love your enemy

[Noa]

All you have to do is see what humans do to any paradisaic place....they build high rise apartments and charge people a fortune to vacation there. Paradise then becomes a concrete jungle which ruins the concept.....but it doesn't stop people from flocking there. Why do we need such locations even for a short stay?

Are you equating 'paradise' with 'tropical tourist destinations'?

 

[Deeje]

Are you equating 'paradise' with 'tropical tourist destinations'?

No, I am equating people's ideas of what a paradise should be with where they choose to go for their vacations. Tropical locations are very popular, but mass migrations of tourists makes it anything but paradise. Greedy humans ruin everything. The pristine places still untouched by man are getting rarer. In Australia there are thousands of miles of coastline and a great many of our beaches hardly ever see human footprints. These unspoiled places are the true paradise conditions that people want, but we hope they never find.

 

[rusra02]

do you mean we simply let the rebels killing us?

Jesus told his disciples: "However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous."(Matthew 5:44,45) He also told them, "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another." (Matthew 10:23) The first century Christians suffered brutal persecution, as Jesus also did, but did not retaliate. This was in marked contrast to many professed "Christians" today who do not hesitate to kill.

 

[use_your_brain]

Jesus told his disciples: "However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous."(Matthew 5:44,45) He also told them, "When they persecute you in one city, flee to another." (Matthew 10:23) The first century Christians suffered brutal persecution, as Jesus also did, but did not retaliate. This was in marked contrast to many professed "Christians" today who do not hesitate to kill.

what if you cannot flee?

 

[rusra02]

what if we cannot flee?

Again, I believe Jesus set the example for us, and the early Christians. They were determined to obey God, even at the cost of their lives. Jesus said: "Moreover, I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after this are not able to do anything more." (Luke 12:4) I am sure enemies cannot prevent God from resurrecting faithful Christians back to life. Admittedly, one needs strong faith in the true God to face death rather than compromise. Revelation 12:11 says about such persons: "And they conquered him [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death."

 

[use_your_brain]

Again, I believe Jesus set the example for us, and the early Christians. They were determined to obey God, even at the cost of their lives. Jesus said: "Moreover, I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after this are not able to do anything more." (Luke 12:4) I am sure enemies cannot prevent God from resurrecting faithful Christians back to life. Admittedly, one needs strong faith in the true God to face death rather than compromise. Revelation 12:11 says about such persons: "And they conquered him [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death."

I am talking about the fact situation. what if you cannot flee, while the assaulter strive to kill you?

 

[rusra02]

I am talking about the fact situation. what if you cannot flee, while the assaulter strive to kill you?

So am I.

 

[use_your_brain]

So am I.

how suppose to love the assaulter in that situation?

 

[rusra02]

how suppose to love the assaulter in that situation?

The love I think Jesus was talking about was the same love that God shows the wicked, dealing kindly with them, in hope they will turn from their wicked course. (2 Peter 3:9) 'Agape', the word translated from Greek, is love based on principle, not emotion. We may hate the bad things the wicked do, but we do not hate them or wish to harm them. Rather, I believe we should follow the Scriptural advice at Romans 12:18-21; "If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good." We probably do not feel affection for those persecuting us, but we hope they will change before God destroys them.

 

[use_your_brain]

The love I think Jesus was talking about was the same love that God shows the wicked, dealing kindly with them, in hope they will turn from their wicked course. (2 Peter 3:9) 'Agape', the word translated from Greek, is love based on principle, not emotion. We may hate the bad things the wicked do, but we do not hate them or wish to harm them. Rather, I believe we should follow the Scriptural advice at Romans 12:18-21; "If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good." We probably do not feel affection for those persecuting us, but we hope they will change before God destroys them.

I don't ask your feeling whether you would fall in love with the assaulter or not. I am asking your physical/realistic reaction, will you let the assaulter kill you?

 

[rusra02]

I don't ask your feeling whether you would fall in love with the assaulter or not. I am asking your physical/realistic reaction, will you let the assaulter kill you?

If a lone person attacked me or a loved one, I would do what I could to stop him. There is little one can do physically against a mob.
I would not arm myself in anticipation of an attack. And I believe true Christians will not involve themselves in militias or any other group that uses violence. (Isaiah 2:4)

 

[use_your_brain]

If a lone person attacked me or a loved one, I would do what I could to stop him. There is little one can do physically against a mob.
I would not arm myself in anticipation of an attack. And I believe true Christians will not involve themselves in militias or any other group that uses violence. (Isaiah 2:4)

Or let saying they would rape you. I suggest you to let them raping you.

 

[Useless2015]

Is a person who calls themselves a "Christian" but chooses not follow the teachings of the Christ, really a Christian?

Yes.

If a lone person attacked me or a loved one, I would do what I could to stop him. There is little one can do physically against a mob.
I would not arm myself in anticipation of an attack. And I believe true Christians will not involve themselves in militias or any other group that uses violence. (Isaiah 2:4)

What happened to loving your enemy?

 

[rusra02]

Or let saying they would rape you. I suggest you to let them raping you.

I would not 'let' anyone rape me or my loved ones, just as I would not 'let' them kill me. If a person is attacked with overwhelming force, realistically there is only so much one can do to protect oneself, is that not so?

 

[rusra02]

Yes.





What happened to loving your enemy?

You can love your enemy and still prevent him from harming you.

 

[use_your_brain]

I would not 'let' anyone rape me or my loved ones, just as I would not 'let' them kill me. If a person is attacked with overwhelming force, realistically there is only so much one can do to protect oneself, is that not so?

you imply your bible is not realistic. it cannot be applied in the common situation.

 

[Useless2015]

You can love your enemy and still prevent him from harming you.

How exactly?

 

[truelight Mike]

Yes.

How?

 

[Useless2015]

How?

You literally said if someone calls himself Christian...

 

[truelight Mike]

You literally said if someone calls himself Christian...

My point was that just because someone calls themselves a "Christian " does not prove that they are. ..at all. How we choose to live our lives determines who or what we are no matter what name we put on ourselves.