Love as Jesus Did
We strive to love as Jesus commanded us
“I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
Jesus shattered a pagan template of violence and revenge against those who harm us.
By doing so He overcame all of His enemies.
Herod’s military might, his political dynasty and that of the Roman emperors and their vast armies, have all vanished.
They were swept away by a young man who advanced the seditious belief that might does not make right; insisting instead that we learn to love our enemies instead of hating them.
Jesus taught us to resist the temptations of retaliation and revenge, and turn the other cheek to those who afflict and oppress us.
We pray for a change of heart and for redemption and salvation for our enemies.
May we treat others as we wish to be treated.
That is the Resurrection message of Jesus Christ at Easter and throughout the year.
— Michael Hoffman
"Let all that you do be done in love."
"Let all that you do be done in love."
(I Corinthians 16:14)
All means all: loving every human being, Jew or gentile, black or white, and all others. This we believe; this we teach. Hatred and extremism are not of God and bear no good fruit.
All means all: loving every human being, Jew or gentile, black or white, and all others. This we believe; this we teach. Hatred and extremism are not of God and bear no good fruit.
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6 comments:
"Let all that you do be done in love."
O.K. Revenge for the sake of revenge is out. But, if possible, shouldn't the Iranians attempt to deter or pre-empt, by military or cyber means, further U.S. aggression, and, if possible, attempt to bring to JUSTICE those responsible for murdering their personnel in Iraq, and in Syria over the years, who were attempting to protect the Syrian people from the Jihadists?
Isn't it an act of love for a nation's leaders to attempt to protect their people? Civil defense may not be sufficient. Should the Iranians just wait to be slaughtered, and hope the members of the U.S. government go to hell when they die? Michael, do you own a gun? Would it be an act of hate to attempt to kill someone who broke into your house when your family was at home?
"...and hope the members of the U.S. government go to hell when they die?"
Upon reflection, I realize this was not a proper question for me to ask. It puts me on the same level as the eminent theologians of the major churches, who, mostly in the past, showed their love by "sending people to hell" through excommunication, or in the case of the pacifist Amish, by shunning them. The major churches also showed their love for their enemies by giving them a chance to confess and repent (nice of them) prior to burning or drawing and quartering them for such capital crimes as skepticism toward church doctrine. The moral superiority of the European Christians over those savage Aztecs and Mayans was thus demonstrated.
Today the Christian Orthodox Russian armed forces are showing their love toward the terrorists in Syria, aren't they. There was also the "Sword of Constantine", ruler of the first major Christian nation.
You yourself have written that the Nazis should have prepared to fight a defensive war against Stalin's forces. You did not suggest that they "turn the other cheek."
I am not trying to overrule the Gospels, which, beginning with Mark, were written at least thirty years after Jesus Christ's time on earth, and which may have been amended even later*. I am only asking if committing suicide-by-enemy by "turning the other cheek" is right and just, and Christian.
* Jesus' prophesy about the destruction of Jerusalem may have been written after the fact.
It appears from Abraham Keteltas' 1777 sermon, "God Arising and Pleading His People's Cause", that he believes self-defense is permitted and necessary as a last resort when all other options do not stay the hand of the attacker, and that this does not contradict Christ's command to do good to the oppressor. I'm not sure that there is a Biblical mandate for Keteltas' position.
Thank you sir! ... for these healing words of wisdom from our True and Everlasting Master. Please pray for me.
https://ethiotewahido.blogspot.com/2020/08/behold-from-henceforth-all-generations.html
Curiously thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not steal are absent in the unaltered Ten Decrees. They were altered about the time of Ezekiel. See the link on the gospel and the Law as we've been lied to for 3000 years. Onediscipletoanother.org
Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all the best . thanks for all the help .
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