Okay... so this is going to be a long post... I have stuff for both aLoneVoice and jgredline in here. I've also expanded from the original post, hope no one minds!
aLoneVoice,
I'm sorry, I jumped to conclusions about what you meant about God's "violence". I agree Romans 13 should be kept in proper context, but I believe that is quite challenging. Especially considering that now, in modern times, we are the government too. I do believe there is both a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:8
jgredline
I still disagree that Jesus was advocating the disciples to use the swords. I wouldn't mind being corrected if I'm wrong mind you. But even in light of Matthew 10 I believe the violence Jesus speaks of is all directed at us as Christians. And I don't think He is advocating that we return that violence. I don't see much evidence for the apostles using self defense in spreading the Word.
Don't get me wrong, I think they definately "Fought the good fight of faith" 1 Timothy 6:12
But just look at how they did it. They were all simply willing to die for their faith. They were more concerned about spreading the Word than they were about defending themselves:
-James was beheaded by King Herod.
-Peter was crucified upside-down.
-Matthew was killed in Ethiopia by either being burned, stoned, or beheaded.
-James the brother of Jesus, was thrown over the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ, survived the fall, so was then beat to death with a club.
-Nathanael, who preached in Asia, was finally martyred in Armenia. He was flayed to death by a whip.
-Andrew was whipped severly and crucified on an x-shaped cross in Greece. While on the cross, he preached to his tormentors for two days before he died.
-Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips there.
-Matthias was stoned and then beheaded.
-Paul was tortured and then beheaded by Nero in 67 AD.
-John was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persectution in Rome, and miraculously escaped, later he was sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos, then freed, and was the only apostle to die peacefully.
At the same time, I think Jesus understands, however, that we do, in fact, live in a fallen world. Jesus never criticizes the centurion for his "violent" life in Matthew 8:5-13 or in Luke 7:1-10. In fact Jesus says this of the centurion: he (Jesus) was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Luke 7:9 Or look at Cornelius the centurion in Acts 10. He is described as a righteous God-fearing man and the angel of God spoke to Him directly in guiding Peter.
So aLoneVoice, I believe this sword of Jesus cuts both ways. I don't believe we are supposed to irrespectively criticize those who "take up the sword", the soldiers that protect us in this fallen world.