Encouragement News Issue 2.
Welcome and Discussion...
Welcome readers, it is a delight to me that you are continuing to read this newsletter, may the Lord Jesus bless you and keep you.
Now, what I would like to discuss is the matter of warfare and the ethics behind it - what God says in His word, concerning the matter. I start with Joshua 3:10 from the Bible: 'This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.' So we can infer from this that there was a time when God used war to bring His judgement, in fact commanding his chosen nation (Israel), to engage in it to acquire and inhabit the land promised to them long before - but only to bring judgement to the sinful nations around them who refused to repent; thus receiving judgement. Now some might think that this is unfair - what if some repented? Those that did were allowed to dwell amongst the Israelites (named 'aliens' or 'foreigners' in the Bible)- only the unrepentant were destroyed. However, since this time, Jesus came and said many things commanding peace, for example, Matthew 5:38–39: '''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.' This clearly shows a change in commands from the Old Testament to the New Testament, not that Jesus came to do away with the law, but to fulfill it. This 'change in commands' is due to Jesus' death taking on our punishment and making war no longer necessary for bringing judgement until Judgement Day where there will be war but that is God's business and it shall be used for bringing judgement to those who turn from Him. Although, I should say that the command has not actually changed when you consider that to be obedient to God is the command always - to love God with all of you and to love your neighbour like yourself. Furthermore, it seems clear from the above Bible passage that nowadays, God wants us not to engage in wars or violence of any kind. We will never be required to engage Now there are some statements that seem to make this less clear, for example, Matthew 10:34: ''Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword...'' also, from Luke 22:36 and 38: '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...'' The disciples said, ''See, Lord, here are two swords.'' ''That is enough,'' he replied.' Now it could be that the 'sword' is meant to be the word of God, after all, it is called a double‐edged sword. If not, in these instances then perhaps they were meant for animals like wolves and bears who would attack his disciples on the journey, however, many it seems have taken it to mean that swords are to be used for fighting other human beings. I must stress the point that this is NOT the case. I would conclude that since we belong to God's kingdom of Heaven (those of us with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour), we would be better not to take another's life because then they might die unsaved, another soul, lost to Hell. Also, we might be fighting fellow believers in the Lord, therefore fighting against fellow citizens of our kingdom which is not helpful if we hope to expand it. I say this to encourage my fellow believers in the LORD and to reassure them that, no matter what you watch on TV, whether labelled Christian or not, God does not want you involved in wars unless of course you are healing people as a medic or something compassionate like that. Obviously, since this is a discussion, I invite all you readers to get involved, simply comment on this link on my Facebook wall to give your responses, preferably backing your view up with verses from the Bible. I say this more to answer any questions you have, rather than to back up a view that war is what God wants for us.
God bless, Jason.
Now, what I would like to discuss is the matter of warfare and the ethics behind it - what God says in His word, concerning the matter. I start with Joshua 3:10 from the Bible: 'This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.' So we can infer from this that there was a time when God used war to bring His judgement, in fact commanding his chosen nation (Israel), to engage in it to acquire and inhabit the land promised to them long before - but only to bring judgement to the sinful nations around them who refused to repent; thus receiving judgement. Now some might think that this is unfair - what if some repented? Those that did were allowed to dwell amongst the Israelites (named 'aliens' or 'foreigners' in the Bible)- only the unrepentant were destroyed. However, since this time, Jesus came and said many things commanding peace, for example, Matthew 5:38–39: '''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.' This clearly shows a change in commands from the Old Testament to the New Testament, not that Jesus came to do away with the law, but to fulfill it. This 'change in commands' is due to Jesus' death taking on our punishment and making war no longer necessary for bringing judgement until Judgement Day where there will be war but that is God's business and it shall be used for bringing judgement to those who turn from Him. Although, I should say that the command has not actually changed when you consider that to be obedient to God is the command always - to love God with all of you and to love your neighbour like yourself. Furthermore, it seems clear from the above Bible passage that nowadays, God wants us not to engage in wars or violence of any kind. We will never be required to engage Now there are some statements that seem to make this less clear, for example, Matthew 10:34: ''Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword...'' also, from Luke 22:36 and 38: '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...'' The disciples said, ''See, Lord, here are two swords.'' ''That is enough,'' he replied.' Now it could be that the 'sword' is meant to be the word of God, after all, it is called a double‐edged sword. If not, in these instances then perhaps they were meant for animals like wolves and bears who would attack his disciples on the journey, however, many it seems have taken it to mean that swords are to be used for fighting other human beings. I must stress the point that this is NOT the case. I would conclude that since we belong to God's kingdom of Heaven (those of us with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour), we would be better not to take another's life because then they might die unsaved, another soul, lost to Hell. Also, we might be fighting fellow believers in the Lord, therefore fighting against fellow citizens of our kingdom which is not helpful if we hope to expand it. I say this to encourage my fellow believers in the LORD and to reassure them that, no matter what you watch on TV, whether labelled Christian or not, God does not want you involved in wars unless of course you are healing people as a medic or something compassionate like that. Obviously, since this is a discussion, I invite all you readers to get involved, simply comment on this link on my Facebook wall to give your responses, preferably backing your view up with verses from the Bible. I say this more to answer any questions you have, rather than to back up a view that war is what God wants for us.
God bless, Jason.
