit the resistance from the followers of Jesus to this seemingly simple ask about what He actually spoke while He walked the earth is rather odd.

If it can't be done, it can't be done.

If it can be, it can be.

Either way, it will greatly benefit my project in the end.

 

[Tree of Life]

I must admit the resistance from the followers of Jesus to this seemingly simple ask about what He actually spoke is rather odd.

Did he not actually speak the red letters in Acts and Revelation?

 

[parousia70]

Did he not actually speak the red letters in Acts and Revelation?

Thanks for that catch.. I edited my post.

 

[Ignatius the Kiwi]

Why only the red letters of Jesus? Why not the entire Christian tradition?

Though I agree, the Republicans have been tepid at best to promote the growth or favourite status of Christianity in America. Most probably because Republicans are liberals and committed to the Enlightenment tradition of the founders more than they are the words of Jesus or any religious motivation.

 

[hislegacy]

Jesus is neither Republican nor Democrat. To attach His name to a political party is not scriptural. To argue that He is Republican because He was pro life in His teachings and the scripture is no more valid than saying He was socialist in His teachings and scripture.

The thought is beneath Him and is foisted upon unknowing individuals who have a form of Godliness, but are not acquainted with His Power.

IMHO - doing so belies a contempt for our sovereign Lord and Savior and is used only to gain some type of political footing or one upmanship. I could be completely wrong - but that is my opinion.

 

[Halbhh]

These pro-gun bills were recently passed in AZ.

Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves. Certainly that includes protecting ourselves and our neighbors from bad guys!

mmm...

Matthew 26:52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him. "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

And how they followed His example later:
Acts 7:60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Now, if Stephen had had a sword, and had drawn it to defend himself... say Stephen drew a sword and did "self defense" and escaped eventually from the murderous crowd...would that have been a good thing?

Stephen's defense was to trust in the Lord. This seems best of all. I don't know I could really kill someone merely to save my mortal dust body for a few more years from passing on to greater Life.

 

[Tree of Life]

mmm...

Matthew 26:52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him. "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

And how they followed His example later:
Acts 7:60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Now, if Stephen had had a sword, and had drawn it to defend himself... say Stephen drew a sword and did "self defense" and escaped eventually from the murderous crowd...would that have been a good thing?

Stephen's defense was to trust in the Lord. This seems best of all. I don't know I could really kill someone merely to save my mortal dust body for a few more years from passing on to greater Life.

Jesus corrected his disciples who drew swords because they envisioned Jesus as a political/military Messiah who would lead a revolt against the Romans. They wanted to prevent Jesus from getting arrested and getting crucified. But Jesus came to suffer and not to conquer and so he told them to put their swords away.

But this does not mean that Jesus is condemning self defense in general.

Could you shoot someone to save your child or grandchild from getting kidnapped or killed?

 

[Halbhh]

Jesus corrected his disciples who drew swords because they envisioned Jesus as a political/military Messiah who would lead a revolt against the Romans. They wanted to prevent Jesus from getting arrested and getting crucified. But Jesus came to suffer and not to conquer and so he told them to put their swords away.

But this does not mean that Jesus is condemning self defense in general.

Could you shoot someone to save your child or grandchild from getting kidnapped or killed?

That's 100% right, but it's only 1 piece.

He Himself escaped from one murderous crowd (He simply slipped away!).

Whenever I consider a complex situation though, I think of the essence of the law, to aid in figuring out what to do in a given complex situation:
Matthew 7:12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

Whatever is the right thing to do will line up with this rule Christ said.

So, while I could defend myself in quite a large number of ways -- potentially anything from slipping away to tripping someone to a throw, or even punching them -- I'll be held to account if I do so in a wrong way that I'd consider wrong if done precisely that way in the situation of roles reversed (and then if not repenting of that wrong of course). So there's the more difficult question answered as best I can. Defending others is easier seen in Matthew 7:12 right off the bat (though of course one still can't do so with excessive force that isn't justified in the situation, as possible when having options, just as is the standard for a good police officer).

 

[The Barbarian]

These pro-gun bills were recently passed in AZ.

I see. So Jesus said, if someone tries to steal from you, blow him away?

 

[Tree of Life]

I see. So Jesus said, if someone tries to steal from you, blow him away?

No. But if someone is threatening my life, my child’s life, or my neighbor’s life, the loving thing to do would be to stop that threat.

 

[The Barbarian]

No. But if someone is threatening my life, my child’s life, or my neighbor’s life, the loving thing to do would be to stop that threat.

So it's O.K. , even if it wasn't the way Jesus said to handle it?

 

[Tree of Life]

So it's O.K. , even if it wasn't the way Jesus said to handle it?

Jesus did say that I should value and protect life and love my neighbor. He never condemned self defense of the defense of others. John the Baptist never called the soldiers to leave their military positions.

 

[hislegacy]

Jesus did say that I should value and protect life and love my neighbor. He never condemned self defense of the defense of others. John the Baptist never called the soldiers to leave their military positions.

That is why taking the whole of scripture is vital to our understanding, not just a select piece.

 

[hislegacy]

So it's O.K. , even if it wasn't the way Jesus said to handle it?

Can you cite scripture where Jesus gave us instructions on how to handle someone who is in the process of assaulting your family member.

 

[The Barbarian]

Can you cite scripture where Jesus gave us instructions on how to handle someone who is in the process of assaulting your family member.

My point, exactly. He didn't. Thank you.