- Jul 22, 2014
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I disagree with you.
Ah, I just wanted to make sure. Your post #50 in reply to post #49 gave me the impression that you you might have agreed with New Testament Non-Resistance. But I can see now that this is not case. Thank you for clarifying.
You said:We are to be willing to give up our lives for Christ.
This runs contrary to killing others in self defense for one's own life.
Jesus gave up His life and did not defend Himself to protect His own life.
He literally gave up His life.
We are told in Scripture to follow His example (See: 1 Peter 2:21, and 1 John 2:5-6).
There are people out there who hate our faith and Lord. And they will persecute and kill because of it. End of story. A spiritual battle for the soul. You have not answered any of my questions concerning this conversation.
Right, we fight a spiritual battle and not a physical one.
“The weapons we use in our fight are not the world's weapons but God's powerful weapons, which we use to destroy strongholds. We destroy false arguments;” (2 Corinthians 10:4) (GNT).
You said:Should we have stayed under the authority of the crown in the first place?
I know that violence is not the resolution or response that the Lord would want from one of His disciples because Jesus and His followers clearly taught Non-Resistance. Nowhere will you find an instance where self defense by the use of violence by a gun or with one's fists is justified within the New Testament. Jesus told us to turn the other cheek if we are smitten. Jesus told us to love our enemies, to do good unto them, and to pray for them. You cannot be doing those things while you are also shooting them. The two concepts are contradictory. Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world, it it were, His servants would fight (See: John 18:36). Yet, you want me to believe Jesus' kingdom is of this world and that they should fight (Which is contrary to what Jesus said).
So to answer your question: Yes. If everyone was truly following our Lord's commands, they would have remained under authority to England. But God knew that this was not going to happen. The Lord knows that most do not want to follow the narrow way that is difficult and they would prefer to take the easy way of killing others so as to gain their own version of freedom and opportunities for themselves. Yes, I do realize God blessed this nation despite the founder's imperfect choice to fight (of which no nation with visible land can stand without fighting), but that does not mean God approved of their choices to go to war with England. God wants us to follow after peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (See: Hebrews 12:14).
You said:Are any civil authorities to be Christians?
You mean, can a Christian be a politician?
Well, I am not a political expert. But I do know that a Christian could not obey Jesus on the matter of Non-Resistance that He taught and also be a part of the Defense Department or be the President of the U.S because they are called to make the tough choices in using violent self defense to protect our country. But again, it is not my place to speak against them if they do such things. They have a different role to play then the Christian does. God uses the army and the police as His arm of justice to punish evil. Meaning, the Lord knows that most people will not follow the narow way in following what He stated but they prefer to trust in their own power, might, and strength instead. Yes, no nation can stand without a military. But that has nothing to do with the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. That kind of person has a different role or mission to partake in (Within God's greater plan for good). For God used sinners to crucify Jesus. God used the evil that Joseph's brothers did against Joseph for a greater plan for good. So just because God is able to use those who do not His will, does not mean God approves of those choices that the make. God never said that we must have a nation. God never said that we must have a military. But we are citizens of the place in which we are born (in most cases). So we obey those laws that do not conflict with God's laws. I know. You don't agree with Non-Resistance as taught by Jesus Christ. That's okay. It does not change what our Lord taught (even if you don't agree with it).
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