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Old 02-26-2008, 07:38 PM
fundy
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***SPOT ON!!! Jesus was not a pacifist, as you said. Pacifism requires activism and Jesus did not come to Earth to be an activist. However, he did preach non retribution and I don't think it would be fair to build an arguement for carrying swords (or whatever your weapon of choice) based on one verse. Especially since several verses later he corrects Peter for using the very sword He told them to carry. Another Gospel says He told him to put away his sword because the one who lives by it, dies by it.


There are obviously times when being armed is Biblicaly OK...otherwise Christ would not have given the instruction to by swords.

Christs' correction of Peter's use of his sword is a result of Peter's untimely mis-use of the weapon..Joh 18:11 "Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? "

Christ told Peter to put his sword back into its sheath...not to throw it away.
The message here is clearly that the carrying of weapons is fine, but they must not be misused.

As for Christians being involved in war....in 1917-18, God used General Allenbie, a Bible thumping Christian, and the Australian Light Horse, along with New Zealanders and a British army, to clear the promised land of the Muslim Turk occupiers. this campaign cleared the way for the fullfilment of Bible prophecy, the return of the Jews to the promised land.
Diary entries from the soldiers indicate that they were very aware of "walking in the footsteps of Jesus" as they liberated the many towns and cities all the way to Jerusalem.

If every Christian in Allenbies army stayed home because they didnt think war was a valid Christian endevour, Israel would not exist today as a towering example of the truth of Gods word and the validity of his promises.

Fundy