Many Americans, though not as many as there used to be, support the war in Iraq and the troops. Others do not support the war, yet make it clear that they still support the troops.
As a faithfulist of Jesus Christ, I support neither. I do not support this war and I cannot support the troops fighting it. My allegiance is to no man and no nation, it is to Jesus and what His word teaches, what it commands believers to do.
Jesus Christ in all he teaches is a witness against war. Just look at a few of the many New Testament passages which clearly show the sinfulness of all war and strife, and the requirement of love: "Blessed are the peacemakers"; "Love your enemies . . . do good to them that hate you . . . that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven"; "Resist not him that is evil"; "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them"; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me"; "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight"; "Put up thy sword into its place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword"; "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves"; "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"; "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good"; "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men"; "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal"; "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not"; "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing"; "From whence come wars and fightings among you, come they not hence even of your lusts"; "Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"; "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. . . . And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also"; "But the greatest of these is love" (Matt. 5:9; Matt. 5:44, 45; Matt. 5:39; Matt. 7:12; Luke 9:23; John 18:36; Matt. 26:52; Rom. 12:20, 21; II Tim. 2:24; II Cor. 10:4; I Pet. 2:21-23; I Pet. 3:9; Jas. 4:1; I John 3:16; I John 4:20, 21; I Cor. 13:13).
Jesus is the prince of peace, he is our commander, he is our witness. To wage war, to support war is completely contrary to Jesus Christ. How can anyone that claims to be a follower of Christ join in warfare of any kind.
Look closely at these verses:
How can one be a child of the Father without loving their enemies, without doing what verse 44 says? Verse 45 says we must do so that we may be HIS children!
May His peace be upon you,
Dale
As a faithfulist of Jesus Christ, I support neither. I do not support this war and I cannot support the troops fighting it. My allegiance is to no man and no nation, it is to Jesus and what His word teaches, what it commands believers to do.
Jesus Christ in all he teaches is a witness against war. Just look at a few of the many New Testament passages which clearly show the sinfulness of all war and strife, and the requirement of love: "Blessed are the peacemakers"; "Love your enemies . . . do good to them that hate you . . . that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven"; "Resist not him that is evil"; "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them"; "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me"; "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight"; "Put up thy sword into its place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword"; "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves"; "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"; "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good"; "The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle to all men"; "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal"; "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not"; "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing"; "From whence come wars and fightings among you, come they not hence even of your lusts"; "Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren"; "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. . . . And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also"; "But the greatest of these is love" (Matt. 5:9; Matt. 5:44, 45; Matt. 5:39; Matt. 7:12; Luke 9:23; John 18:36; Matt. 26:52; Rom. 12:20, 21; II Tim. 2:24; II Cor. 10:4; I Pet. 2:21-23; I Pet. 3:9; Jas. 4:1; I John 3:16; I John 4:20, 21; I Cor. 13:13).
Jesus is the prince of peace, he is our commander, he is our witness. To wage war, to support war is completely contrary to Jesus Christ. How can anyone that claims to be a follower of Christ join in warfare of any kind.
Look closely at these verses:
Mat 5:44But 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; Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven...
How can one be a child of the Father without loving their enemies, without doing what verse 44 says? Verse 45 says we must do so that we may be HIS children!
May His peace be upon you,
Dale
