Two Swords

If you are a Christian you will be persecuted. You will have tribulation. Jesus assured as he spoke to the apostles that they would have it. And they did. An interesting chapter is Hebrews 12 and the verse which says "you have not yet resisted sin unto the shedding of blood." Many Christians did do that as their lives were taken from them by crucifixion by drowning,  beatings and burnings at the stake.  But soon enough Constantine somehow managed to draw a way into the world of statecraft many Christians. Was it there that the separation implied in Romans chapter 13 verses 1 through 7 was lost? I think so. The more I study and think on it it seems that a Christian should never bear a sword or firearm. I know I will be roundly criticized for that. But if we are to imitate Christ we will resist sin though our blood be shed.

Numbered with the transgressors

Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - Isaiah 53:10-12 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah53:10-12&version=ASV

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. - Mark 15:27-28 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark15:27-28&version=KJV

And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. - Luke 22:35-38 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke22:35-38&version=KJV

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? - Matthew 26:51-54 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew26:51-54&version=KJV

They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium: and it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee. Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die. Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. - John 18:28-40

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. - Matthew 5:38-48 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew5:38-48&version=NASB

Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war. Micah 4:3

ARE WE THERE YET?

Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.

 - Isaiah 2:2-4

And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it.Many nations will come and say, “ Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war.

 - Micah 4:1-3

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John18:28-40&version=ASV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah2:2-4&version=NASB

 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah4:1-3&version=NASB

 

NEW NAME !!!!! >>>---> the Lamb’s poet&pundit For punditry (opinion pieces) peruse the archive menu on left. For poetry see the menu/index to Books immediately below.

NEW NAME !!!!! >>>--->  the Lamb’s poet&pundit   

For punditry (opinion pieces) peruse the archive menu on left.

The Lamb's Poet
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"...AND WITH FIRE."




The Lamb's Poet

Pacifism or Obedience?

Wed., March 11, 2015

Christians don't go to war with swords and guns. Jesus came to fulfill the law and the prophets and he did it how? By defending the lost sheep of the House of Israel? No.

John18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Did he send an Israeli Army out to convert the gentiles to Christianity? No. Jesus did not even defend His own sinless flesh! He did not call on Father 12 legions of angels.

Mathew 26:51 And behold, one of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. 52 Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

The world "gets peace" not gives peace, and it keeps it by bearing the sword and gun and by using them. And yet God Himself governs the outcomes.

2 Corinthians 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds

Luke 24:49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.

A reason I believe this, more and more each day is because when the "church" if it was the church, wed the state and began to exercise national and international military and economic power, the "church's" abuses were so notorious and to rival Rome before Jesus came to Israel in the flesh. PRAY AND DO GOOD. LEAVE WAR TO GOD IN HEAVEN

Acts 10:37...you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

LEAVE WAR TO GOD IN HEAVEN.

 Romans 13:1 ...For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

BECAUSE HE LIVES!

I CAN FACE TOMORROW!

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I step down
from the throne my heart has claimed,
I smash down the idols I have raised,
I declare Your death, I immerse my soul
In all Your faith and the promise of Your Resurrection, Your Glory and Your Life.
You are meek and lowly in heart, I put You on,
O clothe me, Your servant, in Your righteousness,
Teach me Your Way, let me ever live for You.
Amen.

I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35

The Lamb's Poet


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Latest Poems now compliled!

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Index

1. A New Song
2. Humility
3. What if…
4. who...?
5. Even so...
6. Traveler
7. Yah
8. Your Presence (is enough)
9. Every Day Horror
10. He’s Still There
11. Needy One
12. Humility


Peek-a-boo by Gerry Sutter

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo, diddily do –
Where’s the mud, its stain so true?
I ambled down the water way,
Swollen by the spring melee,
Nearly was I washed on through.

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo, telling you –
I thought I had it working too:
Early to bed and early to rise,
Put in steps to glamorize,
Followed up, I knew.

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo, seeing it through,
‘Til the Lord pointed out the fool.
Pestering proud of my jury rig,
Outside the box, I danced my jig,
Swept off my feet on through.

Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo, whaddaya do?
Sweeping laurel flower’s dew.
I thought I was in charge of life –
Laid low like grass before the scythe,
Then I saw, it’s you.

Friday, November 06, 2009

2nd Amendment or Hebrews 13:13

 Before guns, first seen in the 14th century AD, there were swords. Of them said Jesus to Peter, "all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." - Matthew 26:52

So we should see that swords and guns are not simply things that destroy life. They are also things with which people keep, protect and preserve their own lives and property IN THIS PRESENT WORLD. 

Yet Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and carry OUR cross every day. If we don't we are not worthy or able to follow him. 

IDEALY the powers that be which God ordained are to use swords (weapons) to punish evil doers (criminals) with God's wrath and keep the world a peaceful place. Romans 13:1-7 is explicit even teaching us that taxes are to provide support for those who bear the sword (today the semi-automatic handgun). The police ARE God's servants, SERVING HIM FOR OUR BENIFIT, so that we might enjoy the peace of Christ while in this present world. 

The second amendment, indeed the entire constitution, is a legal document. It is said to be written for the benefit of a "religious and moral people," that is for Christians, for the Church. But the church was already quite a divided body when it was written. The matter of Corinthian heresies addressed by Paul (1Corinthians Ch.s' 1 to 3 and Ch. 11) had not and have not stopped spreading.  One can only conclude that the problems (sins) of 1st century Corinth still divide us today. Do you, do I follow Paul, Apollos or Jesus? The Pope, Luther, Calvin or Jesus? Are we overcoming Corinthian sin and Satan or overcoming each other?

"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." - Revelation 12:11 

Life is good. But life here and now has been subjected to vanity. - Romans 8:20 All have sinned. But Jesus has saved (some). He has not saved us to live in eternal vanity. He calls us to pray for his Father's will to be done here and now as it is there and now in heaven. There are no guns in heaven. Nothing in the heaven dies; nothing in heaven is killed. Heaven is eternally safe from all evil.

"Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new creation.  All that is related to the old order has vanished.  Behold, everything is fresh and new. And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God. In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and he has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, 'Turn back to God and be reconciled to him.' For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with him." - 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

God gave Paul and the apostles the ministry of reconciliation. Did God give Paul a sword to serve that calling? No. But God did give Paul instructions for us to obey the powers that he God ordained for his purposes. Romans 13:1-7. Peter also gave us those same instructions. 1Peter 2:13-17.

"Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too.  This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory! Live as one who has died..." - Colossians 3:5

"Set your mind (KJV "affections") on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. - Colossians 3:2 (NASB) 

What shall it profit me if I live to gain what "the gentiles run after?" 

The way to heaven is not by the sword or gun. 

Nevertheless God calls and ordains those who bear arms  to SERVE HIM for OUR GOOD. 

For many years I considered the idea that a Christian should never enter the army or become a policeman or police woman. Now I see that as difficult as those vocations are they are indeed honorable. Ideally those who bear arms should have God's authority and act in obedience to his word. Consider how John the Baptist responded to the soldiers who questioned him. But lost is the understanding of God's purpose for legal governing authorities to punishment criminals on earth today. Satan is a deceiver and many are deceived in their condemnation of the military and the police today. Satan's goal is always to steal, kill and destroyed. But that is not God's design in ordaining military and police forces. That holds true in every nation. 

Why then is there so much corruption in government, the military and the police throughout the world? Why is it increasing here in the United States? Could it be in part because Christian people are opposed or reluctant to serve in the military and police forces? I think yes. But a larger problem is our understanding of the selfless life we are called to live for the Lord Jesus Christ in every vocation he approves, including the Armed Forces, the police force, the courts and the prisons. 

Will we (I) lose our (my) carnal life and find eternal life in Christ? Satan would be very happy if we (I) would not. Sadly it seems many in the church will live to prove their doctrine rather than seek and reveal the Spirit and Power of Christ.

Before he was crucified, just after he rebuked Peter for cutting off a man's ear, Jesus asked, "do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? - Matthew 26:53

If Father had delivered Jesus from the cross where would we be?

What part of God's will for my life would I circumvent by calling twelve legions of of angels? What part of God's will for my life or another's life would I circumvent by use of  my  sword, pistol or rifle?

What might happen in a city if half or more of its police force were Christian men and women? What might happen if more and more Christian people ran for public office? And a really pointed question is what might happen in the church if more sought the honor of becoming a teacher, pastor, evangelist, prophet or  apostle? What might happen if more in the church studied their Bible with the certainly true presupposition that God knows more about right and wrong then they do?

Can conservatives admit that God knows better than they who is allowed to use firearms under his authority? Can liberals admit that God has ordained governing powers throughout the Earth to serve his purposes?

Sadly we resemble Israel in the days of the Judges when "EVERY MAN did that which was right in his own eyes." Our experience should teach us what the Bible does, only God truly knows what is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is evil. Humanity since Adam sinned not able to know this either and ONLY God can teach us the difference.