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Old 02-19-2008, 10:17 AM
Scaramouche
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"You keep trying to set the Bible against itself..."

Not at all. I quoted Ezekiel to show that this was God's plan all along and not some thing "new" that He thought up.
Maybe I'm not being clear. My point is that in the OT God had a specific covenant with a specific group of people. While we can draw parallels with them we are children of the New Covenant. That means that while nothing gets erased, it finds its fulfillment in Christ which is why Jesus could say...

"You have heard it said [i.e. The words the Father spoke to the children of Israel for their time - again, we believe that the Father and Son are One] BUT I SAY [same God talking here, but now He's showing us "the more excellent way" Paul discusses, which is love]. This is no contradiction but clarity.

In the issue of adultery: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time: THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY" Matthew 5:27,28

Obviously this is the law that God gave the Israelites; the 10 commandments...

"...BUT I SAY [emphasis mine] unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in His heart"

When they asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was He responded with two. They were "LOVE GOD" and also "LOVE MAN". In the example above the Law was good and served as a schoolmaster to expose sin but now that we are children of the NT we don't need 2 tablets because the Holy Spirit is living in us to convict us of sin. Those same 10 commandments apply, it's just that now my motive is not to avoid getting into trouble with God, it's trying to please my Master so that I can commune with Him in a way that is pure and righteous and holy; the way He calls us to live before Him.

In the same way, when He says (Matthew 5: 38,39):

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR TOOTH:..."

It's still the same God quoting the same Law He gave the children of Israel. This time it's in Exodus 21:24 as well as Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. Granted, this wasn't part of the "Big 10" but it's still the Law of God given to the children of Israel.
However, He continues...


"But I say unto you, that you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also".

The same rules apply here. The Law was given to expose sin by serving as a schoolmaster. However, now the Holy Spirit lives in us and convicts us of sin.
In this way, if my retaliation on a personal level is wrong, how can it then be made right simply because we've included masses and armed them with weapons and ammunition.

In other words, if I am supposed to love my enemies and bless them that curse me on a personal level, how is it that the rules change when this or any other country says that we are to go to war and kill these same folks?

Please also keep in mind that Paul expounds on this topic by reminding us that our REAL enemies aren't even our fellow man, made in the image and likeness our our Savior (vile though they may be, like us pre-Christ).
He says our REAL enemies are the powers and principalities that exist beyond our natural sight and we have the Armour of God to do combat with these enemies and EVEN THEN the ONLY offensive weapon we get to use against them is the Sword of The Spirit which is the Word of God (i.e the Bible).

I know this smacks against the common culture but the common culture is not the Counsellor; the Holy Spirit is and I think He's been clear.
It's us that have muddied things up.

Love your enemies.
Give them water.
Give them food.
Be as gentle as a dove.
Resist not evil.
Turn the other cheek.
And on, and on, and on...

"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?
And this COMMANDMENT we have FROM HIM,, THAT HE WHO LOVETH GOD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO" 1 John 4:20,21 (emphasis mine)

The Lord bless you all!