food for thought --
John 13:35--King James Version (KJV)
35 " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another"
Romans 13:8--King James Version (KJV)
8 "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law"
1 John 4:20--King James Version (KJV)
20 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
Matthew 26:52---King James Version (KJV)
52 "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."
Matthew 5:43-47--
King James Version (KJV)
43 "e have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?"
ROMANS 12:9,10,17-21--KJV --
9 "et love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another"
17 "ecompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
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.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
2 Corinthians 10:3-4--King James Version (KJV)
3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)"
Ephesians 6:11-18--King James Version (KJV)
11 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"
2 Timothy 2:24---King James Version (KJV)
24 "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient"
1 Corinthians 13:4-7---New King James Version (NKJV)
4 "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
James 4:1-4--New King James Version (NKJV)
4 "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. "
Isaiah 2:2-4---Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
2 "And it hath come to pass, In the latter end of the days, Established is the mount of Jehovah's house, Above the top of the mounts, And it hath been lifted up above the heights, And flowed unto it have [PEOPLE OF ]all the nations.
3 And gone have many peoples and said, `Come, and we go up unto the mount of Jehovah, Unto the house of the God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we walk in His paths, For from Zion [HEBREWS 12:2-24]goeth forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.[GALATIONS 4:26]
4 And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples,[THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM] And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation [FAITHFUL PERSONS THEREIN]doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more -- war."
Isaiah 60:17-18---King James Version (KJV)
17 "For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise."
Matthew 5:9--King James Version (KJV)
9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God"
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
King James Version (KJV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
QUOTES---
"What was the attitude of the early Christians toward what Jesus taught about not resorting to violence? The book The Early Christian Attitude to War says: “Inasmuch as they [Jesus’ teachings] ruled out as illicit all use of violence and injury against others, clearly implied [was] the illegitimacy of participation in war . . . The early Christians took Jesus at his word, and understood his inculcations of gentleness and non-resistance in their literal sense. They closely identified their religion with peace; they strongly condemned war for the bloodshed which it involved.” How different the course of history would have been had all those who claimed to be Christians actually followed this teaching!"
"While on earth, Jesus demonstrated how to replace hatred with unselfish love, commanding: “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) He also said: “Happy are the peaceable.” (Matthew 5:9) Here the Greek word for “peaceable” means more than enjoying a state of tranquillity. It really entails cultivating peace, actively working to promote goodwill.
When Jesus was being arrested, the apostle Peter tried to defend him with a lethal weapon. But the Son of God reprimanded him, saying: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) How did first-century Christians apply those words? Note the following quotations.
“A careful review of all the information available [shows] that, until the time of Marcus Aurelius [121-180 C.E.], no Christian became a soldier; and no soldier, after becoming a Christian, remained in military service.”—The Rise of Christianity.
“The behavior of the [early] Christians was very different from that of the Romans. . . . Since Christ had preached peace, they refused to become soldiers.”—Our World Through the Ages.
Because Christ’s disciples refused to serve in the emperor’s legions, the Romans put many of them to death. Why did Christians maintain such an unpopular stand? Because Jesus taught them to be peacemakers.
A professor of political science evidently pondered that question. So he asked, as recorded in The Christian Century: “Can anyone seriously conceive of Jesus hurling hand grenades at his enemies, using a machine gun, manipulating a flamethrower, dropping nuclear bombs or launching an ICBM which would kill or cripple thousands of mothers and children?”
In answer, the professor said: “The question is so absurd that it scarcely merits an answer.” So he posed the question: “If Jesus could not do this and be true to his character, then how can we do it and be true to him?” We should not be surprised, therefore, by the position of neutrality taken by Jesus’ early followers, which is well documented by many history books. Consider just two examples.
Our World Through the Ages, by N. Platt and M. J. Drummond, says: “The behavior of the Christians was very different from that of the Romans. . . . Since Christ had preached peace, they refused to become soldiers.” And The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon, states: “[Early Christians] refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defence of the empire. . . . It was impossible that the Christians, without renouncing a more sacred duty, could assume the character of soldiers.”
"History shows that early Christians were respectful, law-abiding citizens. But they were determined to be “no part of the world,” even though this brought persecution upon them. We read statements such as these:
“Early Christianity was little understood and was regarded with little favor by those who ruled the pagan world. . . . Christians refused to share certain duties of Roman citizens. . . . They would not hold political office.”—On the Road to Civilization, A World History.57
“They refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defence of the empire. . . . It was impossible that the Christians, without renouncing a more sacred duty, could assume the character of soldiers, of magistrates, or of princes.”—History of Christianity.58
“Origen [who lived in the second and third centuries of the Common Era] . . . remarks that ‘the Christian Church cannot engage in war against any nation. They have learned from their Leader that they are children of peace.’ In that period many Christians were martyred for refusing military service.”—Treasury of the Christian World.59"
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