Are Christians any different?

[lily of God]

Jesus tells us to "love your enemy", yet so many Christians join military and killing their evil enemies. Why can't so many Christians see the inconsistancy of their faith?

Are those Christians any different from any other non-Christians? I think not!

 

[Voyageur]

They are blinded by their faith and self-righteousness.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

lily,
Is it your opinion that we should we allow the wicked rule? Perhaps you could sit down and reason with them. Since Christians are just so hard to get along with and so far out of your understanding of Christ, perhaps you would have better luck in getting wicked people to conform.

 

[Quath]

Is it your opinion that we should we allow the wicked rule?

I guess it depends on how you interpret scripture like

Matthew 5:38-42 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

and

Luke 22:35-38 - Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords." "That is enough," he replied.

Don't resist evil or defend against it?

This is one of those times where I don't see which verse is suppose to take precident over the other.

 

[Lewis]

We just talked about this.
http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopi ... 14&start=0

 

[scutato]

I've decided over the past couple of days that I don't like lily of God's version of the Gospel. The reason I don't like it is because it's not the Gospel taught in the Bible, so it can only come from one other place.

Galatians 1:9: "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

It's true that Jesus said we should love our enemies, but, as I tried to explain yesterday, God is not a flat character. God is a God of love, but also a God of righteous wrath and judgement. If you disagree, please be so kind as to read the following passages:

Exodus 15:7, Leviticus 10:6, Numbers 11:33, Deuteronomy 9:7, Joshua 22:20, 1 Samuel 28:18, 2 Kings 22:13, 1 Chronicles 27:24, 2 Chronicles 19:2, Ezra 5:12, Nehemiah 13:18, Psalm 21:9, Isaiah 9:19, Jeremiah 10:10, Lamentations 2:2, Ezekiel 7:12, Hosea 5:10, Nahum 1:2, Habakkuk 3:2, Zephaniah 1:18, Zechariah 8:14, Matthew 3:7, Luke 21:23, John 3:36, Romans 1:18, Ephesians 5:6, Colossians 3:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Hebrews 3:11, Revelation 6:16

...roughly one for every book that references the wrath of God. There are far more in total, however.

So, no, I don't hold anything against those Christians who choose to enlist. In fact, they should be esteemed for their efforts to preserve the freedom to serve God that we so enjoy, at least in developed countries.

 

[jgredline]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

Think jgredline! Think!

Silly, you would have to use one of those unbelievable Bible verses to back that up.

 

[Lewis]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

Gingercat!!!!!! Where!!!!!!!

 

[jgredline]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

Think jgredline! Think!

Silly, you would have to use one of those unbelievable Bible verses to back that up.

Sounds kinda nutz ha. :o


2 Kings 19:35-36
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
The Holy Bible : King James Version.

The angel of the LORD is Jesus in this christophony.

 

[mutzrein]

When a person says they are a Christian, it ain't necessarily so.

Perhaps before we say some Christians do this and others do that we should form a basis of understanding as to what a Christian is . . . and is not.

 

[Gabbylittleangel]

When a person says they are a Christian, it ain't necessarily so.

Perhaps before we say some Christians do this and others do that we should form a basis of understanding as to what a Christian is . . . and is not.

Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

 

[mutzrein]

When a person says they are a Christian, it ain't necessarily so.

Perhaps before we say some Christians do this and others do that we should form a basis of understanding as to what a Christian is . . . and is not.

Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Amen - and I love the tree!

So how do you judge the fruit to be good or bad?

 

[Voyageur]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

Think jgredline! Think!

Silly, you would have to use one of those unbelievable Bible verses to back that up.

Sounds kinda nutz ha. :o


2 Kings 19:35-36
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
The Holy Bible : King James Version.

The angel of the LORD is Jesus in this christophony.

This is merely a literary interpretation.

The Bible said it was an Angel of the Lord. Some Christians have interpreted this to mean that it was Jesus in order to justify that God is a vengeful God.

 

[scutato]

So how do you judge the fruit to be good or bad?

A few black-and-white examples (Galatians 5:19-23):

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

[Voyageur]

One can pick and choose Biblical verse to justify any interpretation.

For example, in Luke 9:52-56, the disciples ask Jesus if they should call down fire from Heaven to consume the Samaritans for refusing to receive Jesus.

What did he say to James and John?

"You don't know of what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man didn't come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

The disciples were referencing 2 Kings 1, wherein Elijah consumed soldiers sent by the King of Sam'aria.

 

[Voyageur]

In the Bible, you have instances where God is vengeful and violent and where God is compassionate, patient and loving.

 

[scutato]

This is merely a literary interpretation.

The Bible said it was an Angel of the Lord. Some Christians have interpreted this to mean that it was Jesus in order to justify that God is a vengeful God.

You'd have a good argument if this was the only instance. Check out this rebuke from Samuel to Saul for disobeying God (Samuel 28:18):

Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.

God is indeed vengeful. That much is obvious if you read your Bible (Romans 12:19):

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Try doing a search on BibleGateway.com for the word vengeance (in the KJV). Heck, just search for "vengeance of the LORD" and you'll get plenty of results.

 

[jgredline]

Gingercat
Would it be a shock to you if I said that Jesus KILLED 185,000 people?
He did.

Think jgredline! Think!

Silly, you would have to use one of those unbelievable Bible verses to back that up.

Sounds kinda nutz ha. :o


2 Kings 19:35-36
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
The Holy Bible : King James Version.

The angel of the LORD is Jesus in this christophony.

This is merely a literary interpretation.

The Bible said it was an Angel of the Lord. Some Christians have interpreted this to mean that it was Jesus in order to justify that God is a vengeful God.

Voy
The bible is literal and the bible says ''the Angel of the Lord''
When ever the Bible speaks of ''The Angel of the Lord'' its refering to Jesus incarnite..

When the Bible says an Angel, then its an Angel / messenger.
Peace.
Jg

 

[scutato]

One can pick and choose Biblical verse to justify any interpretation.

I'm not arguing that God's not a loving God. I'm arguing that He's a loving God and a vengeful God. Just as anyone you know has more than one facet to their character, so does God. Not acknowledging that is not giving God enough credit as a living being, let alone the Creator of everything.