Do any of you believe God was pleased when we vaporized thousands of Japanese children? Perhaps we didn't have a choice in regards to the earthly point of view...but do you think God applauded this?
God ordered the 'vaporization' of entire families in the OT. Read it and blame God for being so heartless.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
God ordered the 'vaporization' of entire families in the OT. Read it and blame God for being so heartless.
Different covenant. God was preserving his covenant nation, Israel. Today God's covenant people are a church. And we are called to a higher standard of separation than Israel. And we are spiritual kingdom...not an earthly nation.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
Different covenant. God was preserving his covenant nation, Israel. Today God's covenant people are a church. And we are called to a higher standard of separation than Israel. And we are spiritual kingdom...not an earthly nation.
Well, let's throw out the OT then!!!
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
No. It's a type and shadow of the spiritual conflict we are engaged in.
We are not an earthly nation as was Israel. We are the Church, comprised of all nations and peoples and tongues.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
Chris picks and chooses the rules in which he sets up his arbitrary worldview.
Actually my view is the classical view of most fundamentalist churches. I didn't make it to my office last night, but I have resources there I can draw upon to show that Bible believing Christians in America have only recently embraced war as a "Christian" option.
I admonish you to read the Articles of Faith of the United Pentecostal Church International:
Quote:
CONSCIENTIOUS SCRUPLES
We recognize the institution of human government as being of divine ordination, and, in so doing, affirm unswerving loyalty to our Government; however, we take a definite position regarding the bearing of arms or the taking of human life.
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we believe in implicit obedience to His commandments and precepts which instruct us as follows: ".. that ye resist not evil. . ." (Matt. 5:39): "Follow peace with all men..." (Heb. 12:14). (See also Matt. 26:52; Rom. 12:19; James 5:6; Revelation 13:10). These we believe and interpret to mean Christians shall not shed blood nor take human life.
Therefore, we propose to fulfill all the obligations of loyal citizens, but are constrained to declare against participating in combatant service in war, armed insurrection, property destruction, aiding or abetting in or the actual destruction of human life.
Furthermore, we cannot conscientiously affiliate with any union, boycott, or organization which will force or bind any of its members to belong to any organization, perform any duties contrary to our conscience, or receive any mark, without our right to affirm or reject same (1930).
However, we regret the false impression created by some groups or so-called "conscientious objectors" that to obey the Bible is to have a contempt for law or magistrates, to be disloyal to our Government and in sympathy with our enemies, or to be unwilling to sacrifice for the preservation of our commonwealth. This attitude would be as contemptible to us as to any patriot. The Word of God commands us to do violence to no man. It also commands us that first of all we are to pray for rulers of our country. We, therefore, exhort our members to freely and willingly respond to the call of our Government except in the matter of bearing arms. When we say service, we mean service-no matter how hard or dangerous. The true church has no more place for cowards than has the nation. First of all, however, let us earnestly pray that we will with honor be kept out of war.
We believe that we can be consistent in serving our Government in certain noncombatant capacities, but not in the bearing of arms. (1940).
We further believe that our military personnel must live in a manner consistent with the Articles of Faith.
I admonish you to read David K. Bernard's book, Practical Holiness a Second Look, where he goes into greater depth on the subject and clarifies why this is the Biblical position on warfare.
Essentially the conflict is between a teaching which is Pentecostal and of Holy Ghost origin and a teaching rooted in Reformed Presbyterianism.
I'm being challenged on account of holding a distinctly "Pentecostal" position.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
How is the killing of women and children in the OT a type and shadow of our spiritual conflicts today???
There are seemingly innocent elements to sin that we are to eradicate from our lives.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
Hybrid Mode
