Should Christians (Followers of Jesus) go to War?

[SirWhit]

OK brb going to read the apostle's minds. Seriously though how do you expect me to answer that question without access into their mind?

[Eleventh Doctor]

I'm not asking you to read the Apostle's minds, just suggest a theory for why they wouldn't defend themselves. I mean if there's no teachings against self defense why would they not defend themselves?

[Mandy]

Woody. thats where our understanding of Two Kingdoms comes in. there's the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of God. the government is in charge of the kingdom of this world and they need to go to war sometimes but we Followers of Jesus as part of God's Kingdom do not fight in obedience to Jesus commands to love our enemies.

[SirWhit]

They were being a witness to God by not defending themselves is my guess.

[Eleventh Doctor]

Okay, so is it not just as important to be a witness today?

[Miss Friendship]

About your question Mr. Whitsend, you should do whatever you believe Jesus would do. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Blitz]

Wait what about Hilter doing it in the name of God? That doesn't even justify it. Catholics have killed Jews and Protestants in the name of God that doesn't make it right. Hitler even if he did fight in his mind, 'in the name of God' which from many of his speeches he vehemently denied, that doesn't mean he actually was fighting in the name of God.
So Miss Friendship if you say that we must take everything God said literally, why did he say for the disciples to carry swords?
I even said this before, there is a difference between being a martyr and dying in say a war. In a war, you are defending others from not going to hell because if you think about it, the persons you are fighting don't care whether you are Christian or un-believer. As a martyr, you are going to die because you are a Christian.
Anyway if Christians had completely stayed out of WW2, it would have been lost all ready.

[Rosy]

I believe that sometimes war is necessary in our sinful world. If we can come to a peaceful agreement to prevent a war, then by all means I believe we should do it. But there was no reasoning with Hitler, and many other dictators. Should we sit back and allow thousands of people to die for no reason just because we don't want to get involved?

[Mandy]

I believe that sometimes war is necessary in our sinful world. If we can come to a peaceful agreement to prevent a war, then by all means I believe we should do it. But there was no reasoning with Hitler, and many other dictators. Should we sit back and allow thousands of people to die for no reason just because we don't want to get involved?

See my post farther down about 2 kingdoms.

[Rosy]

Just because we love our enemies doesn't mean we let them do whatever they like. Criminals shouldn't be allowed to run free.

[Mandy]

Just because we love our enemies doesn't mean we let them do whatever they like. Criminals shouldn't be allowed to run free.

No they shouldn't. The police and the government have the authority to take care of those things, but we as followers of Jesus are part of a different Kingdom and we live differently than the rest of the world.

[Eleventh Doctor]

So does that mean Christian's shouldn't be police or part of the government?

[Mandy]

So does that mean Christian's should be police or part of the government?

I'm not saying that no one who is part of the government of police is a Christian, because many are, but i wouldn't feel right about it. The main reason about the police thing being that sometimes you have to shoot or kill people.

[Eleventh Doctor]

So if you knew someone who was Christian and a police officer what would you tell them?

[Mandy]

So if you knew someone who was Christian and a police officer what would you tell them?

Hmm, that's tough. I would want to let them hear from God on what they should or shouldn't do, but if a police officer asked me for advice whether or not he should be police or not, i would probably share my understanding and the scriptures with him and tell him to study his bible and pray about what God wants him to do.

[Miss Friendship]

I know an ex-police officer. He attends our church. It took him quite a long time to wrestle through the reality of the two separate kingdoms.

Many Christians don't realize Jesus preached about a new Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. That was His mission to earth along with saving us from our sin. Christianity is so watered-down now that you pray a prayer, and think you have a straight ticket to heaven, never realizing there is a new Kingdom to join. And to stay separate and un-spotted from the world. Go read his parables--many of them are all on the Kingdom of God.

Take an example from the Lord's Prayer. "May thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven." The Kingdom of God which is in our hearts will be made real in Heaven. Do you think in Heaven there will be any wars? Any killing? Of course not. So if we are citizen of Christ's Kingdom, we will behave as though we were in Heaven. We are merely ambassadors on a different planet right now.

Suppose a United States ambassador went to live in Russia. He still belongs and is faithful to United States even though he is living in Russia. He obeys the laws of Russia, so long as it doesn't go against what the United States expects of him. In the same way, we live on earth and do our best to live in peace, but if the World ordered us to do something against our Kingdom's rules, we would have to refuse to obey.

The police officer, you have to agree is tied in with his earthly country. He is always responding to its needs, killing it's villains, rescuing its citizens. I respect and honor the Police and do my best to obey all the laws, but I am part of another Kingdom. Something all Christians need to grasp! This world is not our Kingdom.

[SirWhit]

*pops head in*

I'm not sure where you get that all police do is kill...you do realize that police arrest most people and only shoot if there is a threat to their lives? Like it or not there are situations where we will have to face life and death. Also where in the Bible does it say to not defend yourself against attackers? As far as I know the Bible says to defend yourself...but not sure. I would have to study that.

*pops head back out*

[Mandy]

I didn't mean to give the impression that i think all police officers do is kill. i don't think that, but i do know that they might have to sometimes. Could someone who would never kill anyone, under any circumstance, become a police officer? i don't think so.

[SirWhit]

If you base your life decisions based on what might happen you'll miss out on a lot of opportunities. If I remember correctly the majority of officers never discharge their gun.

Ok I'm really done now

[Jared DeWhite]

Right, they just beat them up instead...

Now to get back on topic, Jesus said to buy a sword.