The Sermon on the Mount
Consistent with the Sermon on the Mount, the disciples never used violence against enemies. Jesus told them to flee Jerusalem when war seemed certain. When the Jews imprisoned and murdered believers, those remaining left jobs, houses and families rather than repel his words. Many would consider this cowardice thinking they should stand their ground and fight it out.
But as a follower of Christ, loving your enemies more than your own life, or the life of your loved ones is not cowardice. Jesus told us any who love their own life or their family more than him are not worthy of him. Do we repel his words by arming ourselves and planning to use violence against the enemies we are to love?
Comments
-
@Dave_L said:
Consistent with the Sermon on the Mount, the disciples never used violence against enemies. Jesus told them to flee Jerusalem when war seemed certain. When the Jews imprisoned and murdered believers, those remaining left jobs, houses and families rather than repel his words. Many would consider this cowardice thinking they should stand their ground and fight it out.But as a follower of Christ, loving your enemies more than your own life, or the life of your loved ones is not cowardice. Jesus told us any who love their own life or their family more than him are not worthy of him. Do we repel his words by arming ourselves and planning to use violence against the enemies we are to love?
So, let's put this in a practical situation, a gunman is in the mall shooting hundreds of innocent victims, you are saying that the Sermon on the Mount mandates that we must allow this because we are to love the enemy?
-
Can you kill enemies and follow Christ?
-
@Dave_L said:
Can you kill enemies and follow Christ?I noticed you did not answer the question. Are we to stand by and let hundreds be slaughtered by a mad man? Yes or no?
-
@davidtaylorjr said:
@Dave_L said:
Can you kill enemies and follow Christ?I noticed you did not answer the question. Are we to stand by and let hundreds be slaughtered by a mad man? Yes or no?
You obviously would not follow Christ in the matter. As a follower of Christ I would leave it in the hands of the Civil Magistrate, where it belongs.
-
@Dave_L said:
@davidtaylorjr said:
@Dave_L said:
Can you kill enemies and follow Christ?I noticed you did not answer the question. Are we to stand by and let hundreds be slaughtered by a mad man? Yes or no?
You obviously would not follow Christ in the matter. As a follower of Christ I would leave it in the hands of the Civil Magistrate, where it belongs.
So your answer is yes, let them be slaughtered. Good to know. That isn't following Christ, that is sick.
-
@davidtaylorjr said:
@Dave_L said:
@davidtaylorjr said:
@Dave_L said:
Can you kill enemies and follow Christ?I noticed you did not answer the question. Are we to stand by and let hundreds be slaughtered by a mad man? Yes or no?
You obviously would not follow Christ in the matter. As a follower of Christ I would leave it in the hands of the Civil Magistrate, where it belongs.
So your answer is yes, let them be slaughtered. Good to know. That isn't following Christ, that is sick.
God ordained the Civil Magistrate to bear the sword in killing people, that is not the role for followers of Christ.
-
Gentlemen,
This is a beautiful passage of Scripture, I hate to see it go to waste over rather "a gunman...in the mall shooting hundreds of innocent victims" should be stopped by a Christian or let hundreds be killed.Has either of you consider summarizing the passage that is pregnant with practical and eternal truths? The human response is, then you do it. I can, but it would be nice if one of you would mine the passage to help others discern your conclusive point.
Establish a base to start the discussion, given it is a biblical passage. No, everybody doesn't know how you read the text (reading into or out of it).
Open the door for others to come in. Your tending to the passage first would encourage others to join the conversation with substance and meaning. This is a grand opportunity too exegete the passage and contextualize it to a twenty-first Century situation. Just a suggestion. CM
-
@C_M_ said:
Gentlemen,
This is a beautiful passage of Scripture, ...This is a grand opportunity too exegete the passage and contextualize it to a twenty-first Century situation. Just a suggestion. CMExcellent! Great advice!
-
@C_M_ said:
Gentlemen,
This is a beautiful passage of Scripture, I hate to see it go to waste over rather "a gunman...in the mall shooting hundreds of innocent victims" should be stopped by a Christian or let hundreds be killed.Has either of you consider summarizing the passage that is pregnant with practical and eternal truths? The human response is, then you do it. I can, but it would be nice if one of you would mine the passage to help others discern your conclusive point.
Establish a base to start the discussion, given it is a biblical passage. No, everybody doesn't know how you read the text (reading into or out of it).
Open the door for others to come in. Your tending to the passage first would encourage others to join the conversation with substance and meaning. This is a grand opportunity too exegete the passage and contextualize it to a twenty-first Century situation. Just a suggestion. CM
What should the follower of Christ do in this situation?
-
@Dave_L said:
Open the door for others to come in. Your tending to the passage first would encourage others to join the conversation with substance and meaning. This is a grand opportunity too exegete the passage and contextualize it to a twenty-first Century situation. Just a suggestion. CM
What should the follower of Christ do in this situation?
How readeth thou the passage? How do you understand the passage? CM
-
@C_M_ said:
@Dave_L said:
Open the door for others to come in. Your tending to the passage first would encourage others to join the conversation with substance and meaning. This is a grand opportunity too exegete the passage and contextualize it to a twenty-first Century situation. Just a suggestion. CM
What should the follower of Christ do in this situation?
How readeth thou the passage? How do you understand the passage? CM
You cannot be a Christian apart from living it.
-
I wonder what David, with the College degree, think about the Sermon on the Mount and how he would summarize it? CM
-
The Sermon on the Mount is about more than just gun control and the NRA.
-
@GaoLu said:
The Sermon on the Mount is about more than just gun control and the NRA.I don't know if "The Sermon on the Mount" is about guns at all. However, the question remains for David, if he chooses to share at this time.
@C_M_ said:
I wonder what David, with the College degree, think about the Sermon on the Mount and how he would summarize it? CM -
Why is the Sermon on the Mount so important?
When Jesus finished the Sermon, Matthew records that the people were amazed at his "doctrine". That would be "the doctrine of Christ".
“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:” (Matthew 7:28)
John tells us, that if any have not the "doctrine of Christ", they are not saved. And that we should not let them into our house, or wish them a good day.
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” (2 John 9–11)
