War

when someone hurts someone you love it is natural to fihgt back. if someone hurt someone i love i would try to hurt them back. that is probably not a Christian reaction but it an honest one. Yes I think some wars are justified--those that defend helpless people agains t cruesl dictators. Israel fighting to defend herself. the current situation--I dont know

i always try to turn to scripture for answers and im posting a few that will answer the question..
Matthew 5:39 "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to revenge, my friends; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. in doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

and i agree with you completely though.. if someone did anything to hurt anyone i knew and was close to me i would probably go after that person too... so i cant say that it would be easy but thats what were told to do and thats what ima try to do.. abot the war i cant say that we have a completely christianized government which would be cool but its most likely wont happen.. at least for a very long time it wont happen...

--Thomas

...."there is a time for war and a time for peace" (cant remember the verse right off)

Today at 05:05 PM Ephesian said this in Post #1 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=706695#post706695)

Does God sanction war? "Blessed are the peacemakers", so are Christians ever justified going to war? Is there such a thing as a just war? Is war ever a part of God's will under the New Covenent?

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There was a discussion on this issue right around 9/11 and there was a response, by seebs I think, that did a good job of explaining what a peacemaker is. A "peacemaker" is someone who pursues peace, not necessarily someone who never goes to war.

God bless

Today at 07:31 PM Yekcidmij said this in Post #4 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=707045#post707045)

...."there is a time for war and a time for peace" (cant remember the verse right off)

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Ecclesiastes 3:8
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

God bless

Thanks Reformationist...i had forgotten where to find it and was feeling to lazy to look.



I agree with you too, a peacemaker is someone who pursues peace not necessarily avoids war.....that would be a pacifist.

Did anyone see Larry King Live last night. He had five Christian men on there, three of whom I admire in the utmost. John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Bob Jones, III. They gave lots of scripture that supports a nation watching over its people. One thing they mentioned was that God, and the Bible does not support nor condemn war. They talked about how war was not a religous thing, but a inbedded thing in the hearts of man. How true that is! There will be warmongering until the end of times. As far as war...Christ will come back and start a war.

Look at Romans 13 though, I thought it was the most supportive scripture in this situation...

Romans 13


Submission to the Authorities

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

So you see, God has chosen our leaders and God uses some leaders to punish others that take advantage of their power. The leader does not bare the sword in vain.

MY opinion and belief is that we should stand behind this God seeking man in this time of trouble, I earnestly believe that he is looking in the best interest of the ENTIRE world.

Blessings,

FOMWatts<><

If you look back in time and in the bible you will see countless times where God instructs us to take what is our and in this case it is the freedom of the world from radical muslim terrorists.

America has often been used to come to the aid of some deprived nation or race, its what we are all about.

If you ask me I think God is a mighty warrior and definatley has enemies just like we do and his enemies are our enemies.

I can find no scriptural nor historical support that Christians can serve in the Armed Forces of their country.

In fact, from the first century Church onward, one of the requirements for admission into the church and the receipt of it's sacraments was to resign from military service.

Soldiers were not allowed to be baptised, receive communion or other blessings associated with fellowship with God and His Church.

The early believers took seriously and literally Christ's and the Apostle's commands that one cannot claim to love God while killing his children or fellow Christian believers.

They also took seriously Jesus' charge that one could not serve God and mammon at the same time.

It was largely for this reason that the early Christians were persecuted.

They were persecuted by the Jews in part for not standing against the Romans to throw off their yoke of political supression.

They were persecuted by the Romans because they were seen as 'unpatriotic' to the Roman Empire by refusing to fight for it.

The early Christians were willing rather to die NOT committing sin against another person than to bear arms and to murder.

It was only after the Church gained political power under Constantine that the attitudes about military service changed. The Christians now gained power and political clout and resorted to carnal power to keep it.

The words of Paul remind us that the weapons of Christ's warfare is never carnal. Our battle is spiritual.

War is never a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is simply an outpouring of the wicked and fallen flesh.

homebild,

(I will not wite out all verses here because I'm lazy, but please look them up for yourself)

Read Mark 8:5-13

notice nowhere does Jesus come down on the Roman centurion for being in the military, as a matter of fact Jesus says the centurion had more faith than anyone in Israel.

Read John 3:14

notice John the Baptist tells the soldiers to not take money by force, be content with wages, and not accuse falsely. Again, nowhere does he say anything about leaving the military.

Read Romans 13

please check out this link too
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/questi...ns+And+Military+Service&amp;file=servemil.xml


When you say Christians cant serve in the Armed Forces of their Country....you are wrong because I am living proof that you can.