After posting this through my fb page I received several comments which led me to do some digging for a more clear understanding, If I may, I agreed with the folks making the comments. I am a Bible believing person and I believe what Scripture says is what Scripture is and also those questions we do not understand if we look we can find them, we just have to take the time to seek, take the time to ask God to grant us understanding and we will receive as Scripture teaches. Like many, many other young men and women I served in the military and sometimes bad things happen, call it war or conflict or whatever you choose it is a bad thing.----So while I wrote about feeding my enemy, giving him a drink and so forth, there also arises the question about those times when we may be confronted by those who are evil and no way is the subject of peace any where in their vocabulary-----so HUMMM ----Where do I as a Christian stand? Now some of you may 100% agree and some of you may 100% disagree. A pinch of what I came across.-----Scripture teaches that there can be no peace among nations until Christ returns. Christ, the Prince of Peace, will bring peace to the nations. ALSO, Scripture teaches that anyone here and now willing to trust in Christ can have peace with God. Now many folks will say that God said "Thou shall not kill". Some misrepresent this, what it means is thou shall not commit murder. Then I have heard so many times about how gross the Old Testament is with all the wars and killings that took place and how could a God of love require or call for these wars. Then the same folks will say that the New Testament changed all that and now times are different. Malachi 3:6. God says--"I am the Lord and I do not change."----In James 1:17---"Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, which who there is no variation or shadow of turning."( those last few lines came from an article I found on google)----God is the same yesterday, today & tomorrow. In the Book of Revelation the 2nd coming of Christ and describes the ultimate war----Jesus is not a pacifist.....In a world filled with evil people sometimes war is necessary to prevent a greater evil. Hitler is an example, and if we look at many other conflicts we can see where good came out of war. War is a terrible thing. Some wars are more “just” than others, but war is always the result of sin (Romans 3:10-18). At the same time, Ecclesiastes 3:8 declares, “There is…a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” In a world filled with sin, hatred, and evil (Romans 3:10-18), war is inevitable. Christians should not desire war, but neither are Christians to oppose the government God has placed in authority over them (Romans 13:1-4; 1 Peter 2:17). The most important thing we can be doing in a time of war is to be praying for godly wisdom for our leaders, praying for the safety of our military, praying for quick resolution to conflicts, and praying for a minimum of casualties among civilians on both sides (Philippians 4:6-7)(again the last few lines from the same article).-------Allow me on last point that always has come to my mind when this discussion has risen over the years.....In Luke 22:35-36--" And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?”
So they said, “Nothing.”
Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."-----NOW, many have told me that back then a sword was nothing more than a knife, so it did not mean what I think it meant....BUT---the Greek word for a sword means a weapon of warfare----In Hebrew and Greek there are two different words for knife and sword.----this raises a big question, why would Jesus be telling these guys to get a weapon of warfare-----hummmm....I'll be honest here, I have looked and looked and some really smart folks interpret this way and some that way, to me boils down to opinions, so reckon this is one of those things a person needs to talk over with God and as He directs, go with that. The attitude of the Jewish people had changed. Jesus's disciples will now need money, provisions, and a means of defense.---remember the 1st time Jersus sent them out they needed none of this. God knows all, so it is possible that Jesus contemplated a situation arising in which His followers would have to resist aggression by the use of force....On the other hand there are many interpreters who refuse to believe that Jesus would ever think this way. I can only speak for myself, your true answer will come from God, but I firmly believe God gave me a wonderful life and wonderful family and wonderful country and He expects me to provide and protect them. God Bless
