Pope said: "As a shepherd I cannot be in favor of war" regarding the war between USA and Iran. Source: Pope condemns killings in Iran, speaks on migration, same-sex blessings
What do you think about the following response?
God, please give us the words to say, Amen
Lord-willing, will post the response as replies
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Could someone say that God only killed in the Old Testament?
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Acts 5:3-5
Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
Did it not belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How could you conceive such a deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God!"
On hearing these words, Ananias fell down and died. And great fear came over all who heard what had happened.
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Didn't God kill Ananias in the New Testament?
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Acts 5:8-10
"Tell me," said Peter, "is this the price you and your husband got for the land?" "Yes," she answered, "that is the price."
"How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?" Peter replied. "Look, the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."
At that instant she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
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Didn't God also kill Sapphira, the wife of Ananias in the New Testament?
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Acts 12:21-23
On the appointed day, Herod donned his royal robes, sat on his throne, and addressed the people.
And they began to shout, "This is the voice of a god, not a man!"
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
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Didn't God kill King Herod?
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1 Corinthians 11:27-32
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment.
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
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In the New Testament, hasn't God killed Christians so that they are not condemned with the world?
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God killed many people in the Old Testament
And doesn't God also kill people in the New Testament?
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Jeremiah 14:13-15
"Ah, Lord GOD!" I replied, "Look, the prophets are telling them, 'You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.'"
"The prophets are prophesying lies in My name," replied the LORD. "I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, 'No sword or famine will touch this land.' By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
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Weren't there false prophets who falsely prophesied peace?
And didn't God kill these false prophets for leading people astray with their lies about peace?
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2 Thessalonians 2:8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
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Won't Jesus kill the lawless one with the breath of His mouth?
Doesn't that mean Jesus will kill the lawless one someday?
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Revelation 19:19-21
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
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Won't Jesus kill the soldiers in the armies that warred against Him with the sword that proceeds out of His mouth?
Then, in the future, won't Jesus Himself enforce the death penalty?
How then can there be no more death penalty?
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Don't all these New Testament passages mean God can still judge someone today with death?
And doesn't that mean that if God has judged someone to die, we should not correct the judgment of God?
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Matthew 10:34
Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
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Didn't Jesus say He didn't come to bring peace, but a sword?
Would it have been wise for one of the disciples of Jesus to correct Jesus by saying: "No, Lord, you must not bring a sword, for You are the Prince of Peace, not the Lord of Armies!" ?
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Matthew 26:51-52
At this, one of Jesus' companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him. "For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
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John 18:10-11
Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
"Put your sword back in its sheath!" Jesus said to Peter. "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?"
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Don’t those who live by the sword die by the sword?
Therefore, Peter should not wield a sword?
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Romans 2:6-11
God "will repay each one according to his deeds."
To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Greek;
but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Greek.
For God does not show favoritism.
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In the New Testament, doesn't God promise to repay us according to our deeds?
In the New Testament, doesn't God promise to repay the self-seeking who reject the truth and follow wickedness with wrath?
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Galatians 6:7-10
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
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If someone sows the sword, will they reap the sword?
If someone sows murder, will they themselves reap death?
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Genesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
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Didn't God institute the death penalty for murderers in Genesis at the time of Noah?
Therefore, are those who murder to be killed?
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Do you forbid all killing?
What about police officers? Are police officers allowed to have weapons? Are police officers allowed to have lethal weapons? Are police officers allowed to stop mass shooters by killing them? Are police officers allowed to kill those who are attempting to assassinate someone? Or do you say police officers should not have lethal weapons? Or do you say police officers should not have weapons at all?
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Romans 13:1-6
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.
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Isn't every President, judge, lawmaker and every other government official appointed by God?
Isn't every police officer appointed by God?
Aren't government officials servants of God?
Don't governments carry out the wrath of God on people God has judged?
Doesn't the government carry the sword?
Today, then, don't police officers "carry the gun," as avengers who carry out God's wrath on the wrongdoer?
Didn't God appoint governments to have the duty to serve God by punishing evil, including the death penalty?
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Don't Swiss officers carry guns to protect the Pope? Then doesn't the Pope understand the necessity of using lethal force to defend?
Then doesn't the Pope agree that law enforcement can use firearms?
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If an individual is a threat, then the police intervene on behalf of the government
If a country is a threat, should all other countries do nothing?
In the Holocaust, should the Pope just tell everyone to choose peace over war? Should the Pope forbid countries from attacking and defeating Hitler? Should the Pope just strongly urge Hitler to stop killing and choose peace?
What if Hitler didn't listen to the Pope? What if Hitler kept killing people? What if people were dying each day because of Hitler? Should the Pope still advise all other countries to choose "peace" and do nothing to stop Hitler? Or would the Pope urge someone to stop the Holocaust?
If a country is a threat, do other countries have an obligation to "police" countries committing evil?
In the same way police officers use weapons on an individual who is a threat, is it good for a country to use weapons on another country who is a threat?
If you oppose militaries using weapons, why don't you also oppose police officers using weapons?
If you believe police officers are needed to defend people from evil actors, why aren't militaries also needed to defend people from evil actors?
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God chose Nebuchadnezzar to judge Israel (see Jeremiah 25:8-9 from earlier)
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Romans 11:1-2
I ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:
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Aren't the Jews still God's chosen people?
Hasn't Iran been against Israel?
Hasn't Iran wanted nuclear weapons?
If Iran had nuclear weapons, could that threaten Israel?
Hasn't Trump wanted to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons?
How do you know God hasn't put it in the heart of Trump to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, ultimately to protect His chosen people Israel?
How do you know God isn't using the USA to defend Israel?
How do you know God hasn't chosen the USA to judge Iran?
I don't claim to know all the purposes God is using the USA or Trump for in the world
But if you judge the actions of Trump or the USA as immoral, then aren't you claiming to know that God is not using the USA for these kinds of purposes?
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Our Father, who is in heaven, please give us wisdom to understand and apply Your Word, in the name of Jesus, Amen
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Ecclesiastes 3:1
To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
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Ecclesiastes 3:3
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build,
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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.
