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NASB | Exodus 20:13 ¶ "You shall not murder. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Exodus 20:13 ¶ "You shall not commit murder (unjustified, deliberate homicide). [Gen 9:6; Ex 21:12, 14, 18] |
Subject: 'Conscientious Objection' Biblical? |
Bible Note: Dear Sir, Friend, this lapses into tedium... I well understand your point, but your point strains Biblical interpretation toward an emotional bent. Also, with all due respect, your logic defies reality. How do we know that unilateral disarmament will not bring the world about? I suppose that same way we know that gravity will draw you to earth if you jump off a cliff. Sir, I am not being facetious! Unilateral disarmament HAS been tried historically numerous times. If we lived in a world that was ruled by common sense, common morality, and common faith it WOULD work. But until the Lord returns, we live in a perverse age. You mistakenly think that we will 'change the world' with love. Well, this works in the movies, but goes against the Bible. Jesus spoke so many of His words to a nation that knew the Lord, a society that had a fundamental faith in one God. He spoke to a community that was to despise the 'outside world' and it's ways. We now live in an amalgamated world, the faithful amongst the wolves. "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 NASB In my humble opinion, your pendulum is swung to the left. Jesus preached balance, not bent. You are correct in that we are called to be merciful, but not at the expense of justice. You are mixing crimes, we are talking of murderers. As to grace to salvation, God is well able to take care of that. My actions will not negate His work. Indeed, free will HAS been discussed elsewhere. A search of these previous threads will reveal that I am no Calvinist :-) However, any way you argue it, if you think that man's choice affects his and other's salvation, then you clearly infringe on God's sovereignty. I do believe in the responsibility of believers to follow Jesus. But unless God instigates it, it will not happen! Finally to your finally: Jesus had a purpose on earth...the Cross awaited Him. As a lamb to slaughter, He went to glory. But the Lord clearly advised us to be strong in our faith, not sacrifices to foolishness and the wanton behavior of the world. It is one thing to submit to earthly authority for the sake of the name of Jesus, but quite another to submit to the whims of an immoral society. Sir, I am not preaching aggressive behavior, just the common wisdom that the Lord gave us. Yes, we must be careful, but not foolish! Yes, we are to be 'fools for Christ,' but not fools toward the world and it's unholy ways. In Jesus' name, charis |