Victorious King, Jesus Christ (borrowed Photo)
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Mathew 26: 52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
The first important observation is to recognize that Jesus does not speak about "the sword", but about "a sword". Jesus is not a prophet of the sword. The sword of violence, force and war has no place in his message. What kind of sword is he talking about?
The above passage speaks about the consequence of being obedient to the command of Jesus that we are to preach his message. Some will listen and accept it but many will reject it and react violently.
We will be hated for the message of repentance that we have to bring. We will be hated because we call people from evil to light and because this message exposes their evil deeds.
For many it will mean that even our own family will turn against us.
What kind of sword? It is the sword of division that God's word brings. It is the division of truth from error, and the reaction of the darkness against the light. The sword that Jesus brings, is the sword that his followers have to suffer, a sword that is applied to them, not a sword that they wield against others.
And exactly that happens in many countries. The fellowship of believers, while full of peace, incurs the wrath of the nonbelievers. Christians are gathering peacefully, yet are persecuted.
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It is a horrible and sad reality, that in history not all who called themselves Christians were obedient to Jesus' commands and much violence and persecution in the name of Christianity has been committed. We know this, we are grieved by it, and we repent of it. But it is not the authentic teaching of Jesus Christ.
Matew 10:34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Victorious King, Jesus Christ (borrowed Photo)
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Mathew 26: 52 "Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
The first important observation is to recognize that Jesus does not speak about "the sword", but about "a sword". Jesus is not a prophet of the sword. The sword of violence, force and war has no place in his message. What kind of sword is he talking about?
The above passage speaks about the consequence of being obedient to the command of Jesus that we are to preach his message. Some will listen and accept it but many will reject it and react violently.
We will be hated for the message of repentance that we have to bring. We will be hated because we call people from evil to light and because this message exposes their evil deeds.
For many it will mean that even our own family will turn against us.
What kind of sword? It is the sword of division that God's word brings. It is the division of truth from error, and the reaction of the darkness against the light. The sword that Jesus brings, is the sword that his followers have to suffer, a sword that is applied to them, not a sword that they wield against others.
And exactly that happens in many countries. The fellowship of believers, while full of peace, incurs the wrath of the nonbelievers. Christians are gathering peacefully, yet are persecuted.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is a horrible and sad reality, that in history not all who called themselves Christians were obedient to Jesus' commands and much violence and persecution in the name of Christianity has been committed. We know this, we are grieved by it, and we repent of it. But it is not the authentic teaching of Jesus Christ.
Matew 10:34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.